4. Statement by the Minister for Education and Welsh Language: Taith — Delivering Wales's innovative international learning exchange programme

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:36 pm on 18 October 2022.

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Photo of Jeremy Miles Jeremy Miles Labour 3:36, 18 October 2022

(Translated)

Well, I thank the Member for those very important questions. On the first point that she made in terms of investment, I think that, when you look at the pressures on families now, the opportunities that can transform and broaden the horizons of young people become even more important now than they were previously. In terms of the emphasis on ensuring that it is inclusive, in the broader sense that the Member mentioned, that's an important element. One of the elements of the second pathway, particularly, is focused on ensuring that the provision is diverse and entirely inclusive. But that theme extends through the fundamental purposes of Taith, and ensures that it's available to all kinds of learners, not just those in higher education, but also in further education and those involved with youth work. So, we will be measuring the reach of the scheme to ensure that it does deliver against that objective. 

In terms of the point that the Member made on the 30 per cent relying on mobility into Wales, that recognises that that element, very often, requires funding from the nation where the learners or staff are moving from, and, therefore, it's not a requirement of all partnerships to ensure that that is an element. And, therefore, that 30 per cent ratio does acknowledge that there are often other sources available in that element of the scheme.