Foreword
Siân Morgan
Chief Executive
John Morgan
Chair, Board of Management
It’s our pleasure to introduce Hafan Cymru’s report for 2021 – our 32nd annual report. What a difference a year makes – who would have thought that we would still be in lockdown at the time of writing this foreword in April! We’ve had to adjust our working practices and adopt remote working for most of the business, and everyone has worked hard to adapt to the new ways of working.
Thankfully, we’re an organisation full of amazing people who have repeatedly demonstrated their commitment and loyalty during these challenging times. We’re extremely proud of all the staff and management who’ve ensured we continue to deliver the support people need – from special projects through to property maintenance and management. Everybody’s efforts have been truly impressive.
Despite lockdowns we continued to innovate and develop. Recruitment has continued, but we’ve done it differently, using digital platforms to carry out interviews and assessments. We strengthened our business development team and the way we approach tenders and new funding opportunities. We continue to pull together as an organisation to provide support for each other, as well as support for our clients who face complex and difficult challenges every day.
We’ll continue working to boost the profitability of our business, and to deliver on the Welsh Government’s Regulatory Framework for Housing Associations. We’ll continue to be mindful of the political and economic environment and the potential changes to priorities a new government may bring.
The last financial year also saw plenty of innovation and advancement in several key areas:
- We secured National Lottery funding for two Children and Young People’s Wellbeing Workers (CYP workers) in Pembrokeshire and Swansea.
- Hafan Cymru Training Services continued throughout lockdown by delivering sessions online, and won 16+ new contracts to support DWP customers and help them overcome barriers to employment.
- As part of the Welsh Government’s drive to tackle violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence, Hafan Cymru’s Spectrum Encompass Project delivered free, specialist support and guidance for primary and secondary pupils and staff across Dyfed-Powys.
- Hafan Cymru’s Swansea operations team worked closely with partner organisations such as Swansea Council, DA Hub, Swansea Women’s Aid and BAWSO to set up temporary accommodation in newly vacant units in Swansea University. The apartments were used for overspill for the domestic abuse refuge or anyone escaping domestic abuse.
- We converted a property in Colwyn Bay and opened a Young People’s Project, which provides vital accommodation and support tailored to young people’s needs.
- We were able to secure funding to appoint specialist support to deliver MAMs (Mothers’ Affection Matters) counselling to upskill our staff so that they can support mothers and help to break the cycle of trauma that can be passed from one generation to the next.
We don’t know what the future may bring. However, we know that due to the pandemic there has been an increase in mental health issues and domestic abuse, so there’s likely to be a big demand for related services once we have the pandemic under control. We are already planning ahead and looking at ways to expand and grow our services, bolstering our skills to ensure we’re ready to respond to any developments that may occur.
We believe we have an exciting future with some challenging times ahead, particularly in terms of shrinking financial resources and legislative changes. However, our strategy for diversifying our funding streams continues to ensure we are not reliant on one funder, which is key to the future growth of Hafan Cymru.
We’re proud of the way the organisation has responded during some very challenging times, and it continues to be a great honour to lead such an amazing organisation. We have never been so well placed to face any challenges ahead!
Finally, on behalf of the Board of Management, our heartfelt thanks go to colleagues across the business for their loyalty, commitment and resilience, to the Commissioners/funders for their support and guidance, to our stakeholders for their continued backing, and to the Housing Regulatory Team for all their continued guidance throughout the year.
Who we supported
Total number of women, men and their families supported by Hafan Cymru:
We manage:
units comprising of young people’s projects, refuges, supported housing projects and general needs homes.
Housing Support Grant Programmes
The programmes provide housing related support to help vulnerable people to live as independently as possible.
More than 680 women, men and their children have been supported through the Supporting People programme in the last financial year.
COVID-19 Lockdown
At the beginning of the pandemic, we developed a Covid-19 Business Continuity Plan. The plan outlined the action that would be required and at what stage, safeguarding measures and risk assessment. The Plan was Board approved and enabled us to ensure that we continued to deliver our contracts across Wales and provide the much-needed support for our clients, while ensuring our teams remain safe. We were also able to produce and implement contingency action plans across all our services; which were agreed by our Commissioners.
