Institute of Welsh Affairs

In the eighth episode of our series Wales: A Work in Progress, the IWA's Co-Director Joe Rossiter speaks to Senior Lecturers in Economics at Bangor University, Dr Edward Jones and Dr Rhys ap Gwilym. We discuss what is devolved to Wales when it comes to tax (as well as what isn't) and consider the options available for future changes to taxation.

In this episode, Victoria Kioi, editor in residence at the welsh agenda, talks to actor Gabin Kongolo about the creative sector in Wales, learning Welsh later in life, his Congolese heritage, and navigating the creative industry. Gabin Kongolo is a poet and actor. His work includes film-poem Ndako and he was recently featured in Bariau (2024).

In the seventh episode of our series Wales: A Work in Progress, the IWA's Policy and External Affairs Manager Joe Rossiter talks to Steph Coulter from the Bennett Institute for Public Policy. Wales: A Work in Progress is the companion piece of our project on the constitutional future of Wales supported by the Legal Education Foundation. In this series, we explore options for Wales' future in conversation with experts and people interested in shaping the way forward for our country. In keeping with the IWA's independence, we don't take position - rather, we want to give voice to different options and examine the evidence to understand what the best path might be for Wales, and why.

This is a recording of Building from the Bottom: Delivering wellbeing and resilience through community ownership held by the Institute of Welsh Affairs in partnership with Bangor University. Despite our best efforts, we apologise that part of the recording is unintelligible due to equipment issues on the day. A transcript of the episode is available here.

You can now listen to the launch of our latest report, Sharing Power, Spreading Wealth. Read the full report here: https://www.iwa.wales/our-work/work/sharing-power-spreading-wealth/

Welcome to the welsh agenda podcast. In this episode, our resident editor Matthaus Bridge reflects on his journey as a bilingual English and Welsh speaking journalist as he enters the professional world after learning the language in school. A few words from Matthaus: 'Like many people my age, I learnt Welsh in school, and am now the first and, to date, only, fluent Welsh speaker in my family. In my life, I navigate different professional and personal identities, and it sometimes feels like it can be hard to reconcile both. In this podcast, I spoke to researchers, government officials and artists.' In this podcast, Matthaus speaks to Dr Sion Jones, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, stand up comedian Leila Navabi, Professor Martin Johnes, and Welsh language commissioner Efa Gruffudd Jones. This podcast includes Matthaus's conversation with Dr Sion Jones in its original Welsh version.

Welcome to the welsh agenda podcast. In this episode, our resident editor Matthaus Bridge reflects on his journey as a bilingual English and Welsh speaking journalist as he enters the professional world after learning the language in school. A few words from Matthaus: 'Like many people my age, I learnt Welsh in school, and am now the first and, to date, only, fluent Welsh speaker in my family. In my life, I navigate different professional and personal identities, and it sometimes feels like it can be hard to reconcile both. In this podcast, I spoke to researchers, government officials and artists.' In this podcast, Matthaus speaks to Dr Sion Jones, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, stand up comedian Leila Navabi, Professor Martin Johnes, and Welsh language commissioner Efa Gruffudd Jones.

The IWA are delighted to bring you a discussion between Chris Stark, CEO of the UK Climate Change Committee (UKCCC) and Wales' Future Generations' Commissioner, Derek Walker. In this conversation we will touch on where Wales stands on its net zero journey, how we compare to other nations, and how we can accelerate our transition and adaptation to the climate emergency.

In the sixth episode of our series Wales: A Work in Progress, the IWA's Policy and External Affairs Manager Joe Rossiter talks to Professor Mark Barry about the future of Wales' transport networks. Wales: A Work in Progress is the companion piece of our project on the constitutional future of Wales supported by the Legal Education Foundation. In this series, we explore options for Wales' future in conversation with experts and people interested in shaping the way forward for our country. In keeping with the IWA's independence, we don't take position - rather, we want to give voice to different options and examine the evidence to understand what the best path might be for Wales, and why. Episode notes You can read Mark's report A Metro for Wales' Capital City Region here

This week, we release the recording of our recent event Social Security Spotlight with Mairi Spowage.  Mairi is a Professor of Practice and Director of the Fraser of Allander Institute, at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland. In this event, she and Auriol Miller discussed Scottish Government's policy on social security. Scotland has a significantly larger package of powers devolved in this area compared to Wales. The Scottish Child Payment, a new devolved benefit, is particularly pertinent in this discussion, displaying different ways of managing welfare spend. This session was an enlightening discussion of the complexities of funding devolved policy, and of the lessons Wales can learn from Scotland in this area. Wales: A Work in Progress is the companion piece of our project on the constitutional future of Wales supported by the Legal Education Foundation. In this series, we explore options for Wales' future in conversation with experts and people interested in shaping the way forward for our country. In keeping with the IWA's independence, we don't take position - rather, we want to give voice to different options and examine the evidence to understand what the best path might be for Wales, and why.

This week, instead of an episode, enjoy a recorded version of our recent event with Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Akash came to speak to the IWA's Director Auriol Miller to discuss his recent paper, submitted to the Independent Commission for Wales' Constitutional Future. In it, Akash proposed a comparison of the UK nations' settlements. In this event, Akash discussed:  What the gaps are in Wales' current settlement What we can learn from other parts of the UK Where does the evidence suggest Wales needs more powers to improve delivering for the nation? Where do we go from here? Wales: A Work in Progress is the companion piece of our project on the constitutional future of Wales supported by the Legal Education Foundation. In this series, we explore options for Wales' future in conversation with experts and people interested in shaping the way forward for our country. In keeping with the IWA's independence, we don't take position - rather, we want to give voice to different options and examine the evidence to understand what the best path might be for Wales, and why. Akash's paper is available in full in the annex of the Commission's interim report.

