Cartrefi Cymru Co-operative is a not-for-profit, multi-stakeholder co-operative supporting people with learning disabilities, neurodiverse people and older people across Wales. Alongside delivering care and support services, Cartrefi has developed a growing network of community spaces (co-designed with People We Support) which act as inclusive, preventative community assets. These spaces are not designed solely for people receiving Cartrefi support; they are open, shared community resources that bring together local residents, families, volunteers, community groups and people supported by a range of organisations. What challenge does this address? People with learning disabilities and neurodiverse people often experience social isolation, barriers to community participation, limited access to welcoming public spaces, and a lack of opportunities to influence the services they use. At the same time, many communities have lost informal meeting places and preventative support opportunities that help people stay connected and well before they reach crisis point. Cartrefi recognised that traditional service models often position people as recipients of support rather than active citizens, contributors and leaders within their communities. In response, it has invested organisational resources into creating community spaces that belong to and are shaped by the people who use them. How is the service delivered? The defining feature of Cartrefi’s approach is co-production through its co-operative model. A great example of this in practice is the Cartrefi Social Bean community hub in Swansea. Since opening, the Social Bean has welcomed on average 150 people each month and 30% of attendees are either supported by other providers or are living independently in the community. The space also welcomes family members and volunteers, creating a genuinely shared community asset. The activities are co-designed by those who use the space. Monthly co-op meetings enable people to review what is working, suggest new ideas and make decisions collectively. The result is a space that continuously evolves in response to community requirements. By helping people build social networks, confidence and community connections at an early stage, the model reduces the risk of loneliness, mental ill health, increased dependence on statutory services and social exclusion. For some people, sustained community participation helps prevent the loss of skills, deterioration in wellbeing and the need for higher-cost interventions. The community hub model also creates wider system benefits by strengthening networks of support and reducing reliance on more intensive services. People and their families gain additional sources of support, people can maintain independence for longer, and community organisations benefit from increased volunteering, participation and collaboration. The model complements statutory services by supporting people to stay happy, connected and well. The social enterprise difference: As a co–operative and registered charity, Cartrefi reinvests resources into community benefit rather than shareholder profit and last year Cartrefi provided over 34,000 hours of unfunded support. Investment decisions are driven by what the people we support prioritise. Funding is used not only to deliver contracted services but also to create accessible, welcoming environments that generate wider social value. The focus is on relationships, empowerment, belonging and prevention rather than transactions or outputs alone. This work delivers prevention at multiple levels: Primary prevention: Creating inclusive community spaces that reduce loneliness, increase social connection and promote wellbeing before problems emerge. Secondary prevention: Providing safe, trusted environments where people can build confidence, develop independence and strengthen support networks before challenges escalate. Tertiary prevention: Supporting people with complex support needs to maintain community participation, reduce isolation and avoid deterioration in wellbeing or placement breakdown. Independent evaluation evidences outcomes and impact A 2025 independent evaluation directly attributed improvements in confidence, social connectedness, wellbeing and participation to people’s involvement in the Social Bean community hub. The evaluation highlighted transformative individual journeys of people including taking on responsibilities and informal volunteering positions within our community hubs. These roles led some people on to take up formal volunteering roles in the community, leading to paid employment opportunities. It also demonstrated the importance of providing spaces where people feel accepted, valued and able to contribute on their own terms. The evaluation concluded that the Social Bean is a “highly effective, values-led community hub” delivering significant positive outcomes across confidence, wellbeing, independence, social connectedness and community participation. The evaluation further concluded that the model provides an inclusive and responsive alternative to more traditional day services and demonstrates how shared ownership, community participation and relational approaches can create lasting preventative impact. Policy changes needed to scale this approach Increased investment in preventative community infrastructure, recognising community spaces as essential assets that reduce demand on more intensive services. The expansion of flexible funding models that allow communities and people with lived experience to co-design solutions, rather than commissioning narrowly specified activities. Embedding co‑production requirements within commissioning frameworks, ensuring people who use services have genuine influence over design, delivery and investment decisions. Cartrefi Cymru Co-operative’s approach proves that when commissioners invest in a social purpose organisation, the impact extends well beyond those directly receiving support. Together we can create spaces where communities connect, relationships flourish, confidence grows and people can design their own solutions together. That is the essence of prevention: building stronger, more inclusive communities where everyone belongs. What next? • More case studies of prevention in public service delivery