The vast majority of our staff worked from home enabled by Office 365 and Microsoft Teams, which allowed us to successfully deliver support remotely to ensure we met the service needs of our clients. However, where we needed to meet with clients face to face, we ensured that government guidance was followed and Protective Personal Equipment (PPE) was in place. We furloughed two staff members from our Training Services provision, and both returned as soon as we were able to deliver commercial activity remotely. PPE was a challenge initially, but thankfully, we were able to resolve that with the support from Cymorth Cymru and Community Housing Cymru.
We also established a remote ‘specialist support trauma service’ to ensure that the mental health and wellbeing of staff and clients would be supported should their health deteriorate due to the issues associated with the pandemic.
The response from the business was overwhelming and everyone in the association responded positively. Risk assessments were carried against all activities and we received excellent feedback from our clients in relation to the support and services they received.
Less than
of staff were furloughed
Our Values
Our door is open. Each person we support is treated with kindness, as an individual, and they’re offered equal access to opportunities. We pride ourselves on a creative, versatile approach that’s firmly rooted in reliability. We are here – for one another and for every person we support – all the way. By applying these principles, we aim to be the very best at what we do. We hope to inspire those around us and to share our practices with others to help them to create positive outcomes, too.
Jane’s Story
(name changed)
“I can actually smile again!” These are the words of a survivor who was supported during lockdown.
Jane was referred to Hafan Cymru for supported accommodation. She was a victim of domestic violence, living with a partner and their children in a small rural community with her partner’s family members living nearby.
The police had been called on numerous occasions due to ongoing episodes of abuse. When the incident affected Jane’s daughter, social services also got involved.
Jane moved into a property at the onset of lockdown. Robust risk assessments were conducted, and safety measures were quickly put in place, without sacrificing the quality of support provided for Jane. She found it challenging, especially because the ex-partner’s family had a strong influence on her and her children, and they were missing them.
We supported her in her court case, in managing her accommodation, finances, and physical and mental wellbeing. We ensured that she was safe, and that she knew how to get in touch with us at any time of the day. Due to the circumstances, a lot of the support had to happen over the phone, but we ensured that we continued to do a “doorstep drop off” of essentials; and when restrictions allowed it, we had “walking sessions” with her.
Today, Jane and her children live on their own. She cooks meals from scratch and takes frequent walks with her children to boost their health and wellbeing.
“I feel I may not be alive if it wasn’t for your support,” she says. “I feel confident and know that I have the ability to care for my family on my own.”
Key Events
- Regular contact and support for young tenants in Wrexham continued despite the country’s lockdown. The project’s garden has kept them busy and supported their mental health and wellbeing.
- The new Belgrave Young People’s Project in Conwy was launched in the middle of lockdown through excellent teamwork and determination. The project aims to prevent homelessness and promote independence by enabling service users to develop daily living skills, supporting them to gain sustainable accommodation.
- Due to social distancing guidelines we were forced to reconsider how we deliver tenant participation. Staff didn’t disappoint, delivering a range of outdoor fitness and wellbeing sessions that kept tenants active and engaged.
- Support Workers proved that consistent good outcomes can continue despite challenges in how we work. They adapted and embraced change, remodelling the support they provide.
- Our RCT Team proudly achieved a 95% move on success rate for tenants, meaning that the tenants were supported to progress to more permanent rented accommodation and/or supported to manage their tenancy better.
- Teams maximised the use of technology in supporting vulnerable tenants, always thinking of fresh and new ways to support them, including gaining grants for people to access phones, tablets, and/or laptops.
- The Torfaen team continued to deliver high levels of support to the most vulnerable in their community, minimising crises and securing additional council funding to expand their services so that we could reach more people during the pandemic.
- A new Integrated Housing Support service has been commissioned to assist our team in Carmarthenshire, supporting chronically homeless individuals with complex needs.
Compliance with the CHC Code of Governance
The Community Housing Cymru (CHC) set the principles and recommended practice for good governance. We see it as a tool for continuous improvement, helping us to achieve the highest standards in governance. The Hafan Cymru Board measures and reflects on our compliance against the seven principles set out in the code on an annual basis.
