 His experiences working with young people in deprived areas inspired him to help establish the Welsh youth homelessness charity Llamau in the late 1980s.From 1991 to 1995, he was a lecturer in applied social studies at the University College of Swansea (now Swansea University).He then moved to the University of Wales, Cardiff (Cardiff University from 1999) as a lecturer at its School of Social and Admin Studies.