Our Annual Reports are produced to provide information to members and other stakeholders about financial and service delivery activities of the organisation.
Yet another year of my long involvement with North West Youth Accommodation Service has passed and NWYAS continues its growth and development as a valuable community resource.
The organisation proudly continues to assist young people who need housing to make the transition to independent living by providing them with the necessary support and skill development opportunities.
The strategic plan, which was a major part of our work last year, continues to inform our direction and provide a solid focus for service delivery.
As stated last year, NWYAS is fortunate to draw its Management Committee from a broad community base, and the investment they make in the organisation is significant. I would like to thank my fellow Committee members for their continued commitment to the organisation and for all that they contribute, despite their own busy lives.
The staff team, as the drivers of the daily work of the organisation, continue to give life to the purpose and mission of the organsiation. Their dedication and passion for the work is constant and NWYAS has been very lucky this last year to have a solid and stable staff team.
Stark changes to the landscape in which we operate, with the decrease in the size of the community services sector, will likely place pressure on the limited resources of the agency, as a small, independent specialist homelessness service. However, NWYAS will remain focused on its work with young people, regardless of the changing service environment.
My attendance at the recent National Homeless Conference has underlined that NWYAS has the necessary organisational values and that we have the right balance between our client’s rights and their responsibility to contribute to their wellbeing.
Specialist Homelessness Services are extremely cost effective. Decreases in their funding, as well as in the size of Community Services sector, for short term budget savings will provide for a more difficult landscape for NWYAS. Our collaboration with other agencies has been vital to our success rates in transitioning young people to independent living.
Jim Fouras
CHAIRPERSON