In the fifth episode of our series Wales: A Work in Progress, the IWA's Policy and External Affairs Manager Joe Rossiter talks to Yvonne Murphy, the mind behind the Talking Shop, an innovative space created for people wishing to learn more about their institutions in order to become more active in their communities. Wales: A Work in Progress is the companion piece of our project on the constitutional future of Wales supported by the Legal Education Foundation. In this series, we explore options for Wales' future in conversation with experts and people interested in shaping the way forward for our country. In keeping with the IWA's independence, we don't take position - rather, we want to give voice to different options and examine the evidence to understand what the best path might be for Wales, and why. Episode notes: - You can find out more about The Talking Shop and Omidaze here - Yvonne Murphy's article about the Talking Shop for the welsh agenda is available on our website

In the fourth episode of our series Wales: A Work in Progress, the IWA's Policy and External Affairs Manager Joe Rossiter talks to the IWA's own Media and Democracy project lead Dylan Moore. Dylan discusses the aims of his research on media and democracy, the causes and impact of the media and information deficit in Wales, and what can be done to address it. Wales: A Work in Progress is the companion piece of our project on the constitutional future of Wales supported by the Legal Education Foundation. In this series, we explore options for Wales' future in conversation with experts and people interested in shaping the way forward for our country. In keeping with the IWA's independence, we don't take position - rather, we want to give voice to different options and examine the evidence to understand what the best path might be for Wales, and why. Episode notes: You can find the reports mentioned in this episode on our website: - Citizens' Voices, People's News: Making the Media work for Wales (in collaboration with the Open University in Wales) - Building Bridges: Wales' Democracy, Now and for Our Future

Welcome back to Wales: A Work in Progress. In our third episode, we tackle dialogue and democratic renewal. The IWA's director Auriol Miller speaks to Dr Anwen Elias, a member of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales and a reader at the University of Aberystwyth, and to Dr Jennifer Wolowic, Principal lead at Aberystwyth University's Dialogue Centre. Wales: A Work in Progress is the companion piece of our project on the constitutional future of Wales supported by the Legal Education Foundation. In this series, we explore options for Wales' future in conversation with experts and people interested in shaping the way forward for our country. In keeping with the IWA's independence, we don't take position - rather, we want to give voice to different options and examine the evidence to understand what the best path might be for Wales, and why.

Welcome to the second episode of our podcast series Wales: A Work in Progress, the companion piece of our project on the constitutional future of Wales supported by the Legal Education Foundation. This week, we continue our in-depth exploration of federalism. In this series, we explore options for Wales' future in conversation with experts and people interested in shaping the way forward for our country. In keeping with the IWA's independence, we don't take position - rather, we want to give voice to different options and examine the evidence to understand what the best path might be for Wales, and why. In this episode, you will hear the second part of the IWA's director Auriol Miller with David Melding, Conservative MS for South Wales Central from 1999-2021, acting as Deputy Presiding Officer from 2011-2016, and Glyndwr Cennydd Jones, advocate for a UK-wide constitutional convention.

Welcome to the first episode of our podcast series Wales: A Work in Progress, the companion piece of our project on the constitutional future of Wales supported by the Legal Education Foundation. This week, we explore federalism. In this series, we explore options for Wales' future in conversation with experts and people interested in shaping the way forward for our country. In keeping with the IWA's independence, we don't take position - rather, we want to give voice to different options and examine the evidence to understand what the best path might be for Wales, and why. In this episode, the IWA's director Auriol Miller discusses all things federalism with David Melding, Conservative MS for South Wales Central from 1999-2021, acting as Deputy Presiding Officer from 2011-2016, and Glyndwr Cennydd Jones, advocate for a UK-wide constitutional convention.

Today, we kick off a new podcast series to accompany our new project supported by the Legal Education Foundation: Wales: A Work in Progress. In this series, we will explore options for Wales' future in conversation with experts and people interested in shaping the way forward for our country. In keeping with the IWA's independence, we don't take position - rather, we want to give voice to different options and examine the evidence to understand what the best path might be for Wales, and why. In this episode, Policy and External Affairs Manager and Project lead Joe Rossiter and IWA Director Auriol Miller give a whistle stop tour of the work already underway to look at what the constitutional future for Wales should look like, and outline some of the issues the podcast series will discuss.

This is a recording of the launch of our report 'Broadcasting Regulation in Wales: What can we learn from Europe?', which took place on 9 March 2023.  This event was chaired by the IWA's Director Auriol Miller and included a presentation from the authors of the report, Dr Marlen Komorowski (Media Cymru), Dylan Moore (Media and Democracy Policy Lead, IWA) and Enrique Uribe-Jongbloed (Media Cymru). The devolution of broadcasting is under active consideration, with an Expert Panel set up as part of The Co-operation Agreement between Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru tasked with developing plans for a new regulatory framework that works for Wales. But what does ‘devolution of broadcasting' actually mean? And in the current political context, how can Wales's voice in the broadcasting landscape be strengthened? This event launched the second and third parts of the IWA's research on legislative and regulatory frameworks for broadcasting in Wales. Our paper outlines four case studies from countries across Europe, from which derive vital lessons for Wales. Links and further reading: Read our full report Broadcasting Regulations in Wales (Parts 1, 2 and 3) Become a member and support the IWA Subscribe to our newsletter

Hear from Harry Thompson, author of the IWA's report Beyond Social Partnership? Devolved Levers to support Trade Unions in Wales, which was launched on 16 February 2023. This podcast is a recording of a discussion about the role of trade unions. Harry Thompson, the IWA's Economic Policy Lead, spoke to Hannah Blythyn MS, Deputy Minister for Social Partnership, and to Nisreen Mansour, a Policy Officer at the Wales TUC.

