YMCA

Specialties

Often people think of the YMCA as a provider of youth work and leisure activities. However, this YMCA — Cardiff YMCA Housing Association — is a YMCA with a difference!

Here in Cardiff, we have four city centre housing projects offering flexible support services to the homeless, and we own and manage PreFab Clothing & the PreFab Recycling project:

PreFab Clothing is our unique 1950s themed charity shop and recycling project which provides homeless volunteers with valuable work experience and training in recycling and retail with volunteering opportunities available to both the YMCA’s homeless service users and members of our local community. Donated clothing and accessories are sorted and cleaned in our recycling unit, and then processed for resale at affordable prices at our shop at 73 Albany Road.

Every penny of income generated by PreFab is directly reinvested into projects and services to support homeless people at our four housing projects in Cardiff.

History

Established in 1852.

Since moving to The Walk in Cardiff in the early 1980’s, we have provided over 1.3 million bed nights of temporary accommodation for homeless people by developing both our range of accommodation and the way in which we work with residents. We have four city centre housing projects offering flexible support services, and five schemes offering a range of additional complimentary services. These include a range of temporary accommodation options for vulnerable men and women of all ages and backgrounds who are in housing need.

We know it isn’t enough to just offer people a roof over their head and we understand that many people who become homeless have experienced difficulties or crises that have affected their ability to cope. That’s why our services are designed, not just to provide a place to stay but to offer support, advice, skills training and personal development opportunities so that residents leave feeling more confident and assured about taking their place in the community.