Ieuenctid Tysul Youth (known locally as Tysul Youth) is a voluntary youth organisation and registered charity based in Llandysul, Ceredigion. Founded in 1997, it started because there is a lack of youth provision in rural communities.

More than two decades later, Tysul Youth continued to offer vital support to young people across the area, providing a safe space with consistent staff and sessions, from age 10 through 25. Operating out of what was once Peniel Wesleyan Chapel, the organisation now employs a small team of part-time staff supported by a committed group of volunteers.

The youth service offers a wide range of activities designed to meet the needs of young people in a way that is informal, accessible, and empowering. Their approach is rooted in the Youth Work Curriculum for Wales, encouraging young people to play an active role in shaping the activities and direction of the organisation. Tysul Youth also run creative, environmental, and community-based initiatives, including being actively involved in a local community-growing project called Yr Ardd. The additional projects offer opportunities not only for enjoyment and learning, but also for young people to gain practical skills, build confidence, and connect with others.

The importance of youth provision in rural communities cannot be overstated. In areas like Llandysul and the surrounding rural communities, where isolation, low wages, and limited opportunities are everyday realities for many people, youth organisations like Tysul Youth play a crucial role.

They create safe spaces where young people can develop socially, emotionally, and personally. They offer guidance, consistency, and the chance to explore new interests and talents. In doing so, they help to prevent social isolation, build resilience, and raise aspirations.

Why is funding so important in Youth Work?

Funding is the backbone of youth provision, especially in rural Wales where services are often few and far between. It ensures safe spaces, trained staff, creative activities, and consistent support, all of which young people rely on to grow, connect and thrive. For many, youth clubs offer not just fun, but a lifeline.

The Brechfa West Community Fund has consistently supported Tysul Youth, recognising the essential role it plays in the lives of local young people. Included in its most recent commitment, the fund helped cover transport costs so that young people from Pencader, a village where public transport can create a barrier, could attend the youth club. This practical support highlights just how vital external funding is in tackling the everyday barriers rural young people face.

Steve said, “the funding we have had has allowed us to breathe” and it was clear that without this kind of investment, services like Tysul Youth would struggle to survive, and many young people would simply go without. Youth work is never an easy job but being able to breathe and worry less about how you can keep the doors open makes it that little bit easier!

One of the part-time youth workers reflected on what keeps them going, even when the work is demanding, and recognition can feel a long way off. “You won’t get any thanks, not right now,” she said. “Through the years though, if you’re still sat here, when that young person pops in through the door saying, ‘This place!’… In fact, one of our youth leaders used to come here, so we have a full circle.” That sense of continuity, of long-term relationships and impact, is at the heart of what makes Tysul Youth so effective.

Llinos’ Story

Llinos used to come to Tysul Youth when she was a teenager, when asked why Tysul Youth was important to her, she said “I made a whole new group of friends because everyone came here from everywhere”

As we dug a little deeper into the importance of having a youth club to go to, Llinos quickly responded “I wasn’t open at home, coming here and having older people to look up to, to be open and communicate with gave me a safe space to talk about stuff you just don’t talk to parents about”

Llinos’ story doesn’t end with coming to Tysul Youth as a teenager, she went on to volunteer at the club before she went on to study for her degree in Youth Work at the University of Wales, Trinity St David, in Carmarthen.

Llinos is now an employed part-time youth worker at Tysul Youth, in her second year of university and is a great example of the full circle impact a local youth provision can make. Listening to Llinos chat with youth club members and volunteers through the evening highlighted that she is also a DJ, a skill she first learnt as a teenager here at Tysul Youth.

The organisation actively encourages young people to take ownership of their own development and the future of the service. Many of its projects are youth-led, and young people are involved in shaping programme design, delivering events, and even taking up voluntary roles. A particularly valuable development has been the introduction of the Youth Volunteer Team, described by staff as a “crew of transition youth.” These are young people who, by age, still fall within the youth bracket, but who may feel they’ve outgrown the traditional club sessions.

The volunteer team offers a vital in-between space: a place where they can continue to belong, begin to learn responsibility, receive ongoing support, and give something back. It bridges the gap between being a participant and becoming a contributor, fostering leadership skills and building confidence in a way that feels natural and supportive.

Aled’s’ story

Aled is a member of the Youth Crew Volunteers (a group of nearly transitioning young people who are both old enough to come to Tysul Youth, and ready to step into volunteering to develop confidence and new skills).

When Aled first came, it was his Mum who encouraged him to join. “When I started coming to youth club I had nothing else to do outside of school. Mam said to come and meet people here. I was nervous at first because I didn’t know anyone. I came down, met youth workers and some of the older youth who nice to me, took care of me and they boosted my confidence and then I invited my friends to come too”

Aled is 19 years old now and really enjoys being able to choose if he is there as a volunteer or a youth club member; the flexibility really works for him.
“Youth Club helped me build confidence, knowledge and maturity. They always helped me with my mental health and always have faith in me whatever I do. Whether it was school, college, or work. They are always there to support me. They are like a second family to me”.

Aled has a rare condition called Micro-deletion Chromosome 16 which can affect how some genes work. It is a condition that can affect how your brain works and also how your body works, but Aled reminds us that it’s really important to remember that everyone will be affected in a different way and we should never make any assumptions. At first coming along to a youth club was really daunting, however, Aled, with his increasing confidence, talks about his condition to help others.

France Twinning & Youth Exchange

Tysul Youth has embraced the spirit of town twinning and cultural exchange, offering young people in rural Ceredigion a rare chance to experience life beyond their locality. These international programs open doors for those who may never have left the county, and in some cases, never even applied for a passport before!

The exchange between the twinned youth clubs in the twinned towns of Llandusyl and Plogonnec in Bretton, France. The exchanges started with becoming pen pals, exchanging socials but were sadly paused due to the Covid Pandemic.

Through hard work and fundraising, Tysul Youth were able to take young people to France in 2023, and a return visit happened here in 2024, through which young people from both countries were able to share in a cultural exchange and join in in water sports activities.

Now, thanks to recently secured Taith Funding, Steve and his team are planning to take 33 young people on a fully funded trip back to France in the Summer of 2025 and host the return visit in 2026.

Earlier, Llinos talked about making a large circle of friends because young people came from different villages and schools, and now Tysul Youth is building connections across the water as well.

The Brechfa Forest West Community Fund, launched in 2018 by RWE Renewables, is designed to support local projects over the 25-year life of the wind farm. To date, it has been awarded over £3.7 million in grants, with youth provision recognised as a key priority for the fund.

Although Tysul Youth operate beyond the strict geographical parameters of the fund, its connection to young people within the Brechfa West Fund area demonstrates the ripple effect that thoughtful, place-based investment can have across rural boundaries.

Tysul Youth is a powerful example of what grassroots youth work can achieve. Its longevity, adaptability, and commitment to involving young people at every stage of their work reflect best practice in rural provision. At a time when statutory services continue to contract, organisations like Tysul Youth stand out not only for the difference they make to individual lives, but for the way they bring communities together, nurture local talent, and help rural areas thrive.