This is a recording of the launch of our report Beyond Social Partnership? Devolved Levers to Support Trade Unions in Wales, which took place on Thursday 16 February 2023. This event was chaired by the IWA's Policy and External Affairs Manager Joe Rossiter and included a presentation and Q&A delivered by Harry Thompson, the IWA's Economic Policy Lead and author of the report. As part of our work towards a fair economy for Wales, we have undertaken a short study into the trade union movement in Wales, and its potential to structurally re-balance Wales' economy in favour of low and middle earners. We want to ensure that any growth in overall prosperity is distributed across society and across the economy, rather than being disproportionately absorbed by those at the top. We find that there is a high scope for empowered trade unions to help restructure Wales' economy in favour of those on low and middle incomes, additionally ensuring that any new attempts to grow and rebuild Wales' economy are systematically more evenly distributed. Empowered trade unions are likely to increase the share of national income that goes towards remunerating labour, and to ensure that the ‘wage share' has a flatter distribution. They can also increase the quality of working life for many people at the bottom of income distribution, and contribute towards economic growth by increasing demand. Despite some patches of best practice from the Welsh Government with regards to the trade union movement, there is still far more that can be done to support trade unions in creating a more equal economy. Links and further reading: The full report Beyond Social Partnership? Devolved Levers to Support Trade Unions in Wales (EN)  Become a member and support the IWA Subscribe to our newsletter

In the IWA's report Fiscal Firepower and Effective Policy Making in Wales, our Economic Policy Lead Harry Thompson argues that reforming the Welsh Government's borrowing powers is a key option to better enable transformative policy making in Wales. In this podcast, you can hear Harry in conversation with Rebecca Evans MS, Minister for Finance and Local Government, and Llyr Gruffydd MS, about the challenges of fiscal policy in Wales.

A new Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative & Unionist Party will be announced on 5th September 2022. The new government formed will take over the promises made in the 2019 Conservative Manifesto around levelling up and regional funding post-Brexit. These include the nascent UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the future of the Levelling Up Fund, as part of the wider levelling up agenda. In this episode, Harry Thompson discusses the effects of Levelling Up in Wales, and what is needed to make it a success, with Sam Rowlands MS, Shadow Minister for Local Government and Member of the Senedd for North Wales. - To support our work, become a member or leave us a donation: https://www.iwa.wales/about-us/support-us/ - Read our latest report about Levelling Up, Putting Businesses at the Heart of Levelling Up: https://www.iwa.wales/our-work/work/putting-businesses-at-the-heart-of-levelling-up/

In this conversation recorded after our event with the Swiss Embassy, Auriol Miller, Co-Chair of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales Laura McAllister, and Swiss Ambassador to the UK Markus Leitner have an in-depth conversation about Swiss Federalism and what we can learn from it in Wales. Our event, The Swiss decentralisation experience & Wales' constitutional perspectives, was held on 29 June 2022 at Capital Law's office in Cardiff. We are grateful for their support for this event. On the day, attendees heard from a panel of experts including:  Ambassador Markus Leitner – Ambassador of Switzerland to the United Kingdom Prof. Laura McAllister CBE – Co-Chair of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales Sir Paul Silk CBE – Former Clerk to the National Assembly for Wales (now Senedd Cymru) Glyndwr Cennydd Jones – Fellow of the IWA and writer on constitutional issues About the IWA: We are a think tank and charity, independent of government and political parties. By bringing together experts from all backgrounds, we conceive ambitious and informed ideas which secure political commitments to improve our democracy, public services and economy. We provide platforms for debate, opportunities for people to make their voices heard and agenda-setting research. We are funded by our members, income from our events and training sessions, and supported by trusts, foundations and other funding bodies. We are a proud Living Wage employer. If you enjoyed this podcast, and would like to support our work, do consider joining us as a member. 

This was the first of a series of joint events planned as part of the IWA's partnership with Bangor University. The North Welsh population is shifting dramatically. This is not only due to the ageing experienced by other developed nations, but local factors including inward migration of retirees from across the UK and working age people leaving the area. In the two decades leading up to 2018, the proportion of North Walians aged 65 and over increased from 18% to 23%, a trend projected to continue. At the other end of the scale, those aged 15 and under now make up only around 18% of the population compared to 20% in 1998. Combined with an overall population increase of 6% across the region, and the pressures on local services including health and care are building. The 2021 Census, as well as the wellbeing assessments conducted by the Public Services boards, will provide a much deeper understanding of demographic shift, when data are available in the coming months, but the trend is clear and continuing. How should we address these pressures in an environment of a reducing working age population share, whilst understanding the existing challenges brought by rurality and ultimately provide the first class services North Wales deserves? This was a 2-hour long seminar chaired by our director Auriol Miller, including a discussion with an expert panel. Panellists Prof Rhiannon Tudor Edwards – Professor of Health Economics, Bangor University Dr Sibani Roy – Founder, North Wales Regional Equality Network Mario Kreft MBE – Chair, Care Forum Wales Ceri Cunnington – Community Facilitator, Cwmni Bro Ffestiniog Agenda 10:00-10:05 Welcome from the Chair 10:05-10:10 Welcome from Prof Iwan Davies, Vice-Chancellor, Bangor University 10:10-10:25 The health economics of North Wales – presentation by Prof Rhiannon Tudor Edwards 10:25-10:45 Panel discussion 10:45-11:00 Break 11:00-11:25 Panel discussion 11:25-11.55 Q&A from the audience 11:55-12:00 Close Follow and support the IWA. Read the Chat transcript.

