park life conference 2015

Park Life Conference 2015Wednesday 25th March 2015

Bodnant Welsh Food, Furnace Farm, Tal-y-cafn, Conwy

Visual minutes by the Scarlet Design Int. Ltd. team captured ‘live’ at the event www.franohara.com If you require these visual minutes maps in an alternative size or format please contact [email protected]

PARK LIFE CONFERENCE

A North Wales conference aimed at promoting ways in which people might better design, develop and maintain places for children’s play, with a particular focus on parks and other designated, unstaffed, play areas.

In July 2014 the Welsh Government introduced a statutory duty on local authorities to secure sufficient play opportunities for children living in their areas. This duty is concerned with increasing and protecting the time, space and permission children have to play throughout all aspects of their lives, and so is about much more than designated play provision alone. However we know that parks and play areas are part of the solution and that the ‘quality’ of these areas is often seen as an indicator that those responsible ‘care’ about children’s play needs.

Children value flexible spaces that they can use and adapt in a variety of ways, which can incorporate both man-made and natural features including trees for climbing, hills for rolling down, places for hiding and opportunities to build dens. Designated play areas also serve as landmarks and have been shown to support parents in giving their children permission to “play out”.

This conference explored the nature of children’s play, what makes a ‘good’ place for playing and the processes involved in developing and maintaining successful play spaces. In doing this it will provide practical examples of both large and small playable spaces from across the region and will support participants to consider issues associated with risk management, funding and community involvement.

Please email [email protected] for more information.

Kind regards,

The Play Officers North Wales Group

AGENDA09.00 Coffee and registration

09.30 Welcome and introduction by chair Geraint Anwyl

09.40 “Design features of play” Mike Barclay, Wrexham Play Development Team

10.15 “Developing and Managing Play Spaces; A Community Toolkit” Martin King-Sheard, CVSC Play Development

10.45 CASE STUDY - ‘Space Saviours Marianne Mannello, Play Wales

11.15 BREAK

11.30 Managing Risks and Benefits Tim Gill (Author of ‘No Fear – Growing up in a risk averse society)

12.15 ACTIVITY – Barriers to playing

12.30 LUNCH

13.15 CASE STUDY – Creating playful spaces Gill Byrne, Executive Officer, Ray Ceredigion

13.45 ACTIVITY - Risk Benefit Assessments

14.00 CASE STUDY – Developing a bespoke play space Charlotte Stretton, RSPB Conwy

14.30 CASE STUDY – Community ownership of play resources Siwan Owens, Anglesey Play Development Officer/ Millie Boswell, CVSC Play Development Worker

15.00 Wren – What funders expect from applications Richard Thorogood, Wren

15.20 Concluding Remarks

© S

CA

RLE

T D

ES

IGN

201

4. M

AP

S:W

WW

.FR

AN

OH

AR

A.C

OM

Park Life Conference 2015

25 March 2015

Visual Minutes by the Scarlet Design

Int. Ltd. team. www.franohara.com

Taflen Wybodaeth / Information SheetCymorth Lleol/Local Support Ynys Mon/AngleseyPrif Swyddog Chwarae / Principal Play Officer : Siwan OwensEbost/Email: [email protected] Wê/Website: http://www.ynysmon.gov.uk/cymuned/plant-a-theuluoedd/strategaeth-chwarae-ynys-mon/ Ffon/Phone: 01248 752968Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/Angleseyfamilies/Twitter: @MonChwaraePlay

ConwyPrif Swyddog Chwarae / Principal Play Officer: Martin King-SheardEbost/Email: [email protected] Wê/Website: http://www.conwy.gov.uk/playdevelopmentFfon/Phone: Martin and Millie – 01492523857Facebook: www.facebook.com/conwyplaydevelopment Twitter: @conwyplay

Sir Ddinbych/DenbighshireActive Lifestyle Manager: Rhian RobertsEbost/Email: [email protected]/Phone: 01824712728

Sir y Fflint/FlintshireSwyddog Datblygu Chwarae / Principal Play Officer: Janet RobertsEbost/Email: [email protected] Ffon/Phone: 01352702456

Gwynedd

Prif Swyddog Chwarae / Principal Play Officer: Gwydion ap Wynn

Ebost/Email: [email protected]

Ffon/Phone: 01286679919

Wrecsam/Wrexham

Prif Swyddog Chwarae / Principal Play Officer: Michael Barclay

Ebost/Email: [email protected]

Safle Wê/Website: www.wrexham.gov.uk

Ffon/Phone: 01978298361

Twitter: @playwrexham

Cymorth Cenedlaethol/National SupportPlay Wales: www.playwales.org.uk

Health and Safety Executive, play and risk: www.hse.gov.uk/entertainment/childrens-play-july-2012.pdf

Managing Risk in Play Provision: www.playengland.org.uk/resources/managing-risk-in-play-provision-implementation-guide.aspx

Welsh Government Play Policy: www.playwales.org.uk/eng/playpolicy

Statutory Giudance: www.playwales.org.uk/eng/sufficiency

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child:

http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf

Partners Information

Natural Resources Wales Our purpose is to ensure that the environment and natural resources of Wales are sustainably maintained, enhanced and used, now and in the future.

Natural Resources Wales provides and enables opportunities for people to play, learn and develop skills in and about the natural environment.

