Gisda

What Gisda does

Gisda is a Welsh charitable organization (Company Limited by Guarantee, Charity Number 1068325) that provides housing, mental health, and youth services to vulnerable young people aged 16-25 in Gwynedd, North Wales. Founded in 1985, the charity operates four hub locations across Caernarfon, Bangor, Blaenau Ffestiniog, and Pwllheli, supporting up to 62 young people at any one time through 31 accommodation units and an open-door policy. Its service portfolio spans multiple sub-brands including ICAN (mental health and wellbeing), GISDA Creative (arts-based engagement), GISDA Actif (sports and outdoor activities), Academi Cyfleon/Opportunities Academy (education and training), an LGBTQ+ Youth Project, and a Youth Board, with a proprietary therapeutic framework called Model Fi underpinning its approach.

The organization's business model is grant-funded rather than revenue-generating. Services are delivered free to beneficiaries, with funding sourced from Welsh Government grants, donations, individual fundraising, and smaller grants from bodies such as the National Lottery and Children in Need. GISDA positions itself as a partner to NHS Wales, local councils, schools, housing associations, and the Welsh Youth Parliament, with whom it holds a 2024-2026 partnership. The charity is not a technology company; its platform is its physical estate, its staff cohort, and its relationships with statutory and third-sector partners across North Wales.

Leadership is led by CEO Siân Elen Tomos, supported by Elizabeth George (Head of Business), Lyndsey Thomas (Head of Development), and Catrin Jones (Head of Services). The organization is currently marking its 40th anniversary (2024-2025) with a dedicated conference under the GISDA40 banner and has received external recognition including the Centrepoint UK Partner Award 2024 and shortlisting for the Mental Health and Wellbeing Wales Awards 2024 and Youth Work Excellence Awards 2023.

Name

Gisda

Legal name

GISDA Cyf (Gisda Cyf)

Website

https://gisda.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gisda is a Welsh charity providing housing, mental health, and youth services to people aged 16-25 across Gwynedd, North Wales, operating four hubs and 31 accommodation units supporting up to 62 young people at any one time.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Wales

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Funding (Welsh Government): The Housing Support project is GISDA's largest project and is funded by the Welsh government. This provides the primary recurring revenue for accommodation and support services for 62 young people throughout Gwynedd.
2. Donations and Fundraising: GISDA receives donations through JustGiving, BACS transfers, text-to-donate campaigns, legacy bequests, and annual supporter memberships (Team GISDA Supporter). Corporate sponsors also contribute to specific events and programs.
3. Event Hosting and Community Fundraising: Community events including bingo, coffee mornings, quizzes, gigs, and bake sales. Challenge events such as half marathons, marathons, and cycling challenges (e.g., 40km to mark GISDA's 40th anniversary) generate donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gisda Cyf provides free supported housing, mental health early intervention, employment training, LGBTQ+ support, creative and physical wellbeing programmes, and youth advocacy for vulnerable young people aged 16–25 across Gwynedd, North Wales. Services are delivered through four physical hubs and a supported housing portfolio accommodating 62 young people at any one time. The organisation is funded primarily by the Welsh Government, supplemented by charitable donations and community fundraising.

Product overview

Gisda is a charitable organization offering a portfolio of interconnected support services for vulnerable young people aged 16-25 in Gwynedd, Wales. The organization operates multiple distinct service programs: Housing and Support provides accommodation for 62 young people across five locations; ICAN Hub offers early intervention mental health support in partnership with the NHS; the LGBTQ+ Youth Project provides safe spaces and weekly clubs; Opportunities Academy delivers employment and independent living skills training; Young People's Hubs serve as one-stop access points for all services; Voice enables youth advocacy through a Youth Board and Welsh Youth Parliament representation; and GISDA Creative and GISDACTIVE provide therapeutic creative and physical wellbeing activities. All services are free, available in Welsh and English, and operate on an open-door policy with no appointment needed.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ICAN (iCAN): Early intervention mental health support hubs offering therapeutic support, drop-in services, counselling, suicide awareness training, and wellbeing activities for young people in partnership with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
• GISDA Creative
• GISDA Actif
• Academi Cyfleon (Opportunity Academy)
• LGBTQ+ Youth Project
• GISDA Youth Board
• Model Fi