This event was dedicated to the launch of our latest report, Our Land: Communities and Land Use. The project is funded by the Friends Provident Charitable Foundation and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. Our report tells a story of Wales severely lagging behind in giving communities a right to access land and other assets, with an arduous and demoralising process that seems almost designed to keep assets out of community control, at a time when we emerge from a period of austerity that has driven a sell-off of community land and assets. We share the viewpoint of farmers, who are not merely defined by their work but are also active citizens of rural Wales, underpinning not just the economy of these areas but also much of its cultural life, too. This launch event provided attendees with an opportunity to hear the findings of the report, as well as our recommendations for policy-makers in Wales. We believe they will empower communities to have a real say in what happens in their area, underpinning vibrant and successful local businesses and services that can become new lodestones of often-struggling communities. This was an hour-long seminar on Zoom, delivered by Harry Thompson, Economic Policy Lead at the IWA and author of the report, and Auriol Miller, Director of the IWA. Follow and support the IWA.

On the 30th of November and 1st of December 2021, the IWA held a two-day summit on the future of the Welsh economy. In this episode, our policy team, Will Henson, Harry Thompson, and Dr Jack Watkins, look back on the event and discuss some of its key moments. The first section looks at our Q&As with Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Economy in the Welsh Government, and Neil O'Brien MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Levelling Up, The Union and Constitution at the Department for Levelling Up.  We then move on to the panels that made up the event. The discussion looks at the UK Government's Levelling Up agenda, decarbonisation and the everyday economy, and the consequences of COP26 for the future of the Welsh economy. As mentioned at the end of the episode, you can now read our latest report What Does Levelling Up Mean for Wales? on our website. If you would like to support our work, do consider joining us as a member.

Co-written with Welsh consultancy firm The Means, this report draws on original research and the Understanding Welsh Places online tool to explore how Welsh places responded to Covid-19. We use stories from communities across Wales to understand how residents used local facilities and assets during the crisis, and what we learned about Welsh places' preparedness to respond to an event of this scale. We then make recommendations about how the Welsh government and local authorities can invest in the facilities and planning to be better prepared for future crises. In this event chaired by Auriol Miller, Director of the IWA, attendees heard from a panel including: Andy Regan – Policy and External Affairs Manager, Institute of Welsh Affairs Peter Williams – Director, The Means Robyn Lovelock – Programme Manager, North Wales Economic Ambition Board

At this free online event, attendees heard about our latest report, part of our project on the Foundational Economy, funded by CREW. Produced in collaboration with The Means, a consultancy working on economic regeneration across the UK, our report outlines how regulations and their enforcement can disproportionately impact small and medium sized businesses, making it hard for new firms to enter established markets and to expand. Hear more about the series of recommendations we make of how Welsh regulators can ‘think small' first and ensure a more level playing field. The event was chaired by Andy Regan, Policy and External Affairs Manager at the IWA, who was joined by: Jack Watkins – Foundational Economy Project Lead , Institute of Welsh Affairs Peter Williams – Director, The Means Llyr ap Gareth – Head of Policy, Federation of Small Businesses You can read the report and find out about the recommendations here: https://www.iwa.wales/our-work/work/the-impact-of-regulation-in-the-foundational-economy/

This event discusses the surge in volunteering during the Covid-19 pandemic, and explores the challenges the sector has faced as well as whether there has been a shift in policy over the past 15 months. Since the pandemic began in March 2020, interest in volunteering in Wales has seen a significant increase. It has played a crucial role in supporting communities and helping people meet their basic needs. In this last edition of our Rethinking Wales series we explore the reasons behind this surge and examine how Covid-19 has changed what volunteering looks like. We also discuss the role of infrastructure and public services in Wales to ensure the long-term engagement in volunteering post-pandemic. Panellists: Sue Leonard, Chief Officer, Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services Sue Husband, Director, Business in the Community Cymru Kerry Marlow, Coordinator, Porthcawl Covid-19 Strategy Group Judith Stone, Assistant Director of Volunteering, Wales Council for Voluntary Action This is an hour long panel discussion on Zoom chaired by the IWA Director, Auriol Miller. An open, politically independent and inclusive space for discussion and debate is the best way to identify the challenges we face in Wales because of Covid-19, and work out where the opportunities for real change are. We are well placed to bring those voices together, and the IWA's #RethinkingWales series (supported by the National Lottery Community Fund) will explore how various sectors need to respond to this crisis and how we need to start thinking differently.

This event, jointly organised by the Media Reform Coalition and the Institute of Welsh Affairs, is part of ‘The BBC and Beyond', an MRC campaign which aims to reimagine public media for the digital age. The event focusses on what a reformed public service media landscape within Wales could look like. The BBC has set out its strategic goal to recreate itself as a ‘truly UK wide organisation (…) decentralising power and decision-making across the four nations'. But a healthy media landscape cannot depend on any single organisation, so this event explores how to embed public service media principles across more of the media ecosystem in Wales and the UK. All political parties in the Senedd supported the IWA's call for the Welsh Government to create a new, contestable fund to support independent news. This event considers the innovative journalistic models and practices this fund could nurture and how to ensure it embeds public service media principles – of independence, accountability, democracy and universality – at its heart. We also talk about digital – what role can technology play in enabling more participatory processes, and does Welsh Government's digital strategy contain the right policies to maximise this potential? Where does community media sit in this ecology, and how can the rest of the UK learn from the best innovations coming out of Wales? Panellists: Debs Grayson (Chair) – Campaign Coordinator, Media Reform Coalition Emma Meese – Director, Independent Community News Network Shirish Kulkarni – News Storytelling Researcher, Clwstwr Creadigol Andy Regan – Policy & External Affairs Manager, Institute of Welsh Affairs Lucas Batt – Membership Coordinator, The Bristol Cable This is an hour long panel discussion on Zoom, with an introduction by IWA Director, Auriol Miller.

