Homeless Link announces winners of inspirational community awards

Homeless residents from York Arc Light challenge stereotypes on You Tube...

York Arc Light service user group Arc Light feat. Decibel have won the prestigious 2009 Michael Whippman Award for their rap video entry, Life on the Streets (ain’t easy). The video, a snappy and infectious entry created entirely by Arc Light residents in memory of an iconic York character and friend who died this year, won the hearts of voting delegates at the Homeless Link annual conference in Warwick this week.

The Michael Whippman Award, run by Homeless Link, focuses on the contributions of people who are homeless. It was set up to challenge stereotypes about who is homeless and to demonstrate what is possible if individuals are given the right opportunity. This year the focus was on activities that promoted inclusion, collaboration and expression through the use of multi media.

York Arc Light’s project was promoted as an opportunity for residents to see themselves on You Tube while demystifying the use of digital technology through film and music. At the end of the 6 month project, residents had gained a working knowledge of digital film making equipment and an understanding of computers in relation to the shooting and editing of film and music production. You can see the short video on You Tube.

Sean, one of the service users involved in the film, had this to say, "Being told we had won, going on stage and collecting the prize was a fantastic, new and surreal experience for me. The project has been great and I’m so happy I have been involved. I glad that we are using the prize money to give something back to Arc Light and also to make the project go on for longer."

Fellow service user, Brian, also starring in the film, commented, "I’m speechless at winning. Arc Light has been electric since we won. We feel special to have won the prize and it is important to all of us that we won. I hope that more people can be a part of the project in the future and feel special too."

Jeremy Jones, Chief Executive of York Arc Light, said, "This project has been fantastically successful in engaging our now ‘award-winning’ service users! They are inspired to create more and involve more of their peers. We’ll be back next year."

The winning team has decided to split the prize money between buying a table tennis table for their peers following consultation with them and some digital cameras. They are also looking at a digital photography project which can involves everyone at Arc Light!

Jenny Edwards, Chief Executive of Homeless Link was involved in the short listing for the award. She said, “I’ve been blown away by the high quality of the entries for this year’s Michael Whippman award. This great creative showcase has brought to light a wealth of hidden talent.”

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

About the Michael Whippman Award
The Michael Whippman Award is an award scheme with a difference, it focuses on the contributions of homeless people themselves – aiming to challenge stereotypes about homeless people and to show staff and other homeless people that anything is possible. When Homeless Link launched the Award they aimed to uncover inspiring examples of how service users were helping change and improve homelessness services.

The runners up of the 2009 Michael Whippman Award

• Anchor House Service User Group - Home and Hope Group: This project aims to improve the referral process for new residents. After discussions with the current residents, Anchor House agreed for them to produce a video showing what Anchor House is all about and what its aims and objectives are. The residents participated in an Open College accredited course that involved the basics of video production and script development. The practical classes lasted 6 weeks and were well attended. The residents were very animated as the production became a reality. The final piece was felt to be a good reflection of Anchor House. The referral process and the views of the new residents will be monitored to see how they have assimilated into Anchor House, and how they felt the use of video, and the residents as mentors, has worked.
• Thames Reach Service user group: Digital Storytelling: Digital Storytelling is a project run by Thames Reach in partnership with the London Transport Museum. It is an exciting new art form that combines one of the oldest skills – the art of storytelling – with the use of new technology. Participants create a short film about something that is important to them, by learning how to combine words, sound and images.This project helped the service users develop new skills and build their confidence. Everyone involved has moved on to some form of employment, training or education. Thames Reach’s vision is that the service users who have participated so far will help set up a storytelling group, which will eventually become entirely service user led. You can view the film at Homeless Link's YouTube channel.

About Michael Whippman
Michael Whippman CBE PhD joined the board of Homeless Network In 1998 and in the following year became the Chairman, a post he held until his death in 2001. He was passionately interested in the causes of homelessness amongst single people and how that cycle might be broken. The Directors of Homeless Network, now Homeless Link, endowed a small fund so that the Michael Whippman Prize can be awarded to enable and encourage innovative thinking or work in the area of homelessness. The first winners of this prize in 2006 were the residents of Anchor House in east London, with Shaidy Characters from Derwentside among the runners up.

About the selection process
Nominations were accepted from homelessness service users and staff or managers at homelessness services. We received 13 nominations. The nominations were short listed by a panel of judges including: Jenny Edwards (Homeless Link), David Stocks (Founding Partner of SAS design agency), Caroline Diehl (CEO of the Media Trust), Alison Clark-Jenkins (Arts Council), Helena Ball (Digital Communications at the Homes and Communities Agency) and John Gordon Smith (FIRM). Six entries were shortlisted and shown at the Homeless Link annual conference on 7 July 2009. Delegates at the conference voted for their favourite entry.

About Homeless Link
Homeless Link is the national membership organisation for frontline homelessness agencies in England and Wales. Our mission is to be a catalyst that will help to bring an end to homelessness. Our two goals are to: raise standards in the services that support homeless people and tackle homelessness o influence the development of policy, strategy and investment at all levels of government. Homeless Link’s member organisations provide services through: hostel, day centres, outreach and resettlement agencies, housing advice centres, youth projects, health projects, welfare rights groups, regional and sub-regional homelessness networks, refuges, drug and alcohol services and church groups.