The Board agreed that Hafan Cymru’s compliance with the code had been demonstrated, and that it had demonstrated a range of improvements from the 2019/20 position. The Board is continuing to consider how we attract diverse talent in future Board recruitment campaigns.
Our Clients Tell Us...
Conwy
Denbighshire
Flintshire
Gwynedd
NPT
RCT
Swansea
Torfaen
Wrexham
Ynys Mon
Carol’s Story
(name changed)
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, we have heard many stories of hardship and distress. We would like to tell you about Carol. While working with us, Carol turned hardship and distress into an opportunity to take control of her destiny and create a positive future for herself.
Carol was introduced to our Children and Young Person project at its early stages. She had just started college and found herself struggling to keep up with her work and needed some support.
Carol quickly started working well with her support worker, saying that she felt safe and that she trusted her. She told us about her difficult relationship with her mum who had forced her to leave home. She was ‘sofa surfing’ for a while, which increased her anxiety and had affected her college work.
Despite the challenges brought by the pandemic, we provided Carol with the support she needed. We were able to get her a tablet through a successful grant application. We held sessions virtually, helping her to understand healthy relationships and regularly used messaging services to give her the reassurance she needed to progress.
When it became clear that she wouldn’t be able to go home to her mum, we helped Carol to find accommodation through our Young Persons Housing Project. This, alongside ongoing support, gave her a safe place to complete her coursework and allowed her to gain independence and learn valuable life skills.
Carol is now doing well, her anxiety has reduced, and she has a secured a place at university on her dream course.
Well done, Carol!
Spectrum
The Spectrum Project works in all primary and secondary schools across Wales, tackling domestic abuse and related issues through education. It teaches the importance of healthy relationships and works with children, young people and adults to raise awareness of violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence (VAWDASV).
The Spectrum team offer bilingual, age appropriate, child centred sessions for pupils, with guidance and training for all school staff.
The new Spectrum website was launched in March 2021. It contains valuable information for teachers, schools and their communities and a catalogue of bilingual, age-appropriate resources available for all school staff.
Spectrum
Total children reached
Total adults reached in session
Total adults in training
Total number of sessions
- It is a very well-paced session with lots of information and relative conversations/examples.
- Really informative and well delivered.
- More people need to be made aware of what domestic abuse is and its signs.
- Gave me increased awareness.
- Very well presented and clear outcomes.
- Approachable staff and informative content.
- The lady leading it was very enthusiastic.
- Accessible and there are lots of additional resources that can be utilised.
- Very informative, more able to recognise signs and what to do.
- It was useful and made us all aware of the whole school approach.
- Packed full of important and useful information people may not know about.
- Because it was really informative and done in a sensitive way considering the topic of the training, I think it was presented very well.
- Clear and concise – gets to the heart of the issues and gives ideas on how we can help pupils.
- There was important information that was delivered in a clear and appropriate method.
Men’s Sheds Cymru
Further funding was secured to take this valuable project up to the end of 2021 and we have succeeded in creating a vibrant, stable network of Men’s Sheds groups across Wales. These are safe, welcoming spaces open to all men in the community to come along to connect, converse and create. As well as providing a place to meet and participate in activities we have also continued to raise awareness of the social and health benefits of Men’s Sheds in reducing isolation, loneliness and in empowering local communities.
Our main focus for this year has been the development of new Men’s Sheds, helping existing sheds to remain engaged and open, and promoting the concept of Men’s Sheds as a positive tool to tackle loneliness and isolation.
The onset of Covid-19 with the associated restrictions on face-to-face meetings and travel prematurely curtailed the development of new groups in 2020. Nevertheless, 7 new groups were developed in the early part of 2020. During 2020 a further 16 strong potential groups emerged, but the project was not able to support them to full membership due to social distancing rules.
During 2020, contact with and interest in Men’s Sheds were maintained through a newsletter and online Zoom presentations. The focus of the project has been to retain links with and between sheds. The project has used its reputation as a trusted information provider to provide guidance on the opening and use of premises, and to disseminate public information on how to keep safe during the pandemic.
