FAQ’s

Get advice about your situation, from your local authority/homeless department. All Council Homelessness departments will be able to give you advice about your situation or refer you to a specialist agency that can help. Most Homelessness Teams also have Homelessness Prevention Officers who can help you.

 

In Gwynedd GISDA offers a service to young homeless people between the ages of 16-25 yrs. 

You may be entitled to housing and/or support through your Council’s Housing Department. You may even be classed as in Priority Need which means that the Council has a legal duty to find you somewhere to stay.

 

In Wales, those classed as in Priority Need are:

• A pregnant woman
  
• Those who have children that are financially reliant on them
  
• Those who need special help because they are old, mentally disabled, physically disabled or other special reason
  
• A 16 or 17 year old
  
• Any person aged 18,19 or 20 who is at particular risk of sexual or financial exploitation
  
• A person who is 18, 19 or 20 and who has at any time been privately fostered, lived in a children’s home or been in the care of a local authority, health authority or voluntary organisation
  
• Any person who has been subject to domestic violence, is at risk of domestic violence or would be if she or he returned home
  
• A person who has formerly served in the armed forces and has been homeless since leaving those forces
  
• A former prisoner leaving custody and has been homeless since leaving custody who has a local connection to the area they wish to apply to be housed

But remember - if the reason why you have become, or are about to become homeless is your doing you may not be entitled to any assistance from the Council at all so think very carefully about whether or not you really have to leave where you are.

 

The telephone numbers for Housing/Council Departments in North Wales are:

Gwynedd Homeless department

Caernarfon	01286 679806
Bangor	01286 679840
Dolgellau	01341 424308
Pwllheli	01758 704097
Ynys Mon / Anglesey	01248 752267

 

There is a referral process that each young person requiring a service must go through.

 

Step 1 –where the young person or agency completes the stage one referral form with some basic details about their current situation. They can also call up GISDA on 01286671153 and give their details to a member of staff. The young person can also call in to Tŷ Rhydalun in person.

Step 2 – The referral officer will contact the young person and tell them more about GISDA and the service they offer. They will then complete a stage 2 referral where the officer requires more information from the young person about their background, their current situation and what type of support they need.

Step 3 – The referral officer will arrange to meet the young person at a convenient location to introduce themselves and complete the final part of the referral.

Step 4 – If the young person is working with other outside agencies, with their consent the referral officer will get in touch with the agency for some more information regarding the support currently receiving or previously received from that agency.

Step 5 – On obtaining the above information a risk assessment is completed and a decision is made whether the young person is suitable to receive a service from GISDA.

Step 6 – If the young person is eligible to receive a service they will be placed on GISDA’s waiting list, until they are allocated a Key Worker.
It is difficult to state how long a young person will be waiting for support, but the referral officer will signpost to other agencies and ensure they have explored all options available to the young person.

GISDA offers support and accommodation to young people between the ages of 16 – 25 years old.

Yes, we do – we have accommodation for 4 families in the following areas:

 

• Caernarfon/Llanrug
  
• Felinheli/Blaenau Ffestiniog

What can I expect from the support/advice I receive from GISDA?

 

As well as supported housing, at GISDA we assign a Key worker to each young person. The key worker will work with the young person on a support package, called STAR, which aims to help that person to identify what outcomes they aspire to and how they will reach their goal.