A TEENAGER elected to the first Welsh Youth Parliament is encouraging staff and pupils to use more day-to-day Welsh in school.

Jonathon Dawes, 15, who is in year 11 at Rhyl High School, has launched his bilingualism campaign. As part of this, Jonathon, who represents the Vale of Clwyd, is asking all Welsh learners and fluent speakers to wear a lanyard and a badge to show that they are either a learner of fluent speaker.

Jonathon said: "One of my issues when being elected as member of Welsh Youth Parliament for the Vale of Clwyd was to promote Welsh language in the area.

"My bilingualism campaign was launched at Rhyl High School.

"The idea is that other staff and pupils will see the lanyard or badge and then interact with that person in Welsh, promoting the Welsh language.

"After only a few days I am already seeing the amazing benefits of this in the corridors - so many students and staff using day-to-day Welsh which they weren’t using before.

"Younger students have also approached me about getting involved," Jonathon added.

"Some staff are learning completely from scratch and some are fluent and they are really supporting each other."

Jonathon is hoping the campaign will eventually lead to Rhyl High School becoming fully bilingual.

"It will be so speaking Welsh is as normal as English," Jonathon said.

Jonathon, who is a tennis leader and competition organiser at Rhyl Tennis Club, has joined 60 other young members who have been elected to make up the Welsh Youth Parliament.

The campaigner was recently trained by St John Ambulance in first aid. He would like to see a alternative plan for the Welsh Baccalaureate where basic first aid is included.

Jonathon added: "Learning first aid is so important. These are useful life skills we need in the future."