The number of new Men’s Sheds in communities across Wales
The number of existing and new Mens’ Sheds members in communities across Wales
The total number of men reporting feeling less socially isolated as a direct result of becoming involved in an existing or newly created Men’s Shed
The total number of men reporting feeling that they were ‘without a voice’ or ‘had barriers to engagement’ and have been supported by Men’s Sheds
The number of local spaces (buildings or green spaces) which are improved or regenerated directly as a venue for a Men’s Shed
The number of new organisations collaborating with the Men’s Sheds Cymru Project and the “sheds” network to increase the spread of health and wellbeing information
The number of new health & wellbeing ‘info points’ created within Welsh communities
‘’I appreciate your call in what would have been an empty and lonely week.’’
Hafan Cymru Training and Employability Services
We offer a diverse range of training and employability solutions for our customers, including core courses on topics such as domestic abuse awareness, coercive and controlling behaviour, child sexual exploitation, female genital mutilation and safeguarding. These are especially suitable for employees from the voluntary, statutory and private sectors who work in a public facing role. We liaise closely with customers and partners to ensure our tailor-made delivery meets their needs and has a positive impact on the recipients.
In November 2020 we were delighted to achieve the Agored Cymru Quality Mark for our Bridging the Gap course in partnership with the Seren Mor Consortium.
Training facts and figures
Covid-19 presented many challenges throughout 20/21 for our training team and accelerated the use of technology to deliver engaging and accessible training modules.
We measure distance travelled during training to identify the increase in knowledge and understanding. The example below demonstrates an average knowledge of 4.7 prior to training and growth up to 9.7 following training.
Employability & Wellbeing Services
Delivery of our employability and wellbeing projects changed overnight due to COVID 19. Engagement from our customers has increased, as have positive outcomes for those engaging.
Facts and figures
contracts won from DWP – overcoming barriers to employment
job centre customers engaged
of customers achieved their goals.
WCVA Employability & Wellbeing
During 20/21 our Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) funded Active Inclusion programme provided support to individuals with work-limiting health conditions, creating strategies to help them develop and progress towards work.
Facts and figures
positive outcomes
have progressed into further learning, employment, volunteering, and/or job search
gained work relevant certificates and/or other qualifications
During the pandemic we recognised a need to provide emotional and wellbeing support for our customers and individuals in the community. WCVA funded us through the Voluntary Services Emergency Fund to provide a Wellbeing and Resilience project, providing a remote service for those facing issues and isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) projects
Hafan Cymru has Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) projects providing advice, information and support to survivors of domestic violence in partnership with the Dyfed-Powys and Crime Commissioners Offices and the Local Authorities of Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Powys.
people have been supported through the IDVA projects across Dyfed-Powys
SafeLives partnership
SafeLives is a UK-based charity working in the area of domestic violence. We continue to deliver SafeLives’ flagship IDVA and Service Manager qualifications across Wales, in partnership with SafeLives, funded via the Welsh Government.
On leaving Hafan Cymru support
reported an improvement in their health and wellbeing
felt safer after having our support
felt their ability to engage in their training or find work was improved
Felt their confidence and self-esteem has increased because of support
Reported increased confidence in caring for their children
Felt more confident to live independently and manage a home
Families First Home Support Project
Families First Home Support Project is a Welsh Government programme designed to improve the lives of children, young people and families. The programme promotes greater multi-agency working and early intervention to ensure families receive joined-up support when they need it, with the aim of preventing problems from escalating.
We deliver families first projects in Neath, Port Talbot and Torfaen. Where we deliver parenting skills, help strengthen relationships and identify any additional support families need to have healthy relationships and to be confident, nurturing and resilient.
During lockdown, we adapted our service by delivering telephone support for all our clients and safe face to face support for those in crisis. We dropped food parcels to those who needed them. We were also successful in our application for a grant to provide arts and crafts and gardening equipment to our families to support their mental wellbeing during these periods.
are supported by our projects
Swansea One Stop Shop
The Domestic Abuse One Stop Shop in Swansea (SOSS) is a partnership project involving Hafan Cymru, Swansea Women’s Aid, BAWSO and the City & County of Swansea. All partners are co-located at the One Stop Shop to optimise delivery of services with Hafan Cymru as the lead agency.