This event discusses changes to how communities in Wales are using banking services, and explores the possibilities of more community-oriented models. One of the most dramatic changes to Welsh high streets in the last decade has been the decline of banking, with the closure of just over 40% of bank branches leaving customers and businesses struggling to manage their cash. In this edition of our Rethinking Wales series, we explore the reasons behind this change and what can be done to ensure that people can continue to access this vital basic service in the future, whilst also finding ways to make the banking system work better for the interests of Wales. Panellists: Tegid Roberts, Banc Cambria Ben Joakim, Head of Strategy, Principality Building Society Valentine Mulholland, Senior Policy & Propositions Manager, Money & Pensions Service This is an hour long panel discussion on Zoom chaired by the IWA Director, Auriol Miller. An open, politically independent and inclusive space for discussion and debate is the best way to identify the challenges we face in Wales because of Covid-19, and work out where the opportunities for real change are. We are well placed to bring those voices together, and the IWA's #RethinkingWales series (supported by the National Lottery Community Fund) will explore how various sectors need to respond to this crisis and how we need to start thinking differently.

“If you can't afford a bike, having the freedom to go cycling doesn't mean anything.” This event discusses access to sport for Welsh communities and how the pandemic has exacerbated inequalities. Whilst elite sport has been able to continue fairly uninterrupted since the first wave, we examine the public's access to sport and exercise, and explore how inequalities have manifested themselves. We explore inequalities of access to sports equipment and facilities, what effect this has had on regular and irregular participants in sport and what needs to change as we emerge from the pandemic. Panellists: - Victoria Ward, CEO, Welsh Sports Association - Brian Davies, Director of Sport, Sport Wales - Mark Lawrie, CEO, StreetGames - Dean Pymble, Campaign Manager, Show Racism the Red Card This is an hour long panel discussion on Zoom chaired by the IWA Director, Auriol Miller.

The Welsh Places Charter has been created by the Welsh Places Influencing Group, convened by the IWA. We are a coalition of organisations, practitioners, and academics passionate about creating a Wales in which people’s social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing is at the centre of our communities.It is clear that the way in which we live and work will not be the same as we emerge from the pandemic and big questions need to be asked about what we need to do to ensure that our places can not only recover but are thriving and resilient.We believe that the answers to these questions lie within our communities, and throughout this Charter we set out a vision for a Wales where more economic power is returned to local citizens, and it is the norm for people to have a greater say in how they shape their communities.Our panel will explore why this Charter matters and why it can make a difference to our communities. The event is chaired by Auriol Miller, Director of the IWA, who is joined by: Ellen Jones – Consumer Council for Water (former Understanding Welsh Places Project Lead) Roisin Wilmott – Royal Town Planning Institute Cymru Chris Jones - Chris Jones John Heneghan – Centre for Local Economic Strategies

Our panel look back at the 2021 Senedd election and assess what the outcome means for the future of Wales.We look at the implications of the Covid-19 pandemic on the results, the impact of young people being given the right to vote for the first time and whether the electoral landscape of Wales has shifted in the wake of the results.Our panel discusses the election campaigns and share their opinions of the outcomes, including what drove voters to make the decisions they did.We also discuss the implications of the result for policy-makers in Wales over the next Senedd term, examining where the newly-elected Welsh Parliament might lead Wales over the next few years.The event is chaired by Auriol Miller, Director of the IWA, who will be joined by: Laura McAllister, Professor of Public Policy, Cardiff University Rocio Cifuentes, CEO, Ethnic Minorities and Youth Support Team Wales (EYST) Andy Regan, Policy & External Affairs Manager, IWA This is an hour long panel discussion on Zoom and attendees were able to engage in the conversation and ask questions via the live chat.

In December, Professor Gerry Holtham stepped down as an IWA Trustee after nearly twenty years and in this event one of the evergreens of Welsh public life seeks to balance the inter-generational books.Wales has the highest median age in the UK and in 20 years 1 in 4 of the population will be over 65.This figure reflects the fact that educated, young people are leaving in their tens of thousands resulting in Wales facing the lowest retention rates – with regards to both the proportion of students studying and staying to find work – than any other UK nation.Facing less secure work and high house prices – especially in coastal areas – it could be argued that young people today in Wales are less well-off relative to their elders than any generation since WWII.This calls for a radical reorientation of public policy to favour the young.We must consider: Free tertiary education for all students who are resident in Wales or who remain and work in Wales for five years post graduation. Free or concessionary public transport for the young, while  limiting free travel to those over 70 years old. A large and compulsory increase in council tax on second homes and no stamp duty (Land Transaction Tax) on first-home purchase by people under 30. The session is chaired by IWA Director, Auriol Miller, and attendees are able to ask questions.

Our panel of transport experts and local leaders discussed how to create a region-wide travel network that works for everybody who lives and works in the capital. Is it time for Cardiff to have a congestion charge? What are the politics of big changes to the transport system? The panel explore the challenges and opportunities for transport in the Cardiff City Region as we move from the Covid-19 crisis and towards the ‘new normal’. We looked at plans for the region and delved into what lessons can be learned from successful transport solutions from further afield. Panellists: Prof Mark Barry, Cardiff University Christine Boston, Sustrans Cymru Cllr Huw Thomas, Cardiff Council Allison Dutoit, Gehl, UWE Bristol Attendees were able to engage in debate and ask questions of the panel. The Cardiff University – IWA debate series brings together researchers, policymakers and practitioners to discuss topical issues at the heart of politics, society and the economy in Wales. Challenging assumptions and offering fresh thinking, the sessions support informed policymaking through constructive and engaging debate.

