Housing, jobs, skills, and well-being: building a community of support with The Community Impact Initiative
Housing in Wales is in a mess, with more than 100,000 empty properties, and a decline in the provision of social housing. Unemployment rates in Wales are higher than in the rest of the UK. The Community Impact Initiative (Cii) evolved to tackle this specific social challenge.
Trystan Jones, Chief Executive, explains:
“Social enterprises have to be led by what people need, and we knew that what we do is needed in our communities. Developing community housing, building skills for employment, and improving well-being: they’re a great way to support people. Through housing, skills development, and community engagement programmes, the Cii supports people to rebuild their confidence, health, and life opportunities.
We’re tackling issues in the areas that need support most, the regions with the highest percentage of empty homes, and the highest numbers of economically inactive people. Those areas are also tending to see a decline in strength of community. Community spaces, where people tend to gather, are being shut – like libraries, schools, pubs, and clubs: they’re all closing. The community anchors are disappearing, and that’s quite devastating.
So we help create a sense of community for people. Our work creates a community space, where people take pride in what they’re doing. We aren’t a construction company, but we use construction as a tool. Initially, we thought we were a skills organisation, but we discovered quite quickly that we’re actually a well-being organisation.
“We bring people together in a mixed cross-section of society to learn skills for employment, and to meet people. We break down the barriers to employment, target isolation, boost their confidence and mental health, and take a stand against loneliness. We make a positive impact on people’s lives. The Cii supports the whole range of ages, genders and backgrounds, from 16 – 70+ years old. Everyone from any background is welcome.”
Trystan continues:
“We provide free lunches and PPE, and we reimburse travel expenses for the people working on our projects. We listen to the barriers and needs they have, and adapt to that. When we choose an empty property and move our operations into an area, we are deliberately not siloed. We create a network, research the homelessness, mental health and well-being organisations that are already in the area, and create a web of support, a well-being map of the community, and connect them all together. The individuals we work with get the support they need from us, and we signpost them to organisations providing complementary support in the area.
We couldn’t do what we do on our own. We need to work together in a meaningful manner.”
The Cii has become a beacon for social change, supporting individuals to make lasting, positive progress in their lives, and progressing from being ‘One to Watch’ in 2019, to winning the prestigious Social Enterprise of the Year award in 2024 at the Social Business Wales awards held in Llandudno.
“Cwmpas has supported us over the years to develop, and to understand the processes for community-led housing. That support has been incredibly positive, especially when you’re feeling your way in the early days. 2024 was a very good year. We produced our first organisation-wide Impact report, and we won the Social Business Wales Social Enterprise of the Year award. It took us ten years to build up from trying to make up a name to winning that award. Over the years we’ve developed a model that works. We strive to be excellent at what we do. Winning rubber-stamps that belief. It’s a powerful affirmation.
Being Social Enterprise of the Year gives people confidence that we are an organisation worth talking to, that we know what we’re doing. It’s the cherry on the cake, which means a lot to our staff.”
We asked staff what the best thing is about their work.
Abi Lewis, Head of Service Delivery, said: “Seeing the change in people means most to me. At the start of a project, people are shy and nervous. Working in the supportive environment of our projects, they change totally. Seeing them change, and grow, and get involved in doing something they want to do means so much.”
Ellen McCubbin, Marketing and Communications Officer, said: “Building a community for people, even if they eventually leave to move on to something bigger, means a lot. It’s always good to see them achieve a goal. “
Trystan continued:
“We work with great people. Moving forward, we’ll be doing a lot of the same things we’re doing now. We’ll still be delivering impact, and helping people to build skills and gain employment. And we’ll be looking towards making some changes too, developing some new ideas. The social need always has to come first. My best advice is, don’t try to shoe-horn need into your organisation. But if you’re sure of the need, and you’re sure you can help solve that need in some way, then go for it. It’s tremendously worthwhile.”
Find out more about the Social Business Wales Awards 2025 here.
