We help thousands of people each year across Wales who are affected by the housing emergency by offering free, confidential and independent advice. When necessary we constructively challenge on behalf of people to ensure they are properly assisted and to improve practice and learning. We work with people who use our services as equals. We provide information, advice and support to help people identify the best options to prevent homelessness, to find and keep a home and to help them take control of their own lives. We exist to defend the right to a safe home and fight the devastating impact the housing emergency has on people and society. We do this with campaigns, advice and support – and we never give up. We believe that home is everything.

Swansea Law Clinic benefits the local community by offering free initial advice about legal problems while giving our students the chance to work alongside practising lawyers to advise real clients.

Qualia Law CIC provides free legal advice and support services, specifically dealing with:

-Mental Capacity
-Financial Safeguarding
-Court of Protection / Deputyship
-Lasting Power of Attorney

Qualia Law CIC is a certified member of AdviceUK and is funded by the national lottery, the charities aid foundation and UnLtd. Qualia Law receives referrals form Local Authorities across Wales, as well as organisations such as Citizens Advice, Age Cymru and Mencap.  However, advice and support can be accessed directly by individuals, families, carers or professionals (via direct or self-referrals).

Matthew’s House exists to provide a warm and welcoming building in the heart of Swansea, with the expressed intention of being accessible for the homeless and most vulnerable in Swansea. We aim for it to have the feel of a home where hospitality is experienced by all who enter the doors, regardless of their background, beliefs or circumstances.

We have 7 expressions of giving Hope and these can be found on our website. We are “walk in” only and self referral only. Supporting around 300 individuals a week.

Our foodbank is a project founded by local churches and community groups, working together towards stopping hunger in our local area. We don’t think anyone in our community should have to face going hungry. That’s why we provide three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people who are referred to us in crisis. We are part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supported by The Trussell Trust, working to combat poverty and hunger across the UK.

Our aim at the Old Mill is to provide physical and emotional support for people living with cancer.  We offer a range of complementary therapies free of charge to people living with cancer, although donations are always welcome. We also organise events, courses and coffee mornings for people affected by cancer in our centres across South & West Wales.

Independent mental Health Advocacy (IMHA)

IMHA is available for:

• People detained under the Mental Health Act or subject to a Community Treatment Order or Guardianship.
• Conditionally discharged restricted patients.
• Informal inpatients being treated or assessed for a mental health condition.

Community Advocacy

Independent Community Mental Health Advocacy is for people who are:

• Receiving secondary mental health services – usually meaning that your care is managed via a Community Mental Health Team (CMHT)
• Psychiatric inpatients requiring advocacy for issues not related to medication or treatment.
• Wishing to be reassessed by a CMHT for secondary services where their case has been closed with the last three years.

Home from Hospital Dementia Advocacy

Available in the Swansea Bay University Health Board area, supporting inpatients with dementia in the home discharge planning process.

Settled is a charity set up in 2019 to help EU citizens living in the UK whose rights were affected by Brexit. We worked hard to ensure as many as possible secured their immigration status before the deadline in June 2021, so that their lives here could continue. We now continue to provide information, advice and support to EU citizens. We can help with late applications to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), transitioning from Pre-Settled Status to Settled Status, exploring eligibility for family members to come to the UK, if your application has been refused or if you have problems accessing your digital status. We also help with advice on accessing welfare benefits, NHS care and housing support. Since March 2022, we also provide advice on the Ukraine Family Scheme and Homes for Ukraine Scheme. This service is for Ukrainians in the UK or overseas, and hosts. We cover immigration rights and broader rights like housing and education – we do not assist in ‘matching’ directly. Settled is registered to give immigration advice at OISC Level 3. We have a small staff team of coordinators and lawyers, and a network of 100+ dedicated volunteers based throughout the UK. We speak over 20 European languages, including Romanes and have a dedicated Roma support service. Our advice for EU and Ukrainian citizens is totally free of charge and you can access our support by email or phone, details can be found on our website. We also manage interactive Facebook groups in a range of languages.

DOVE Workshop is an organisation that is committed to the provision of learning opportunities in our communities.  We work in partnership with the Neath Port Talbot Adult Learning Network who provide experienced and qualified tutors and have an excellent reputation for quality.

DOVE Workshop provides a number of services that are associated with learning, we offer opportunities for: volunteering, work experience, IT drop-in services, employment support, CV writing. We provide support with benefits, debt, budgeting, housing advice. We offer support with health & wellbeing, addressing issues such as food and fuel poverty.

There is childcare available to learners and working parents on-site at Dovecote Nursery.

What do we do?

Local Area Coordinators are there for the whole community.

A Local Area Coordinator walks alongside you and your community while you:

• Make new connections and  friends
• Get involved in groups and activities
• Overcome personal challenges
• Get your voice heard by people in power and being involved in  improving public services
• Make your contribution to your community
• Think about what your good  life looks like

How does it work?

Anyone can meet with a Local Area Coordinator.

You could meet them in your local area or through an introduction from someone else.

You and your Local Area Coordinator will get to know each other on your terms, exploring your idea of a good life and plans to achieve it.

The amount of times you meet really depends on what you want to achieve.

They can help you to find out about your community and introduce you to friendly, helpful people within it.

They can help you explore and build on your strengths and can support you to share your skills and gifts with others. They can help you connect with formal services if that is what you feel you need.

Do they help groups too?

Local Area Coordinators are there for the whole community.

They can help local community groups to keep going and grow by introducing more people and supporting them with things like finding opportunities for funding.

Local Area Coordinators can also support people set up groups when someone has an idea to start something new.

What do we do?

We provide free impartial support and advice on welfare rights issues and financial inclusion to the residents of Swansea. We provide support and advice through a combination of face to face, telephone and e-mail advice to clients in Swansea who are referred into our service from a variety of different organisations. Clients are referred into our service through specific channels depending on their circumstances when they require advice and support. We then do a full assessment of the client’s circumstances to determine what advice/help that they require.

What do we do?

Age Cymru West Glamorgan provides a range of help and assistance including our Information and Advice Service, Dementia Services, and Warm Homes services. Our work is focused on:

– Supporting older people to be able to access their rights and entitlements,

– Ensuring that carers have access to respite and support,

– Reducing the loneliness and isolation that many older people can experience

– Enabling older people to be independent, be resilient and able to enjoy a good quality of life