Cymorth Cymru is the umbrella body for providers of homelessness, housing-related support and social care services in Wales.
We believe that everyone has the right to live safely and independently, managing their own lives in their own homes. However, for many people, and for many reasons, this is not always possible without support.
Our members provide a wide range of support and assistance to enable people to live as independently as they possibly can, or build a positive future after a housing crisis or stressful period in their lives.
Cymorth Cymru acts as the ‘voice of the sector’, influencing the development and implementation of policy that affects our members and the people they support.
We work in partnership with members and other stakeholders to prevent and reduce homelessness and improve the quality of life for people who are marginalised or at risk of housing crisis across Wales.
Learn more about how we do this.
Cymorth has around 120 members across Wales, made up of third sector organisations, housing associations and local authorities.
Our members work with a wide range of people, including people who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness; families fleeing domestic abuse; people dealing with mental or physical health problems; people with learning disabilities; people with alcohol or drug problems; refugees and people seeking asylum; care leavers and other vulnerable young people; and older people in need of support.
This list is not exhaustive, and people often face a range of challenges that make it difficult for them to maintain a stable home and take control of their lives.
Our members help people address these issues, supporting them to find and maintain safe accommodation, fulfil their personal potential and feel confident making choices about their future.
Find out more about our members.
Cymorth began as a steering group in 2001 in response to the changing landscape around housing-related support. We became a company limited by guarantee in May 2004 before gaining charitable status in 2006.
Our main activities and focus continue to be centred around homelessness, housing-related support and supported living. However, as our members have diversified we have become involved in representing social care providers and are continuing to grow this area of work.
In addition, we keep a keen eye on other policy areas (community justice, welfare reform, tackling poverty, preventative healthcare, and others) so that we can respond flexibly and rapidly to emerging themes that are likely to impact on our members and the people they support.
Connecting up the threads of policy work across different sectors is increasingly important, and something that we are well placed to do.
Find out more about our policy and influencing work.
Cymorth Cymru is run by a small staff team based in Cardiff and is governed by a Board of Trustees.
All people in Wales have the right to live safely and independently, managing their own lives in their own homes
Connect, strengthen and influence service providers, policy makers and partners to:
Accountability
We are accountable to our members for our actions and will operate responsibly in accordance with our values.
Influence
We will ensure our policy and influencing work is consistent with our shared vision and informed by our members’ experience
Independence
We will be politically independent to ensure that we can act with integrity and for the benefit of our members.
Partnership
We believe joint working to be essential and will continue to build effective partnerships across different sectors and policy areas to achieve the best results.
Professionalism
We will operate in a professional and effective manner at all times, and challenge and support our members to provide professional, high quality services.
Transparency
We will be open, transparent and honest in all that we do.
Making a difference
Above all, we will strive to ensure that the work we do, and that of our members, has a positive impact on people and communities in Wales.
