A bit of background history to the Trust....
Ystalyfera Development Trust is set at the heart of the community in a former public house just off the main road through the village. The building although no longer a hostelry and stop over point for locals and visitors alike, acts as a focal point for identifying and taking action to meet the needs of the local community.

The Upper Swansea Valley in which Ystalyfera is located is a series of close knit communities characterised by its former mining activities and more than its fair share of problems associated with de-industrialisation, poor local services and a lack of access to employment and other opportunities. However, Ystalyfera is nevertheless a vibrant place that has managed to attract new investment and in recent years through the work of the Trust and a number partner agencies, a range of new business, social enterprise and access to community based learning facilities have all been established and become a thriving part of the community.

The Trust maintains a number of properties on behalf of the local community, which includes start-up premises for local business and community enterprise, affordable housing for local people and a Community Learning Centre that provides a wide range of educational courses and the access to the latest IT and fast broadband internet access.

Community drop-in facilities are also hosted by the Trust for people seeking advice and guidance on education, employment or business matters, as well as information about what is going on in their community.

During 2001 the Communities First initiative was established in Yystalyfera and the Development Trust was selected by the National Assembly to oversee its implementation. The Trust works closely with the Communities First Partnership Board to ensure the widest possible range of community representation takes place and currently employs three members of staff who work on the Communitires First Programme.