Cowbridge Comprehensive with Youth Service









📅 Date: Numerous dates - (17, 19, 23, 25 & 26 September 2024, 01, 02 Oct sessions)

🗣️📍 Location: Cowbridge School (Primary School) Who we spoke to: Young people, staff and families

Facilitators: Vale Youth Service Team and Placemaking Officers

🙋 Type of engagement:

🚀 Top Emerging Themes from Student Feedback

1. Lack of Youth-Friendly Spaces and Activities

  • Students said there aren’t enough places to hang out indoors without spending money. They would like access to cinemas, arcades, bowling alleys, and more social spaces.
  • There’s a strong demand for dedicated, centralised youth spaces—places to meet, especially in bad weather. Suggested locations include near the leisure centre, Bear Fields, or central town areas.


2. Public Transport Limitations

  • Unreliable and infrequent buses—especially in the evenings—make it hard to get into town. Many suggested a train station or better bus links to nearby areas.
  • They would like cheaper, more frequent bus services, safer walking routes, and more cycle lanes.


3. Need for Improved Leisure and Sports Facilities

  • A swimming pool was the most requested facility. Students also want more affordable and varied sports options beyond what the leisure centre offers.


4. Upgrades to Outdoor Spaces

  • The skate park and MUGA needs an upgrade. Students asked for better ramps, safety features, and seating at Bear Field, plus improvements to the MUGA for more flexible use.
  • Suggestions included adding new facilities like 3G pitches and youth centres.


5. More Retail and Affordable Food Options

  • Students want more affordable, youth-friendly cafes and shops. Popular requests included McDonald’s, Subway, Primark, Starbucks, clothing stores, and bubble tea shops, plus spaces to sit and socialise.

6. Safety and Lighting Concerns

  • Poorly lit areas around the underpass, skate parks, and Bear Fields make students feel unsafe, especially at night. They called for better lighting and safer pedestrian crossings.

📢 Summary:

These themes show a clear desire for better transport, more leisure opportunities, and youth-friendly spaces to make Cowbridge a vibrant place for all generations.