Cartrefi Cymru Co-operative is a not-for-profit, multi-stakeholder co-operative supporting people with learning disabilities, neurodiverse people and older people across Wales. Alongside delivering care and support services, Cartrefi has developed a growing network of community spaces (co-designed with People We Support) which act as inclusive, preventative community assets. These spaces are not designed solely for people receiving Cartrefi support; they are open, shared community resources that bring together local residents, families, volunteers, community groups and people supported by a range of organisations. What challenge does this address? People with learning disabilities and neurodiverse people often experience social isolation, barriers to community participation, limited access to welcoming public spaces, and a lack of opportunities to influence the services they use. At the same time, many communities have lost informal meeting places and preventative support opportunities that help people stay connected and well before they reach crisis point. Cartrefi recognised that traditional service models often position people as recipients of support rather than active citizens, contributors and leaders within their communities. In response, it has invested organisational resources into creating community spaces that belong to and are shaped by the people who use them. How is the service delivered? The defining feature of Cartrefi’s approach is co-production through its co-operative model. A great example of this in practice is the Cartrefi Social Bean community hub in Swansea. Since opening, the Social Bean has welcomed on average 150 people each month and 30% of attendees are either supported by other providers or are living independently in the community. The space also welcomes family members and volunteers, creating a genuinely shared community asset. The activities are co-designed by those who use the space. Monthly co-op meetings enable people to review what is working, suggest new ideas and make decisions collectively. The result is a space that continuously evolves in response to community requirements. By helping people build social networks, confidence and community connections at an early stage, the model reduces the risk of loneliness, mental ill health, increased dependence on statutory services and social exclusion. For some people, sustained community participation helps prevent the loss of skills, deterioration in wellbeing and the need for higher-cost interventions. The community hub model also creates wider system benefits by strengthening networks of support and reducing reliance on more intensive services. People and their families gain additional sources of support, people can maintain independence for longer, and community organisations benefit from increased volunteering, participation and collaboration. The model complements statutory services by supporting people to stay happy, connected and well. The social enterprise difference: As a co–operative and registered charity, Cartrefi reinvests resources into community benefit rather than shareholder profit and last year Cartrefi provided over 34,000 hours of unfunded support. Investment decisions are driven by what the people we support prioritise. Funding is used not only to deliver contracted services but also to create accessible, welcoming environments that generate wider social value. The focus is on relationships, empowerment, belonging and prevention rather than transactions or outputs alone. This work delivers prevention at multiple levels: Primary prevention: Creating inclusive community spaces that reduce loneliness, increase social connection and promote wellbeing before problems emerge. Secondary prevention: Providing safe, trusted environments where people can build confidence, develop independence and strengthen support networks before challenges escalate. Tertiary prevention: Supporting people with complex support needs to maintain community participation, reduce isolation and avoid deterioration in wellbeing or placement breakdown. Independent evaluation evidences outcomes and impact A 2025 independent evaluation directly attributed improvements in confidence, social connectedness, wellbeing and participation to people’s involvement in the Social Bean community hub. The evaluation highlighted transformative individual journeys of people including taking on responsibilities and informal volunteering positions within our community hubs. These roles led some people on to take up formal volunteering roles in the community, leading to paid employment opportunities. It also demonstrated the importance of providing spaces where people feel accepted, valued and able to contribute on their own terms. The evaluation concluded that the Social Bean is a “highly effective, values-led community hub” delivering significant positive outcomes across confidence, wellbeing, independence, social connectedness and community participation. The evaluation further concluded that the model provides an inclusive and responsive alternative to more traditional day services and demonstrates how shared ownership, community participation and relational approaches can create lasting preventative impact. Policy changes needed to scale this approach Increased investment in preventative community infrastructure, recognising community spaces as essential assets that reduce demand on more intensive services. The expansion of flexible funding models that allow communities and people with lived experience to co-design solutions, rather than commissioning narrowly specified activities. Embedding co‑production requirements within commissioning frameworks, ensuring people who use services have genuine influence over design, delivery and investment decisions. Cartrefi Cymru Co-operative’s approach proves that when commissioners invest in a social purpose organisation, the impact extends well beyond those directly receiving support. Together we can create spaces where communities connect, relationships flourish, confidence grows and people can design their own solutions together. That is the essence of prevention: building stronger, more inclusive communities where everyone belongs. What next? • More case studies of prevention in public service delivery