Press Release

  home : news & information : news : HELP at NAVE Finals

HELP Team reach national finals

Following on from their success earlier in the year at the regional Nationwide Awards for Voluntary Excellence (NAVE), Step by Step's HELP (Homeless Education Liaison Project) Team successfully reached the national finals of the competition recently.

HELP Team member Steve Allen, accompanied by Ivan Norris, Project Worker with the team, attended a lavish reception at Lords Cricket Ground, where they were able to mingle with forty other finalists from across the UK. Although not one of the final winners, newscaster Nicholas Owen presented Steve with a magnificent engraved glass trophy, a cheque for £500 and vouchers worth a further £250.

The HELP team is a group of young people who have first-hand experience of the difficulties of homelessness. Visiting schools, youth clubs, Scout and Guide troops, they give a powerful presentation highlighting the causes, difficulties and dangers of being homeless which, coming from their own experience, brings home the reality of the situation in a way that no ordinary talks could. Over the past year the team has given 26 presentations and reached over 1,700 people.

As well as helping deter young people from intentionally making themselves homeless, HELP team members find that the experience of giving presentations to an audience improves both their confidence and their communications skills, enhancing their prospects in further education or employment.

Sponsored by Nationwide Building Society and supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Business in the Community, and Councils for Voluntary Organisations across the UK, the Nationwide Awards for Voluntary Endeavour are designed to recognise individuals and groups who have made an outstanding contribution to their local community.

©2008 Step by Step Partnership Ltd   :   Reg. Charity No. 900308    :   Company No. 2431825