Products and services

• Housing and Support (Cymorth Tai) Supported housing and key worker support for young people aged 16-25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Provides accommodation for 62 young people at any one time across Caernarfon, Felinheli, Llanrug, Blaenau Ffestiniog, and Dolgellau, including 26 single units and 5 family housing units, using GISDA's proprietary 'Model Fi' therapeutic support framework.
• ICAN Hub (Wellbeing) Early intervention mental health support service operated in partnership with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. Provides therapeutic support, drop-in hubs, suicide awareness training, and wellbeing workshops for young people aged 11-25 in Pwllheli, Caernarfon, and Maesgeirchen Bangor.
• LGBTQ+ Youth Project Support service for LGBTQ+ young people aged 14-25 providing safe spaces for self-expression, weekly youth clubs in Caernarfon, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Bangor, and Pwllheli, plus accredited training and awareness sessions for schools and organisations. Funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.
• Opportunities Academy (Academi Cyfleon) Employment support programme offering CV writing, interview techniques, work experience, volunteering opportunities, and independent living skills training through drop-in centres in Caernarfon, Blaenau Ffestiniog, and Pwllheli. Delivers Agored Cymru accredited Independent Living Skills qualifications, with over 150 accreditations completed through school partnerships.
• Young People's Hubs One-stop-shop access hubs in Caernarfon, Bangor, Blaenau Ffestiniog, and Pwllheli providing free access to homelessness support, LGBTQ+ support, employment services, creative therapies, mental health support, and emergency drop-in services on an open-door drop-in policy with no appointment required.
• Voice (Youth Advocacy) Youth advocacy programme ensuring young people's voices are central to GISDA's work through a Youth Board, monthly residential meetings, feedback collection, and representation in the Welsh Youth Parliament. GISDA is a partner organisation for the third Welsh Youth Parliament 2024-2026.
• GISDA Creative Creative expression programme offering young people opportunities to develop confidence and positive mental health through art, crafts, photography, animation, and music.
• GISDACTIVE Physical activity and wellbeing programme coordinating sport, fitness, nutrition, and health activities including walking, climbing, cycling, and fitness sessions to boost mental wellbeing and build social connections.

Quantifiable outcome

• 62 young people supported at any one time through Housing Support project
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic, minor and academic.

