Oak Field Primary School heads to Spain thanks to Taith

Oak Field Primary School pupils travelled to Murcia to take part in a range of educational and confidence-building activities alongside their Spanish peers.

Since launching, Taith has awarded funding to allow over 11,000 people to learn, study and volunteer all over the world.

Taith provides opportunities for learners, young people and staff in education and youth settings to travel abroad, as well as allowing organisations to invite their international partners to come and visit Wales.

Since its launch in February last year, Taith has enabled exchanges between Wales and more than 90 countries.

Oak Field Primary teacher Kelly Bladon applied for funding, which enabled 30 children, aged nine to 11, to take part. For many it was the first time they had left Wales.

She said: “This trip was about making sure the pupils have got aspirations for life, because how can you aspire to something that you’ve never experienced?

“They got to see that there’s a lot more out there.”

The Taith program allows learners, young people and staff in education and youth settings to travel abroad (Image: Supplied)

Minister for education and the Welsh language, Jeremy Miles, described the trip at a “transformative opportunity”.

“It’s fantastic to see the impact Taith is having, enabling us to break down barriers to international exchange and opening up opportunities for all," he said.

“I’m so pleased to see such a wide range of education providers benefitting from the funding.

“Taith is about transformative opportunities for young people to build confidence, broaden their horizons, and grow their aspirations. The impact on those from underrepresented groups is often the highest, and the change we see in them the greatest.”

Susana Galván Hernandez, executive director of Taith said the program is great at representing the underrepresented in international exchange.

“It is truly inspiring and rewarding to see the stories of these opportunities come to life, and the impact these exchanges are having on its participants – both on those travelling out of Wales as well as those welcoming participants into Wales.

“This is particularly true when the programme and the opportunities are reaching out to those with barriers to participation and who have been underrepresented in international exchange in the past.

“It is also hugely rewarding to see Taith recognised and embedded into the education and international exchange landscape in Wales and internationally – this is something that Wales should truly be proud of.”