Tai Heulwen CIC is a social enterprise committed to establishing and developing a community-focused residential care home for children and young people in Merthyr Tydfil. With a strong belief that every child deserves safety, education, and positive experiences, Tai Heulwen aims to provide a nurturing environment for vulnerable children within their own communities.
Menter gymdeithasol yw Tai Heulwen CIC sydd wedi ymrwymo i sefydlu a datblygu cartref gofal preswyl sy’n canolbwyntio ar y gymuned i blant a phobl ifanc ym Merthyr Tudful. Gyda chred gref bod pob plentyn yn haeddu diogelwch, addysg a phrofiadau cadarnhaol, mae Tai Heulwen yn anelu at ddarparu amgylchedd meithringar i blant sy’n agored i niwed yn eu cymunedau eu hunain.
Having support through WCVA has given us the confidence and security to move forward with our plans to open a children's residential home, without the weight of some of the major financial risks that can hold projects like ours back. WCVA’s creative approach to funding and foresight to partner us with the Community Impact Initiative, has allowed us to focus our energy on delivering the very best care and support for the children, rather than worrying about financial barriers and upfront property purchases. It’s the main reason we are in this position today.
Mae cael cefnogaeth drwy CGGC wedi rhoi’r hyder a’r diogelwch i ni symud ymlaen â’n cynlluniau i agor cartref preswyl i blant, heb bwysau rhai o’r risgiau ariannol mawr sy’n gallu rhwystro prosiectau fel ein un ni. Mae dull creadigol CGGC o ariannu a’u blaengaredd i’n cysylltu ni â’r Fenter Effaith Gymunedol wedi ein galluogi i ganolbwyntio ein hegni ar ddarparu’r gofal a’r gefnogaeth orau i’r plant, yn hytrach na phoeni am rwystrau ariannol a phrynu eiddo ymlaen llaw. Dyna’r prif reswm pam ein bod ni yn y sefyllfa yma heddiw.
Their mission aligns with Welsh Government policy to eliminate private profit from the care of children looked after, and their approach is rooted in community engagement, collaboration, and long-term social impact.
Mae eu cenhadaeth yn cyd-fynd â pholisi Llywodraeth Cymru i ddileu elw preifat o faes gofal plant sy’n derbyn gofal, ac mae eu dull wedi’i wreiddio mewn ymgysylltiad cymunedol, cydweithio ac effaith gymdeithasol hirdymor
Challenge
Despite having the expertise and local insight to deliver high-quality care, Tai Heulwen faced significant barriers to entry. As a start-up with no track record, they lacked the capital to purchase a property and the financial resilience to withstand licensing and planning delays.
The risk of acquiring a property that might not meet regulatory requirements was too high, especially without upfront cash flow to support operations during the approval phase. Traditional lenders were hesitant to support such a high-risk venture, and the absence of physical security made it difficult to secure funding. These challenges highlighted the need for a social investment solution that could de-risk the process and enable Tai Heulwen to focus on delivering care.
Her
Er bod gan Tai Heulwen yr arbenigedd a’r wybodaeth leol i ddarparu gofal o ansawdd uchel, roedd yn wynebu rhwystrau sylweddol i fynediad. Fel cwmni newydd heb unrhyw hanes blaenorol, nid oedd ganddyn nhw’r cyfalaf i brynu eiddo a’r gwydnwch ariannol i wrthsefyll oedi o ran trwyddedu a chynllunio.
Roedd y risg o gaffael eiddo a allai beidio â bodloni gofynion rheoleiddio yn rhy uchel, yn enwedig heb lif arian ymlaen llaw i gefnogi eu gweithrediadau yn ystod y cyfnod cymeradwyo. Roedd benthycwyr traddodiadol yn betrusgar i gefnogi menter oedd â risg mor uchel iddi, ac roedd diffyg diogelwch ffisegol yn ei gwneud hi’n anodd sicrhau cyllid. Amlygodd yr heriau hyn yr angen am ddatrysiad buddsoddi cymdeithasol a allai leihau’r risg yn ystod y broses a galluogi Tai Heulwen i ganolbwyntio ar ddarparu gofal.
Solution
WCVA, a social investor, came up with a creative solution. They introduced Tai Heulwen to another social enterprise, The Community Impact Initiative CIC (CII), which specialises in buying and fixing up houses for community use.
CII agreed to buy and renovate a house to meet Tai Heulwen’s needs. While CII handled the building work, Tai Heulwen focused on getting the necessary approvals. WCVA provided loans to both organisations: money for CII to buy and improve the house, and money for Tai Heulwen to cover early costs. This partnership allowed Tai Heulwen to avoid the risks of buying a house themselves and concentrate on preparing to care for children.
WCVA provided three separate loans: £140,000 to CII for the property purchase (100% loan-to-value), £60,000 for renovations (143% LTV), and £80,000 to Tai Heulwen for working capital, to help cover things like paying staff, setting up the home, and covering bills before they started generating income. This flexible and high-leverage structure prioritised social value over traditional financial security, allowing both organisations to play to their strengths and mitigate risk.
Ateb
Daeth ateb creadigol gan CGGC, sef buddsoddwr cymdeithasol. Fe wnaethon nhw gyflwyno Tai Heulwen i fenter gymdeithasol arall, sef y Fenter Effaith Gymunedol CIC, sy’n arbenigo mewn prynu ac atgyweirio tai i’w defnyddio gan y gymuned.
