Excellence Awards 2026

The Workforce Development Award

This award celebrates organisations within the homelessness sector that prioritise the professional growth and wellbeing of their staff. We are looking for initiatives that create a thriving, skilled workforce; this could include projects that: provide opportunities for knowledge growth, create the space for career development, or promote a supportive and nurturing working environment that retains staff. We are interested in hearing about your organisation's approach to workforce development, the tangible outcomes achieved, and how it is making a positive impact on the lives of both staff and the people they support.

The Demonstrating Impact Award

This award recognises organisations that are able to clearly demonstrate their effectiveness, and their ability to learn from what works.  We are interested in hearing about how you measure the difference your service is making. We want to hear about your methodologies and tools used, as well as how the evidence is being used to shape the support you provide to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

The Excellent Support Award

This award celebrates the heart of homelessness delivery; those core support services that make a real difference in peoples’ lives. Whether it's through day provision, an accommodation service, an outreach team or specialist health care, we're interested in initiatives that can show tangible results in supporting individuals out of homelessness. We are seeking inclusive and accessible services that provide tailored support to meet individuals’ needs and aspirations. Share how your organisation's person focused approach is making a difference and helping to end or prevent someone from experiencing homelessness.

The Unlocking Housing Supply Award

Ensuring there is access to suitable, affordable accommodation is critical to preventing and resolving homelessness. But faced with a chronic housing shortage this can be extremely challenging. This award celebrates organisations that are creative in how they are increasing the supply of appropriate accommodation for individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness. We are interested in all accommodation models, including but not limited to, long-term move-on accommodation, “off the streets” accommodation options, specialist supported housing or Housing First provision. It may include how you have sourced alternative funding, formed an unusual partnership, acquired access to empty properties, developed community-led housing or any other initiative that has increased your access to affordable accommodation. We want to hear about how you have sourced and funded this accommodation, the model of accommodation provided and the outcomes you are achieving.

The Successful Partnerships Award

This award celebrates organisations within the homelessness sector that can demonstrate exceptional collaboration and partnership initiatives. It acknowledges partnerships that extend beyond traditional boundaries, whether they involve corporate collaborations, partnerships with other public sector entities such as probation or hospitals, or engagement in local strategic alliances. We're interested in hearing about the innovative ways your organisation has formed a partnership to address homelessness; the collaborative efforts undertaken, and the impactful outcomes achieved as a result. We invite you to share how this partnership has contributed to advancing your mission, improving service delivery, and is ultimately making a difference in the lives of those affected by homelessness.