During this panel discussion we hear from people with a learning disability about their experiences during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, specifically in regards to relationships and connections.Mencap Cymru have been collecting oral histories which show how important friendships and relationships are for people, often supporting our identity and validation of our worth.However, there remain significant challenges for people with learning disabilities when it comes to connecting with others.We hear from people with a learning disability about their experiences during Covid-19, and discuss if the pandemic has highlighted anything that they would like to see change when we return to the “new normal”.Sian Davies, Head of Strategic Programmes, Mencap Cymru will Chair the event.She will be joined by:- Stuart Todd, Lecturer, University of Wales Trinity St David- Sophie Hinksman, Co-chair, Learning Disability Ministerial Advisory Group- Joe Powell, Chief Executive, All Wales People First- Michael AllcockThe IWA’s #RethinkingWales series explores the challenges we face because of Covid-19, and works out the opportunities for change.

This report presents an analysis of policy and practice in business support in Wales and its impacts on the Welsh economy. We argue that business support needs to be reoriented to be more accessible to firms in the foundational economy, and that doing so will have both economic and social benefits. This launch event will include a presentation of our findings and recommendations, along with an opportunity for questions, comments and debate with our audience. We want this report to be the beginning of a wider conversation. The report was produced as part of the IWA’s collaborative project with CREW looking at the foundational economy as a policy agenda in Wales. Our report calls for policy makers: To develop smarter approaches to sector policy, informed by engagement with firms and by a wider variety of data sources; To rethink ‘productivity’ so that it includes the quality of outputs in foundational sectors, and invest in spreading new processes and technologies; To invest in a way that strengthens the entrepreneurial eco-system by encouraging links between firms and being more accessible to small and micro-businesses; To get economic development structures right, ensuring that economic development policy has a degree of consensus support and outlasts individual Ministers, whilst also diversifying funding after Brexit.

To understand the ongoing impact of the pandemic on individuals, work, the community and the world around us, we need to listen to people’s experiences. That is why the Institute of Welsh Affairs and the Wales Co-operative Centre, alongside 8 other partner organisations, launched a new initiative to gather these stories using the online storytelling tool Sensemaker®. This event launches a second report on our findings and outlines why this unique method of collecting people’s unfiltered experiences will bring stories across Wales to the attention of decision-makers. It’s not our intention to collect personal information about people. This tool will be used to spot general trends and patterns for us to better understand how the pandemic has affected us all. We also show you how to access the anonymised data, which will be available to the public, so anyone can analyse the stories and information gathered to spot specific trends. Sophie Howe, the Future Generations Commissioner, attends as our keynote listener, reflecting on the information that we’ve collected and its value going forward. The Institute of Welsh Affairs (IWA) and the Wales Co-operative Centre (WCC) are co-leaders of the Live Learning Partnership, along with: • Business In the Community (BITC) • Cardiff Business School (Cardiff University) • Care Forum Wales • Community Housing Cymru (CHC) • Cymorth Cymru • The Ethnic Minorities and Youth Support Team (EYST) • Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) • Y Lab (Cardiff University/Nesta) The IWA’s role in this project is part-funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.

The topic of this discussion is proposed changes to GCSEs and qualifications for 16 year olds as part of the ongoing reform of the curriculum.  How can assessment remain robust whilst supporting the curriculum’s radical vision? How can the new curriculum balance freedom for teachers with public expectations about content, including on Welsh history and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic history? We explore what these changes will mean for learners and teachers, and drawing on lessons learned about the education system from COVID-19. We are joined by: Oliver Stacey – Qualifications Wales Ceri Reed – Parents Voice in Wales Community Interest Company Dave Stacey – Senior Lecturer and AoLE Humanities Lead, University of Wales Trinity Saint David This is an hour long panel discussion on Zoom chaired by the IWA Director, Auriol Miller, and attendees were able to engage in debate and ask questions on the live chat.

This Rethinking Wales is led by the Bevan Commission and will explore health and care challenges in vulnerable communities and the mental health impacts of Covid-19. The event will also look at the wider picture, outside of the NHS itself, that is having a big impact on population health and wellbeing including; unemployment, poverty, inequality, social care and mental health. Panellists: Dame Sue Bailey, Bevan Commissioner Laura McAllister, Professor of Public Policy and Governance, Wales Governance Centre and IWA Trustee Kelechi Nnoaham, Director of Public Health, Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB Dave Street, Director of Social Services Caerphilly CBC

The IWA Cardiff Media Summit 2021 is a series of four events focusing on the new landscape for media in Wales. O Ebrill 2022 ymlaen bydd y cyfan o arian cyhoeddus S4C yn dod o ffi’r drwydded. Gyda’r broses o drafod setliad ariannu S4C o 2022 hyd 2027 wedi cychwyn, y newyddiadurwr Guto Harri sy’n holi Owen Evans, Prif Weithredwr S4C. Dyma gyfle i glywed gan Brif Weithredwr S4C sut bydd y sianel yn ymateb ac yn parhau i esblygu wedi cyfnod heriol iawn ym myd darlledu. From April 2022 all of S4C’s public funding will come from the licence fee. With the discussion over the funding settlement for 2022 to 2027 underway, journalist Guto Harri interviews S4C Chief Executive, Owen Evans. This is an opportunity to hear from the Chief Executive of S4C about how the channel will respond and how the service will continue to evolve despite a challenging time for broadcasting. Attendees could engage in debate and ask questions on the live chat. #IWAMedia

