GEMS shine with national award on homeless prevention
Two graduate colleagues from social landlord emh have been honoured with a national award for their work to tackle homelessness.
Damon Haywood and Zainab Issa were awarded with the prestigious David Tovey Award for their Independent Futures project - a six-week intensive support package they’ve devised to help those with experience of street homeless manage their new homes.
The pair, both recent graduates, joined emh a year ago, as part of the 21,000-home social landlord’s work to attract new talent into the sector through the GEM Programme. As part of their work, Damon – who, prior to joining emh, graduated with a Bachelor of Law (Honours), achieving First Class honours, from the University of Derby, and Zainab, who prior to joining emh studied BSc Psychology at the University of Leicester, – were tasked with creating a project to create a dent in homelessness.
The result is Independent Futures, a new project being embedded at emh which sees customers develop vital life and tenancy skills including budgeting, money management, cooking, understanding housing options, communicating with landlords, navigating support services, and preparing for employment through CVs and interview skills - all delivered in a way that empowers people to thrive independently.
The David Tovey Award celebrates projects that demonstrate outstanding commitment, creativity and tangible impact. Independent Futures was recognised for its focus on preventing homelessness by helping people build the confidence and practical skills needed for sustainable, independent living.
The GEM Programme is a highly regarded Graduate and Talent Programme delivered nationally. Emh extends it across two years, combining meaningful workplace experience with structured learning, mentoring and professional development, including earning a Chartered Institute of Housing qualification. Participants gain broad exposure to housing services and business functions while contributing directly to organisational priorities, with experiential learning events called GEMshacks designed to promote leadership and real-world problem-solving. Each year emh look to support three local graduates through the scheme.
Commenting on the achievement, Damon said:
“I’m incredibly proud that Independent Futures has been recognised with the David Tovey Award. The GEM Programme has given us the space, trust and support to turn ideas into something that can genuinely improve people’s lives. Working in social housing has shown me how powerful the sector can be in creating long-term change, and I’d absolutely encourage other graduates to consider a career where you can make a real difference every day.”
Zainab added:
“Winning the David Tovey Award is a proud milestone for us. It represents the impact of our work, our belief in empowering people to live independently, and our continued commitment to making a meaningful difference every day.”
The award is named after David Tovey, a formerly homeless artist and activist who champions lived-experience leadership. His role as Patron of the GEM Programme reflects its focus on innovation, inclusivity and sector leadership.
Charley Gibbons, chief executive of emh, said:
“We are incredibly proud of the work Damon and Zainab have achieved, and they deserve the recognition of the David Tovey Award to add to the praise and endorsement from their emh colleagues.
“Independent Futures is an inspiring project that will make a real difference to the lives of customers. It reflects the passion and dedication of our colleagues and captures what can be achieved when creativity and commitment to community come together, enabling people to believe in what’s possible.
“This achievement reflects emh’s commitment to investing in colleagues’ professional and personal development and attracting diverse talent so they can reach their full potential, deliver excellent services, and inspire others through the positive difference they make in the communities we serve.”