We are delighted to announce that St Basils has been highly commended at Homeless Link’s national Excellence Awards 2023.
Homeless Link is the national membership charity for frontline homelessness organisations in England, and its annual awards recognize the innovative and impactful work happening across the sector to support people experiencing homelessness in England.
Our charity, which works to provide safe housing, support, and educational and employment opportunities for young people facing homelessness in the Midlands, was highly commended in the Outstanding achievement in outreach and rough sleeper provision category, for our innovative mobile outreach program that connects with young people sleeping rough and provides immediate support, including access to shelter, food, and a multitude of additional support services.
An eight-strong judging panel with a variety of expertise and perspectives, including lived-experience of homelessness, commended the organisation for the scale of its impact in supporting so many young people and the proactive and preventative nature of its work.
The project has had a profound impact on the local community- Birmingham has more young people than any other city in Europe but one of the lowest rates of young people sleeping rough. Additionally, it has successfully facilitated the transition of over 90% of program participants into stable accommodation and provided them with ongoing support to rebuild their lives and end the circle of homelessness.
In response to the recognition, Vanessa Newey, Team Leader of St Basils outreach team, said “We are extremely honoured to be highly commended at Homeless Link’s National Excellence Awards. To have the work that we do recognised in this way is amazing and will provide us with an opportunity to showcase our outreach offer for young people nationally. We would love for the Young People’s Outreach & Navigation service to be replicated in other areas. This award is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our team, as well as the resilience and determination of the young people we support.”
Rick Henderson, Chief Executive of Homeless Link, praised the efforts of St Basils and emphasized the significance of the Excellence Awards, saying, “Homeless Link’s Excellence Awards highlight the innovative, impactful, and tireless work happening across the country to ensure that people have a place to call home and the support they need to keep it. This year, as homelessness organizations navigate soaring demand and cuts to funding, it feels more important than ever to recognize these efforts. St Basils has a hugely positive impact on its local community, preventing and ending the rough sleeping of hundreds of young people and providing the specialist support to enable them to thrive. We congratulate them on their significant achievements and impact.”
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