The IWA Cardiff Media Summit 2021 is a series of four events focusing on the new landscape for media in Wales. This event uses a simultaneous translator to translate from Welsh into English. From April 2022 all of S4C’s public funding will come from the licence fee. With the discussion over the funding settlement for 2022 to 2027 underway, journalist Guto Harri interviews S4C Chief Executive, Owen Evans. This is an opportunity to hear from the Chief Executive of S4C about how the channel will respond and how the service will continue to evolve despite a challenging time for broadcasting. Attendees could engage in debate and ask questions on the live chat. #IWAMedia O Ebrill 2022 ymlaen bydd y cyfan o arian cyhoeddus S4C yn dod o ffi’r drwydded. Gyda’r broses o drafod setliad ariannu S4C o 2022 hyd 2027 wedi cychwyn, y newyddiadurwr Guto Harri sy’n holi Owen Evans, Prif Weithredwr S4C. Dyma gyfle i glywed gan Brif Weithredwr S4C sut bydd y sianel yn ymateb ac yn parhau i esblygu wedi cyfnod heriol iawn ym myd darlledu.

The IWA Cardiff Media Summit 2021 was a series of four events focusing on the new landscape for media in Wales. This, the third event in the series, will focus on news in Wales. Traditional news organisations are finding new ways to deliver content in the face of diminishing revenues and increased competition from online providers. At the same time they are increasingly coming under attack from politicians across the spectrum for perceived bias. The end result is that trust in the media as a whole has been undermined. Is there a danger that consumers will shop around for a news source which just tells them what they want to hear? So, how can we support independent and trustworthy news at a national and local level in Wales? Can Wales’ politicians and government be a strong voice within the UK for regulation which protects citizens from disinformation? Panellists: Ifan Morgan Jones, Editor, Nation.Cymru Geraint Evans, News and Current Affairs Commissioner, S4C Emma Meese, Director of Community Journalism, JOMEC Sian Powell, Chief Executive, Golwg #IWAMedia

The IWA Cardiff Media Summit 2021 was a series of four events focusing on the new landscape for media in Wales. This, the second event in the series, will look at the screen sector in Wales. The screen sector is a major success story for Wales demonstrating significant economic growth and major reputational gains as a place to make high quality screen content.  Yet this industry is now at risk of being unsustainable, exclusive, and lacking a clear skills strategy to secure a Welsh talent pipeline.  Screen Work 2020 is the first comprehensive survey of workforce, training and education needs for Film, Television, Animation, Games, VFX and Post-Production in the Cardiff City Region. It is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council through Clwstwr. This panel comprises academics and screen sector experts from across UK and Wales to explore what the future of screen work looks like from 2021. Presentation on Screen Work 2020 Report by Professor Ruth McElroy, University of South Wales/Clwstwr and Faye Hannah, University of South Wales. Panel discussion, Chaired by Auriol Miller, Director, IWA - Michelle Matherson, BBC Creative Diversity Partner - Joedi Langley, Head of Sector Development, Creative Wales - Luned Whelan, Executive Manager, Teledwyr Annibynnol Cymru (TAC) - Professor Doris Ruth Eikhof, Professor of Cultural Economy & Policy, University of Glasgow Q&A with audience (questions submitted via chat facility) Summary and close from Chair #IWAMedia #gwaithsgrin2020 #screenwork 2020

The IWA Cardiff Media Summit 2021 is a series of four events commencing 11th January 2021, focusing on the new landscape for media in Wales. The first event ‘The State of Play’ will look at the headline findings from the IWA’s 2020 Media Audit and will be followed by a panel discussion looking at the new, post-Covid, landscape for media in Wales. Panellists: - Dr. Marlen Komorowski, Media Audit Consultant, IWA - Helen Mary Jones, Chair of Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee, Senedd - Gerwyn Evans, Deputy Director, Creative Wales - Eleanor Marks, Director, OFCOM Wales Attendees will be able to engage in debate and ask questions on the live chat. #IWAMedia

Has Wales actually performed better than other nations so far in our Covid response? Polling suggests that people in Wales think the Welsh Government has done a better job than the UK government in keeping us safe during the pandemic. Statistics show that after the first wave, excess deaths in England were 46% higher than last year, and in Wales only 26% higher, but should we have set a far higher bar for our response than just ‘being better than England’? Or have we done as well as what could be expected under the circumstances? In this session we explore: Why aren’t we talking more about what better-performing countries have done, and why we haven’t copied them? Could the Welsh Government have done more to clarify public health messaging? What is the Welsh Government not doing right now that could be helping control rising cases? Could Wales and the UK have had a better outcome from the pandemic? What can Welsh policy makers do to learn the lessons of Covid-19? Agenda Welcome & introduction – Auriol Miller, Director, IWA (Chair) Panel session (approximately 30 minutes) Q&A session with audience (approximately 15 minutes) Panellists: Patience Bentu, Community Engagement Officer, Race Council Cymru Eifion Evans, Chief Executive, Ceredigion County Council Dr Richard Stanton, Reader in Virology, Cardiff University Dr Eilir Hughes, GP and Freshair.wales campaigner This is an hour long panel discussion on Zoom chaired by the IWA Director, Auriol Miller, and attendees will be able to engage in debate and ask questions on the live chat. The IWA’s #RethinkingWales (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23RethinkingWales) series (supported by the Carnegie UK Trust) explores how various sectors need to respond to this crisis and how we need to start thinking differently.