We currently offer:

• curriculum linked and themed educational visits for all ages and abilities

• training for education and environment sector professionals

• advice and guidance

• data sets and resources

• subject experts, including visiting lecturers

• a range of safe and accessible sites and trails suitable for self-led visits

• an annual conference and photo competition

• a variety of placements, including work experience and apprenticeships, through the Natural Resources Wales Placement Programme

• support for the development and delivery of accredited learning in Forest School, Coastal School, River Restoration and Outdoor Learning

• co-ordination of the Outdoor Learning Wales (OLW) network groups – local groups offering networking, funding and opportunities to share best practice

• community and school events as part of the Plant! project – a tree planted for every child

For all enquiries please contact us: [email protected]

ChairGeraint Anwyl, Conference ChairGeraint Anwyl retired from the Police Service in 2011 having served in Avon & Somerset, London and North Wales, attaining the rank of Chief Superintendent and also performing the role of Temporary Assistant Chief Constable.

He has performed a variety of roles which have seen him chair numerous strategic groups at national and international levels. For 10 years he held the ACPO portfolio of National Road Policing Intelligence and represented the United Kingdom at TISPOL, the European Road Policing Organisation. Geraint has chaired meetings and conferences across all EU member states and has been heavily involved in European Casualty Reduction strategy.

He is a fluent Welsh speaker and since retirement has returned to beef and sheep farming. He continues to travelextensively as a member of vocal group ‘Trio Canig‘.

Visual MinutesHelen Frost, Scarlet Design Int. Ltd. teamFran O'Hara, Helen and the Scarlet Design team work across Wales and the world capturing visual minutes at a wide range of events. These are used as communication tools, to share the presentations and discussions; as memory aids; to illustrate reports, as signposts and to increase knowledge and awareness. They provide information in a more accessible and engaging way.

ReferencesLink to the RAY Ceredigion facebook page which has the Landscaping film in both English and Welsh

https://www.facebook.com/RAYCeredig?fref=ts

Reference for “legislation introduced by the Welsh Government placing a statutory duty on local authorities to assess and secure sufficiency of play opportunities for children living in their areas: http://www.playwales.org.uk/eng/sufficiency

ThanksThe Play Officer North Wales Group would like to thank all the delegates for attending the Park Life Conference and for contributing whole heartedly to the days proceedings. We would especially like to thank the speakers for setting the scene for the day and the Scarlet Design team (www.franohara.com) for providing excellent visual facilitation services.

What did you find most useful about the event? • Overall a great and very informative day.

• The risk benefit assessment stuff, the information regarding the RSPB and WREN information.

• Meeting others, risk issues, what funders expect.

• Knowing that this is happening in other places.

• Consolidating knowledge and networking.

• Information from Richard Thorogood.

• Pointers for what makes a good play area.

• The variety of information from the different speakers.

• Information regarding grants, HSE and risk-benefit assessments.

• Mike Barclay’s presentation, hearing about good work that is going on.

• Constructive discussion about risk.

• Introductory talk on play/risk management.

• Excellent presentations which were very interesting and will be directly relevant to my work. It will make me think about my approach to play.

• Constructs of childhood, health and safety myth busting, risk management discussions, emphasis on spending less on play areas and consulting with children in less tokenistic ways.

• WREN funding application advice.

• Developing and managing spaces.

• Sharing on-the-ground projects.

• Useful contacts and links to other organisations. Made me rethink about traditional play areas and more of what children want.

• Useful information on what to look for when researching a new project idea and what to consider for funding.

• Opened my eyes to other ways of creating play areas. Also application process.

What did you find least useful about the event? • I found there was a lot of case studies, I got a bit bored during

them as they were a bit repetitive and not all relevant.

• Lots of presentation pictures were too small to read.

• Not enough time to talk to others.

• Grant funding advice.

• Tim Gill’s presentation.

• Case studies were disappointing, difficult to take ideas to implement.

• Too many case studies. The day became quite tedious in the end because of the amount of case studies and this was what may have attributed to people leaving early.

Park Life Conference: Delegate Feedback

Do you have any further comments?• The room was a little cramped but the food was lovely.

• All in all a good conference with loads of useful information.

• Great venue, lovely lunch and facilities.

• Lovely lunch. Room very squashed for leg space, noisy with people coming in and out to clear cups, drilling and talking in the corridor.

• Bit tight with space. Lots of reference to “no fear” but couldn’t locate one. Good food.

• Looking forward to seeing the graphic minutes.

• Best lunch ever at an event.

• Not much space at the refreshment queue.

• Visual minutes were great!! Nice to recap and re-enforce important messages.

• Extremely well organised, food excellent.

• Larger venue required, separate room for coffee and food.

• Room was cramped, preferred the Conwy venue where the previous conference was held. Catering staff clearing cups etc was distracting and hard to hear speakers.

• Venue was lovely, food was amazing.

• Small for the amount of people, amazing location.

• Beautiful location, food etc.

• Do we need regular all Wales events like this to share good practice/challenges especially as we seem to be building up some good presentation results e.g. films to back up presentations.

Suggestions for future training events? • Have an event where there is a play project to see during the

coffee/lunch break.

• Like to learn more about where schools are sharing their grounds for community access.

• Tea break in the afternoon would have been good.

• Round tables? Higher projection screens.

• Ensure everyone can see clearly.

Park Life Conference: Delegate Feedback

park life conference 2015

Government & Nonprofit