National INSIGHT Awards 2023
Expert Citizens’ National INSIGHT Awards was created to celebrate examples of positive or/and outstanding practice that tackle social disadvantages where ever we may find them. We have identified five key characteristics; Welcoming; Listening; Learning; Leading and Volunteering; that we believe to be fundamental when delivering, managing, planning and commissioning services. Whilst these are relevant to everyone accessing services, it’s our view that a conscious effort is needed by people and services to apply these principles in the context of people experiencing social disadvantage in all is forms. These characteristics are intended to apply from the frontline to the board room. As such, people can be nominated from any level of an organisation, or as an independent practitioner or professional, or an organisation itself can be nominated.
What makes the National INSIGHT Awards unique is that they are judged and delivered by people with lived experiences of the systems and services we believe need to change.
What an incredible day!
The National INSIGHT Awards 2023 were held on 8th November at the Catalyst Building at Staffordshire University.
Thank you to everyone who attended and congratulations to all our winners and finalists listed below.
First, second and third place in each category received prizes in the form of a grant to promote their work!
Nominee Categories
Welcoming
The nominee welcomes people with unconditional positive regard, ensuring a warm and safe environment with a focus on their own individual needs and consideration of their historical context.
Winner
Richard Maxwell – Ten Count Boxing Gym CIC
Finalist
Helen Tatum & Janice Drew – Salford Loaves & Fishes
Finalist
Suman Khan – Children and Young People’s Service, Coventry & Warwickshire
Listening
The nominee actively listens to those who they welcome into their service; they listen to identify individual needs as well as assets and coproduce a method of support that works well for the individual.
Winner
Mike Hyden & Shannon Johnstone – Homelessness Best Practice CIC
Finalist
Cath Ralph – British Ceramics Biennial / Associate Artist
Louise Worrall – CO-Founder, CEO & Senior Manager, Recast Project
Finalist
Wesley Erpen – One Million Mentors & Fixers UK
Learning
The nominee welcomes opportunities to learn from people experiencing social disadvantage and makes changes in the way they work as a result of actively seeking to learn what works well. They make improvements in areas in which things don’t work so well.
Winner
Deana Elizabeth Korwin Kochanowski
Whispers of Hope
Finalist
Nadine Williams
The New Leaf Initiative CIC
Finalist
Kate Walsh – South Yorkshire Housing Association
Leading
The nominee has tried new ways of working and can evidence what works well in supporting people experiencing social disadvantage: they share their positive and best practice with colleagues, organisations and services to enable others to better welcome, listen and learn from lived experience.
Winner
Maggie Gordon-Walker – Mothers Uncovered
Finalist
Peninsula Dental Practice – Social Enterprise CIC
Finalist
Sam Starsmore – YGAM
Volunteering
The nominee could be anyone from a person providing general support in their community, to someone volunteering specific expertise, to a member of a board of trustees. We encourage you to consider individuals who demonstrate compassion, dedication, collaboration, innovation, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to ongoing learning and development.
Winner
StreetVet Team
Finalist
Mark Fairhurst, Karen Hayes, Christopher Kendrick & Victoria Aspinall – Greenslate Farm
Finalist
Karen Howell Ball – In2Change