This crucial service did not stop during lockdown; the drop-in service continued over the phone. The phones from SOSS office were diverted to members of the team to ensure that every call was answered. We ran the Freedom Programme virtually and helped reduce the waiting list. We delivered food parcels, clothes and other essentials that clients needed. Throughout the first national lockdown, we provided parenting packs which contained educational activities for children and wellness activities for the adults.
“The support has helped me in a lot of ways, to settle into a new area and flat, with forms and setting up benefits, and introduction into different groups to meet new people and make friends. Also to do courses to help with confidence. Gemma has been amazing.”
Swansea One Stop Shop client
• Coffee and Craft
• Equilibrium
• Freedom Programme
• Thrifty Nifty
Our People
We have 140+ employees, each of whom brings their own unique qualities to help us achieve remarkable things.
People Services, the department that supports Hafan Cymru’s workforce recruitment, development, health and wellbeing:
- Ensured that we were able to seamlessly switch to a remote working model, without sacrificing the quality of service we give to our clients.
- Introduced a new Performance Management Framework to focus on each individual’s contribution to the organisation, their wellbeing and development.
- Updated all job descriptions to help us attract and retain the right people: people who live our values.
A message from Aled Davies (Director of People Services)
We are very lucky to have a fantastic team in Hafan Cymru. We have a highly motivated, committed and flexible workforce who consistently demonstrate their passion for meeting clients’ needs. They have been agile and adapted incredibly quickly to hybrid working and have dealt with all the personal and work challenges brought by the pandemic with incredible professionalism. They are just amazing!
Looking forward, our goal is to go further by enhancing employee engagement and wellbeing, and for Hafan Cymru to be acknowledged as an Employer of Choice. We want to attract and retain the right talent to enable us to continue to provide our clients with the quality service they deserve.
What our staff say:
“My role involves supporting tenants to move on from supported housing and find suitable accommodation. My role varies depending on the support needs of my clients; it might include signposting to relevant agencies, walk and talk sessions when things get stressful and supporting clients who have issues with finances, whether this is arranging for a food bank or liaising with external agencies to help in times of crisis.
“I enjoy all aspects of my role; every day is different. You have days where you can plan your calendar and prioritise your workload and then a crisis may appear. I will prioritise my service user above all else. I feel that I work well in a crisis and have gained a lot of experience and skills working within the mental health sector for over 10 years, especially in terms of negotiating and being able to diffuse hostile situations.
“I am most proud of my commitment and work ethic when it comes to helping others. Nothing gives me more enjoyment in life than helping others and seeing them thrive, and that’s why I thoroughly enjoy my role.”
Kate Johnson
“I will have been employed with Hafan Cymru for 5 years in September. I have had the opportunity to develop within my roles since starting with Hafan Cymru. In RCT we have successful links with a variety of agencies due to our projects and schemes. These enable me to provide support to tenants while ensuring they receive the best support possible. As a team we have worked hard to develop relationships and highlight the successful support we offer. I have a very positive relationship with my colleagues.
“I am supported extremely well by the senior support worker and operational manager of RCT. The support and guidance they provide has enabled me to develop my skills and knowledge further along with building my confidence within my roles – enabling me to provide the best support possible to our tenants.”
Sophie Jones
Thanks & Acknowledgements
Firstly, we would like to thank our clients, for working with us to help improve our service and provide a holistic approach when engaging with future clients. Secondly, a massive thank you to staff past and present. Hafan Cymru’s excellent reputation is due to you. Thank you for all your hard work and support over the last year.
In addition, Hafan Cymru could not provide the excellent services it does without the support of our voluntary Board of Management who are listed below.
Board Members:
John Morgan – Chair, Board of Management
Amie Chapman – Treasurer and Vice-Chair
Stacey Anastasi
Kate Carr
Ffion Green
Steve Griffiths
Shone Hughes
Jack Mansfield
Steve Morgan
James Owens
Bill Walden-Jones
Richard Batt
Liz Evans
Steve Ray
Liane Sheppard
Special Thanks
Paul Thorburn – Ambassador
Shirley Sansom – Honorary President
© Copyright 2021 Hafan Cymru | Website by Accent Creative