This event formally launches the Live Learning Partnership and expands on why we want a better understanding of the impact of the pandemic. To understand the ongoing impact of the pandemic on individuals, work, the community and the world around us, we need to listen to people’s experiences. That is why the Institute of Welsh Affairs and the Wales Co-operative Centre, alongside 8 other partner organisations, are launching a new initiative to gather these stories using the online storytelling tool Sensemaker®. Unlike other surveys, SenseMaker® combines stories and numbers – human wisdom and data analytics, to ensure that the quantitative data always has the meaning and context of qualitative narratives. We would greatly appreciate it if you could help our work.  Please go here to add your own story in English: https://collector.sensemaker-suite.com/?projectID=LiveLearningWal&language=en&OID=IWA#Collector Or in Welsh: https://collector.sensemaker-suite.com/?projectID=LiveLearningWal&language=en&OID=IWA#Collector This event will formally launch the initiative and explain to attendees how Sensemaker® works, demonstrate case studies of how and why it’s succeeded for other organisations, and expand on what we hope to achieve. The Institute of Welsh Affairs (IWA) and the Wales Co-operative Centre (WCC) are co-leaders of the Live Learning Partnership, along with: • Business In the Community (BITC) • Cardiff Business School (Cardiff University) • Care Forum Wales • Community Housing Cymru (CHC) • Cymorth Cymru • The Ethnic Minorities and Youth Support Team (EYST) • Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) • Y Lab (Cardiff University/Nesta) The IWA’s role in this project is part-funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.

With lockdowns increasing across the UK and winter on its way, how stretched are our public services and the people who keep them functioning on a daily basis? How can we help support the wellbeing of those we are relying on to get us through the pandemic and beyond? In this session we explore: The Covid-19 experiences of our frontline workers What support structures are in place for our frontline workers Whether prevention and longer term thinking is being lost in the immediate Covid-19 response, and are we storing up problems for the future Can frontline sectors learn from other organisations responses to Covid-19 What policy makers can do to learn the lessons of Covid-19 Agenda Welcome & introduction – Auriol Miller, Director, IWA (Chair) Panel session (approximately 30 minutes) Q&A session with audience (approximately 15 minutes) Panellists: Dilwyn Roberts-Young, General Secretary, UCAC Katie Dalton, Director, Cymorth Cymru Oliver Townsend, Head of Partnerships and Practice, Platfform Phil Bushby, Strategic Programme Lead, Health Education and Improvement Wales This is an hour long panel discussion on Zoom chaired by the IWA Director, Auriol Miller, and attendees were able to engage in debate and ask questions on the live chat. The Rethinking Wales series has been kindly supported by Carnegie UK Trust.

As part of the IWA’s Rethinking Wales series, we invited Ken Skates MS, Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales, to hear views and take questions from representatives of businesses across Wales. In response to the Covid-19 crisis, Chris Nott, as vice chair of the ministerial advisory board, was asked by the Minister to establish 'Ffenics', an ad-hoc advisory group which brings together a cross-section of senior representatives from the business community to provide independent advice about the shape that Covid-19 recovery might take and what policies the government should consider implementing. Attention is now turning to how Wales’ economy will recover after Covid-19 and in particular how Welsh businesses can be supported through the crisis, and build back better afterwards. For this event, the IWA's panel is made up of business people from across Wales and will explore the following issues with the Minister: The immediate impact of Covid, and what has been more and less effective in the Welsh Government’s support for businesses during the crisis. Whether clearer long term trends are starting to emerge, and what the Welsh Government can do to help businesses respond and adapt to them. How businesses in Wales can thrive in a post-Covid, post-Brexit, global economy, at the same time ensuring that the way we do business contributes to wellbeing, strong communities, and flourishing the foundational economy. Attendees could also submit their own questions. Agenda Welcome / Introduction – IWA Chair or an alternative rep (Approximately 5 minutes) Minister – Introduction / overview (approximately 10 minutes) Q&A with panel (Approximately 30 minutes) Public Q&A session (questions submitted electronically) (15 minutes) Panellists: Ken Skates MS, Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales Chris Nott, Deputy Chair, Economy Ministerial Advisory Board Adrian Emmett, The Lion Pub, Treorchy Charles Dark, The Wynnstay, Machynlleth Emina Redzepovic, freelance PR and communications specialist James Wilson, Deepdock Ltd, Holyhead Sally Stephenson, The Pencil Case, Cowbridge This is an hour long panel discussion on Zoom chaired by the IWA Director, Auriol Miller, and attendees were able to engage in debate and ask questions on the live chat.

An open, politically independent and inclusive space for discussion and debate is the best way to identify the challenges we face in Wales because of Covid-19, and work out where the opportunities for real change are. We are well placed to bring those voices together, and the IWA #RethinkingWales series (supported by the Carnegie UK Trust) will explore how different sectors need to respond to this crisis and how we need to start thinking differently. Often deemed a ‘forgotten’ sector, Covid-19 has brought social care to national attention. It has exposed the heroic sacrifices of care workers as well as structural deficiencies, and has challenged policy makers to create a more stable future for the sector. In this session we will explore: The experiences of Covid-19, in terms of the capacity of the sector, its growing prestige and its relationships with local authorities and Health Boards; The issue of resources and how to fund a sustainable system for an ageing population; What policy makers can do to learn the lessons of Covid-19. Panellists: Maria Bell is Head of Policy for the National Commissioning Board for social care at the Welsh Local Government Association. Adrian Roper is the Chief Executive of Cartrefi Cymru, a cooperative learning disability support provider. Glyn Williams is the owner and manager of Gwyddfor Care Home in Anglesey. Rachel Williams is a Senior Family Worker as part of the Flying Start team in Anglesey, and is an Ambassador for Social Care Wales’ ‘We Care’ campaign to promote recruitment. This is an hour long panel discussion on Zoom chaired by the IWA's Dr Jack Watkins, and attendees are able to engage in debate and ask questions on the live chat.