Our Story
The Frontline Network story starts back in 2014.
When the Emergency Grants (VRF) transitioned to an online portal, we saw that frontline workers made up a significant proportion of those accessing the grant to support people experiencing homelessness, highlighting the depth and reach of people engaged in the homelessness sector.
We saw this as an opportunity to do more to support frontline staff, to create spaces which connect frontline workers from all corners of the UK and to represent the remarkable workforce engaged in supporting people experiencing homelessness.
In 2016, as an answer to these ideas, St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity set up the Frontline Network.
What we do
Our aim is to support frontline staff, to amplify their voices, share best practice and learning, and create an environment that recognises the pivotal role frontline staff play in supporting people experiencing homelessness.
In years since our founding in 2016, we have worked to:
- Set up Partner Networks across all 4 nations in the UK, connecting frontline workers from a wide range of sectors and settings, offer free training and networking events, worked to amplify frontline worker voices to local and national decision makers, and share learning and best practice.
- In 2018, launched the Annual Frontline Worker Survey, a survey of UK-based frontline workers which aims to capture how they are experiencing the current housing and homelessness context as well as their experience of workforce related issues.
- Established our training programmes to support staff access free or funded training opportunities, an initiative emerging directly from feedback we received in the 2019 Annual Frontline Worker Survey.
- Set up our Frontline Network Annual Conference, bringing together frontline workers, specialists, sector leaders and academics for a day of learning, solidarity and connection.
We look forward to continuing to grow the Frontline Network, building our community of frontline workers and to keep advocating for the UK’s frontline workforce.
Find out more about how we work.
If you would like to get in touch, please contact frontline@stmartinscharity.org.uk
