Introducing Goleudy
Goleudy has existed for 45 years, firstly as SASH (Swansea Action for Single Homeless), and then from 1992 as Caer Las. Today we are re-imagining ourselves as Goleudy – Welsh for ‘Lighthouse’.
The image of the lighthouse has endured as a beacon of hope, guiding mariners away from the dangers that lie beneath the waves. The metaphor works on many levels as a symbol that gives meaning to our work; attempting to bring light in a dark place.
Our strong focus as Goleudy is to commit to providing different solutions to the persistent problem of our citizens experiencing homelessness. We have a simple philosophy:
• live, behave, and work by our values
• strive for constant improvement
• prevent homelessness wherever possible
• provide meaningful connections to enable people to flourish
I am proud to lead Goleudy in our quest to ensure that everybody gets the opportunity to participate in mainstem citizenship. People who are excluded by virtue of their health, wealth or social class must get the support they need to re-engage.
I think that one of the most important documents created in the twentieth century, in terms of human progress, is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Though it was created in 1948, the principle of a global value system for human beings has generally served humanity well. So, I am delighted that the emerging narrative around Housing First, has established the idea that Housing is a Human Right. This is very interesting in that it lodges the idea of not having a home, as a signifier of acute suffering.
We are fiercely proud of the work we have done as Caer Las, and the many lives that we have helped. But the seemingly insoluble problem of homelessness continues. As Goleudy we must offer more, and be open to change and innovation, exploring new ideas, as well as amplifying the thing already working. I look forward to exploring these ideas with you in future posts.