Introduction
Cyfle Support Services Cyf is a not-for-profit small
and medium-sized enterprise based in Pwllheli, Gwynedd. We support young
people aged 16 to 25 who are homeless, at risk of homelessness or need help
to develop the confidence and practical skills required for independent
living. Our services include semi-independent accommodation,
homelessness-prevention support, community-based floating support and
accessible drop-in advice. We currently employ approximately 33 people and
work with a five-member board and local volunteers.
Brief History
Cyfle was established in 2005 in response to a gap in
support for young people leaving care. Since then, we have grown considerably
and now provide support across a wide range of areas. We are careful not to
duplicate services that are already working well. Instead, we identify unmet
needs and develop practical, responsive services to address them. We believe
this approach has been central to our continued growth and success.
My proudest
moments
One of our proudest moments was successfully securing
the contract to deliver the young people's Drop-In service across Gwynedd
after identifying the opportunity through Sell2Wales. The award recognises
the quality of the service we have developed locally and enables us to extend
accessible support to young people across a large rural county, including
communities where transport and distance can make it difficult to obtain
help. For a relatively small not-for-profit organisation, winning through an
open procurement process also demonstrated that strong local evidence, clear
outcomes and a well-designed service can compete successfully.
Do you use
Welsh in your business?
Welsh is central to how we work. We provide services
bilingually and enable young people to communicate in the language in which
they feel most comfortable. This is particularly important when someone is
discussing homelessness, wellbeing or other sensitive circumstances. Using
Welsh helps us build trust, reflect the communities we serve and provide an
equitable service rather than treating the language as an addition. It also
strengthens our relationships with local partners and commissioners.
What has been your biggest challenge to date?
As a small organisation, our biggest challenge was
having limited experience of formal procurement and writing competitive bids.
The tendering process required considerable time, research and attention to
detail, and we had to complete it alongside delivering our day-to-day
services. Despite our limited experience, our hard work, careful preparation
and honesty about what we could realistically deliver appear to have made the
difference. If we were approaching the process again, we would begin
preparing earlier and create a central library containing our policies,
outcomes, case studies, accounts and standard organisational information. We
would encourage other small organisations not to lose hope when competing
against larger or more established providers. Everyone has to start
somewhere. If you are genuinely passionate about your service, understand
what you want to deliver and can support your proposal with clear evidence,
the procurement process provides a fair opportunity to demonstrate your
organisation's value.
What in your
opinion are the benefits of using Sell2Wales?
Sell2Wales gives smaller Welsh organisations clear
and equal access to public-sector opportunities that might otherwise be
difficult to find. Alerts make it easier to identify relevant notices, while
the published documents help us understand the buyer's requirements,
timetable and evaluation criteria. The platform supports a transparent
process and gives organisations such as ours the confidence to compete on the
quality of our service, local knowledge and outcomes.
Any tips you
would give other businesses?
Register for the right categories, set up focused
alerts and read every document carefully. Keep your policies and evidence up
to date, and make sure you answer the questions directly - without exceeding
the word count, as I managed to do again and again! Do not be too proud or
shy to ask for help. The Sell2Wales helpline responded quickly whenever we
got stuck, and Business Wales provided excellent support. Reach out and use
the help available - the support out there is fantastic.