A homelessness charity that engages volunteers to help people successfully make the transition from homelessness to independent living, has won the Effectiveness Award at the 2011 Charity Awards.

Bethany Christian Trust, based in Edinburgh, sought to address the issue of repeat admissions to its hostel accommodation as individuals returned after failing to sustain their new tenancy. Feedback from service users and other homelessness service providers in Edinburgh highlighted a gap in service provision and the need for a new approach in helping people successfully make the transition from homelessness to independent living.
 
Bethany’s ‘Passing the Baton’ project trains volunteers to help individuals build their own social networks, and supports them to settle into their new homes and integrate into their local community.

Bethany has worked with 83 service users to date, with each person receiving support for approximately one year. It has a 98 per cent resettlement success rate compared with a national rate of between 66 and 75 per cent.  

Research suggests that the true cost of a failed tenancy can be anywhere between £22,000 and £40,000, meaning that Passing the Baton has so far saved Scottish local authorities at least £700,000. This demonstrates the long-term impact of training and engaging local people to be part of the solution to prevent resettlement breakdown.

Seven former Passing the Baton service users have since been trained to become Passing the Baton volunteers, reflecting a change in their self-belief that they can make a difference in the lives of others.

Susan Deacon, an honorary professor at the University of Edinburgh, says: “Bethany has shown how a distinct method of social support can bring real and lasting results.”

Each year, the Effectiveness Award is presented to a charity that may not have won its category but is felt by the judges to have been particularly effective at achieving its aims.