“It can be life changing – peer mentoring with the project. It is better than any pay rise to see the impact. I feel 10ft tall.” Natalie, Peer Mentor

“They take time to find out about the individual and then find an appropriate response. It is a more understanding approach.”Tim, Project Participant

LIVELIHOODS PROJECTOxfam’s years of experience has shown us that everyone has the ability and assets to manage and improve their lives. Our Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (the SLA), developed in the global south and now used here in Wales, helps people develop the assets they already have in life, rather than focussing on what they don’t have. It empowers them to have a stake in their community and improve the services they rely on.

The Building Livelihoods and Strengthening Communities in Wales project shows that this approach works here, and should be embedded in Welsh Government’s tackling poverty programmes. The Livelihoods project has worked in nine diverse communities across Wales, tackling poverty and providing a strong return on investment.

The project, run between 2012 and 2016, was funded by Big Lottery Fund and Unilever.

OVER 1,100 beneficiaries

103 Peer Mentors trained

£4.39 RETURN for every £1 invested

Oxfam Cymru’s Livelihoods ProjectSurviving to Thriving:

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS• 636 beneficiaries gained new skills and/or confidence• 648 were more involved in community activities• 489 accessed more or better services• 303 improved their livelihoods measurably, with an average increase

of 16.8 percentage points• 91 took up voluntary placements• 90 found employment

Oxfam is a registered charity in England and Wales (No: 202918) and Scotland (No: SCO 039042). Oxfam GB is a member of Oxfam International. Design & Print by Slicker Designs www.slickerdesigns.co.uk

FINANCIAL BREAKDOWNThe Oxfam Livelihoods project has achieved the following value (over three years):

£1,376,181 in gross fiscal value (savings for the state)£688,568 in gross economic value (activities that create value for the economy)£3,388,018 in gross social value (wider social benefits for individuals)

Factoring in input costs and opportunity costs, the overall net value generated by the Oxfam Livelihoods project is £5,452,767.

The value ratio for the Oxfam Livelihoods project’s outcomes is 4.39:1 – in other words, for every £1 invested, it produces a return of £4.39.

For more information contact:Oxfam Cymru Market Chambers, 5-7 St Mary Street, Cardiff, CF10 1AT Phone: 0300 200 1269 Email: oxfamcymru@oxfam.org.uk

“The Livelihoods worker was the only person that could help. She’s helped me in every way she possibly can. I’ve had so much help getting myself back on my feet. She’s helped me to do loads of things I didn’t know were available.” Project Participant, North Wales

“By working with the Livelihoods project we have been able to engage local residents, who we had otherwise struggled to engage. In particular it has highlighted the issues that marginalised women face and helped us to consider best practice when working alongside them.” Key Stakeholder

“There are no words to describe what it has done for me. It has opened up a world of opportunities. I feel I owe so much and I want to pay it back.”Julie, Project Participant