Thank you for showing an interest in our work. St Basils does really important work, which is focussed on ensuring that homelessness is not part of growing up for young people. We want young people to feel cared about, to have trusted support and somewhere safe, suitable and affordable to live that enables them to learn and work.

Our environment is often challenging and our margins are tiny. We are a registered provider, a company limited by guarantee and a charity. Unlike many registered providers, we do rely on charitable income to achieve our outcomes. Partnerships and relationships are critical to us at all levels, locally, regionally and nationally. We are a Psychologically Informed Environment and invest in developing the strengths and skills of our team and young people. Our model combines good quality accommodation and progression support including assistance with employability. Underpinning all of our work is the engagement and perspective of young people at every level, including full Board Membership.

Our Board is critical to provide the oversight and governance to keep us mission focussed and financially viable. We believe it is important to reflect the communities we serve at all levels within St Basils, including our Board. In addition to the specific knowledge base, we need Board members who believe in our work, who are courageous, committed, and understand good governance.

The Senior Leadership Team led by Jean Templeton, Chief Executive is responsible for providing strategic leadership to the organisation.

Senior management are mandated to lead with clarity of purpose about the business we are in, and prioritise the delivery of services that meet our 7 strategic priorities. Our approach is one of ‘Strategic Doing’.

St Basils is governed by a Voluntary Board of Non-Executive Directors and supported by two committees:

• Business Support and Audit
• Service Delivery and Development

In addition, we have a Fundraising Network of supporters

As a registered provider of social housing, St Basils is required (in accordance with the Regulator of Social Housing’s Regulatory Framework) to adopt and comply with an appropriate Code of Governance. St Basils has adopted the sector specific NHF Code of Governance 2015. An annual statement of compliance in respect of the Governance Code is published in the Annual Report and Financial Statements.

St Basils is a registered charity, all Board Members are also Trustees. We are also a Company Ltd by guarantee.

Our aim is to improve and strengthen governance by ensuring that our Board has adequate representation in terms of skills balance, diversity and stakeholders including the two Youth Voice members and recruiting in an open and transparent manner.

We adopt a co-regulatory approach to governance by establishing a strong working relationship between Board members and service users and developing our governance arrangements with them. We have an Active Governance Programme where Board members visit services and a Policy to Practice internal assurance programme carried out by Senior Managers.

St Basils works with young people aged 16-25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, the largest organisation working exclusively in the West Midlands helping some 4000+ young people each year across the region with specific services in Birmingham, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, the Wyre Forest and Coventry.

Every year some 1800 young people are housed in our 40 supported accommodation schemes, which for some young people includes their young children as well. We have a range of prevention, accommodation and support services to help young people regain the stability they need to rebuild their lives, gain skills, training and employment and move on. The aim is to help them successfully break the 'cycle of homelessness' so that they can go on to experience a bright, fulfilling future and never return to a state where they are at risk of homelessness again.

St Basils also works with young people and partners on a national basis (funded separately). We facilitate the National Youth Voice and National Youth Homeless Parliament, we are part of the national End Youth Homelessness Alliance and we are working to roll out our 'Positive Pathway' Framework nationwide.

"You often hear the phrase that Birmingham is Britain's second city but in my view, we should be proud of the fact you are Britain's first city when it comes to caring for vulnerable homeless young people."
"No-one else is doing it as well as St Basils."

HRH The Duke of Cambridge