B&H Frontline Network Learning Lunches
In November 2023, the Brighton and Hove Frontline Network in partnership with Justlife and funded by St Martin’s in the Field hosted their first ‘Learning Lunch’ event at the newly established Justlife Hub. The idea was for local homeless frontline workers to connect and learn together over lunch in a small informal setting. Since then, we have hosted a total of 10 events and a total of over 70 attendees.
In the 2024 Frontline Network annual survey, 64% of frontline workers reported they feel their role has a negative impact on their wellbeing and 51% said they always or often feel at risk of burnout(1). One goal of these events is to provide a space for workers to take a bit of time out of their day to share lunch and connect in a nice setting. Importantly, the spaces are trauma and psychologically informed and comfortable; each session starts with a short check-in and a reminder of our co-produced group agreement.
The events are for ‘workers by workers’; where each month a new specialist service presents their work and shares knowledge and expertise to support good practice across the sector. This ensures the subjects are relevant and useful.
Given the daily pressures of frontline work, there is often little capacity left to learn about all the amazing services that exist in the city and for connection. These events aim to bridge this gap, and build community and collaboration in the local sector.
Frontline workers hold so much knowledge, expertise, and skills; in bringing people together, these can be shared and can improve good practice across the city providing people experiencing homelessness with excellent support.
We are grateful to have had presentations so far from 8 services, they are:
Southdown Transition and Resettlement Service: supports people to transition and successfully settle into independent accommodation.
BHT accommodation for work: Supported accommodation for people who are ready to engage with work
Justlife Health Engagement: Supporting people with health needs in TA
Clocktower Sanctuary: Day Centre for young people experiencing homelessness
Voices in Exile: supporting refugees, asylum seekers and those with no recourse to public funds
Sussex Pathways: A criminal justice charity
Feedback from these events have been very positive:
“Relaxed, informative, good for networking.”
“Informative, nice environment, good range of presentations from different services.”
“Nice opportunity to learn in a relaxed way.”
“Informative in a relaxed atmosphere. Lovely lunch too”
Thank you to all who have presented and attended a Brighton and Hove Frontline Network so far! We hope that these small informal spaces continue to serve the needs of the community and the local homelessness sector.
The next learning lunch will be on 20th September at midday at the Justlife Hub where the St Mungo’s employment support service will be presenting. Do get in touch if you wish to signup.