Cytunodd y Fenter i brynu ac adnewyddu tŷ i ddiwallu anghenion Tai Heulwen. Tra bod y Fenter yn ymdrin â’r gwaith adeiladu, canolbwyntiodd Tai Heulwen ar gael y cymeradwyaethau angenrheidiol. Darparodd CGGC fenthyciadau i’r ddau sefydliad: arian i’r Fenter Effaith Gymunedol brynu a gwella’r tŷ, ac arian i Tai Heulwen dalu costau cynnar. Roedd y bartneriaeth hon yn caniatáu i Tai Heulwen osgoi risgiau prynu tŷ eu hunain a chanolbwyntio ar baratoi i ofalu am blant.
Darparodd CGGC dair benthyciad ar wahân: £140,000 i’r Fenter Effaith Gymunedol ar gyfer prynu’r eiddo (cymhareb benthyciad-i-werth 100%), £60,000 ar gyfer adnewyddiadau (cymhareb benthyciad-i-werth 143%), ac £80,000 i Tai Heulwen ar gyfer cyfalaf gweithio, er mwyn helpu i dalu am bethau fel costau staff, sefydlu’r cartref, a thalu biliau cyn iddynt ddechrau cynhyrchu incwm. Roedd y strwythur hyblyg a throsoledd uchel hwn yn blaenoriaethu gwerth cymdeithasol dros ddiogelwch ariannol traddodiadol, gan ganiatáu i’r ddau sefydliad chwarae i’w cryfderau a lleihau risg.
Revenue
Tai Heulwen CIC earns its income by running a children’s residential care home. Once the home is fully licensed and approved, local councils will place children in their care and pay Tai Heulwen for providing safe accommodation and support. This payment covers the cost of running the home such as staff wages, food, utilities, and activities for the children.
Tai Heulwen will be reinvesting any extra money made into the care of the children and the development of the service.
Refeniw
Mae Tai Heulwen CIC yn ennill ei incwm drwy redeg cartref gofal preswyl i blant. Unwaith y bydd y cartref wedi’i drwyddedu a’i gymeradwyo’n llawn, bydd cynghorau lleol yn rhoi plant yn eu gofal ac yn talu Tai Heulwen am ddarparu llety a chymorth diogel. Mae’r taliad hwn yn talu cost rhedeg y cartref fel cyflogau staff, bwyd, cyfleustodau a gweithgareddau i’r plant.
Bydd Tai Heulwen yn ailfuddsoddi unrhyw arian ychwanegol a wneir yng ngofal y plant a datblygiad y gwasanaeth.
Impact
The investment has already begun to generate meaningful social and economic impact. The children’s home will enable vulnerable children to remain close to their families and communities, avoiding the disruption of being placed far from their support networks. It will create 15 well-paid jobs in an economically deprived area, with salaries exceeding sector norms.
The renovation work, carried out by local labour through CII, has fostered community ownership and reduced opposition to the home’s presence. The project has also revitalised a previously derelict property and established a scalable model for children’s care run by a Community Interest Company, with WCVA now in advanced discussions to replicate the approach.
The collaborative effort has been praised by CIW and social services, and the handover to Tai Heulwen is scheduled for the autumn, marking a successful and transformative milestone for the community.
Effaith
Mae’r buddsoddiad eisoes wedi dechrau cynhyrchu effaith gymdeithasol ac economaidd ystyrlon. Bydd y cartref plant yn galluogi plant sy’n agored i niwed i aros yn agos at eu teuluoedd a’u cymunedau, gan osgoi’r effaith o gael eu lleoli ymhell o’u rhwydweithiau cymorth. Bydd yn creu 15 o swyddi â chyflog da mewn ardal ddifreintiedig yn economaidd, gyda chyflogau’n uwch na normau’r sector.
Mae’r gwaith adnewyddu, a wnaed gan lafur lleol drwy’r Fenter Effaith Gymunedol, wedi meithrin perchnogaeth gymunedol ac wedi lleihau gwrthwynebiad i bresenoldeb y cartref. Mae’r prosiect hefyd wedi adfywio eiddo gwag ac wedi sefydlu model mae modd ei ehangu ar gyfer gofal plant gan Gwmni Buddiant Cymunedol, gyda CGGC bellach mewn trafodaethau datblygedig i efelychu’r dull.
Mae Arolygiaeth Gofal Cymru a’r gwasanaethau cymdeithasol wedi canmol yr ymdrech gydweithredol hon, ac mae’r gwaith trosglwyddo i Tai Heulwen wedi’i drefnu ar gyfer yr hydref, gan nodi carreg filltir lwyddiannus a thrawsnewidiol i’r gymuned.
It’s one of the perks of the job to be able to problem solve for people and it’s very rewarding to bring organisations together to such good effect. ‘Connecting’ and ‘Enabling’ are two of WCVA’s strategic pillars so it’s good to be able to demonstrate those in practice. We know the impact that Tai Heulwen are going to have on the lives of young people – it’s what social investing is all about.
Mae’n un o fanteision y swydd gallu datrys problemau i bobl ac mae’n rhoi boddhad mawr dod â mudiadau at ei gilydd i greu effaith mor dda. Mae ‘Cysylltu’ a ‘Galluogi’ yn ddau o bileri strategol CGGC, felly mae’n dda gallu dangos rheini ar waith. Rydyn ni’n gwybod yr effaith y bydd Tai Heulwen yn ei chael ar fywydau pobl ifanc – dyna hanfod buddsoddi cymdeithasol i gyd.”