• Betsi Cadwaladr University Health BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGISDA operates in partnership with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to run ICAN hubs in Gwynedd, offering early intervention mental health support for young people aged 11-25. Current hubs are located in Pwllheli, Caernarfon, and Maesgeirchen Bangor, providing therapeutic, early-stage help for young people facing mental health challenges.
• Ali Forney Center (New York)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership through the TAITH Project. Kaya (GISDA TAPI Project Manager) attended an LGBTQ+ conference in Parma organized by the Ali Forney Center, a New York-based agency supporting LGBTQ+ youth. The conference brought together 25 agencies from 16 countries to share best practices and address challenges facing LGBTQ+ youth globally.
• Dewis ArchitectureminorOthersSponsors of the GISDA 40th anniversary Young People's Services Conference, providing generous support that made the event free to attend including breakfast and lunch.
• Richard Hall and Partners (Solicitors)minorOthersSponsors of the GISDA 40th anniversary Young People's Services Conference, providing generous support that made the event free to attend including breakfast and lunch.
• Senedd Ieuenctid Cymru (Welsh Youth Parliament)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerGISDA is a partner organization for the third Welsh Youth Parliament 2024-2026 (second consecutive term). Young people supported by GISDA represent the voice of vulnerable youth nationally, advocating on issues like mental health and the environment.
• Gwynedd Council Education DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting young people at risk of disengaging from school. The collaboration enables pupils across seven schools to complete over 150 Agored Cymru accreditations, earning Independent Living Skills qualifications. Funded by the Shared Prosperity Fund.
• Anglesey Council Education DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting pupils in Anglesey schools through the education collaboration program, contributing to the 150+ accreditations achieved in Independent Living Skills.
• Adra Housing AssociationstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerIwan Trefor Jones from Adra Housing Association spoke at the GISDA 40th anniversary conference. Adra provides housing services and works with GISDA on supporting vulnerable young people in housing matters.
• End Youth Homelessness CymrustrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerBill Rowlands from End Youth Homelessness Cymru spoke at the GISDA 40th anniversary conference and conducted a workshop. The organization advocates for ending youth homelessness across Wales.
• Youth Work WalesstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted the Youth Work Wales Residential event at Glanllyn, bringing together young people to shape the future of youth work. Three GISDA young people attended to represent Gwynedd.
• Urdd Gobaith CymrustrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted the Youth Work Wales Residential event at Glanllyn with Youth Work Wales, providing a venue and support for young people from across Wales to participate in youth work activities.
• Bangor UniversityacademicStrategic or Co-development PartnerBangor University conducted the TAPI Evaluation Report for GISDA, providing academic assessment and research support for the TAITH (Trans And Proud Individual) Project.
• Frân WenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrân Wen conducted a workshop at the GISDA 40th anniversary conference. Anya Sherlock, a GISDA-supported young person, developed the Nabod performance group which evolved into the OLION show produced by Frân Wen.
• Gwynedd Youth Work DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGwynedd Council Youth Work Department conducted a workshop at the GISDA 40th anniversary conference and collaborates on youth work initiatives across the county.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Depaul UK: UK charity preventing homelessness and supporting young people in need through supported housing, family mediation, and education services. Substantial product overlap with GISDA's Housing Support and Opportunities Academy in a UK-wide context.
• Centrepoint: UK's leading youth homelessness charity, providing accommodation, health, and education support to 16-25 year olds. GISDA has an explicit partnership — Anya won a Centrepoint UK Partner Award in 2024 — and operates in the same product category across overlapping geographies.
• St Basil's: Birmingham-based charity preventing youth homelessness through supported housing, training, and family support. Directly comparable to GISDA in mission, beneficiary cohort (16-25), and service mix, though operating in a different English region.
• End Youth Homelessness Cymru: Welsh coalition of organisations working to end youth homelessness across Wales. EYH Cymru and GISDA share the same beneficiary population and policy advocacy agenda, with EYH Cymru's Bill Rowlands speaking at GISDA's 40th anniversary conference.
• Llamau: Welsh charity supporting young people and women at risk of homelessness across Wales. The closest direct peer — same geography, same mission, same beneficiary age range, and same funder base (Welsh Government and local authorities).

Broad incumbents

• Action for Children: Major UK children's charity providing fostering, mental health, and youth homelessness services. Operates at much greater scale across the UK and competes for the same Welsh Government and local-authority grant funding as GISDA.
• Barnardo's: One of the UK's largest children's charities, serving vulnerable children and young people across multiple service lines including housing, mental health, and exploitation support. Much broader portfolio and national scale, but overlapping beneficiary group and service categories.
• The Children's Society: UK national charity supporting disadvantaged children and young people, including those affected by exploitation, mental health issues, and homelessness. Overlaps with GISDA's mental health and youth advocacy service lines at a national scale.
• Mind (Mind Cymru): UK/Welsh mental health charity providing early intervention and wellbeing support, including for young people. Competitor for mental-health-specific grant funding (e.g., ICAN hub contracts) and a parallel NHS partner comparable to GISDA's Betsi Cadwaladr relationship.

Others

• Adra (housing association): North Wales housing association that partners with GISDA on supported housing for young people (Adra speaker at GISDA's 40th anniversary conference). Not a direct competitor but a strategic ecosystem partner providing the wider housing stock in which GISDA's young-person services sit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Gisdacyf
• Facebookfacebook.com/gisdacyf
• Instagraminstagram.com/gisdacyf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gisda

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gisda