About us Awards & Accreditations When walking into Advocacy Focus HQ, you can't miss our accolades - proudly displayed for all to see. We are very proud of the team behind the scenes who make everything possible and can't thank them enough for their hard work, dedication and commitment. All of our awards are dedicated to our super employees, senior management team, trustees and volunteers who make the work we do so worthwhile. Below are just some of the titles we've earned over the years... Awards Nominated for a Beacon Award at this year’s Hyndburn Business Awards. Winners of Not-for-profit Business Award and In-house Training Award and finalists for Employer of the Year Award at the Red Rose Awards 2019 Shortlisted as a finalist in the Champion of Women Award (our CEO, Justine Hodgkinson) of the British Ex-Forces in Business Awards 2019 Shortlisted for a Leadership Award (Leanne Hignett)at this year’s Third Sector Care Awards Winner of Outstanding Advocate (Nerj Syla) at the National Advocacy Awards 2018 Shortlisted for Outstanding Service (Care Act Advocacy), Best Co-Production, Equality & Diversity and Outstanding Advocate (Nerj Syla) at the National Advocacy Awards 2018 Winner of Charity Director of the Year (John Hutchison, Operations Director) at the North West Charity Awards 2018 and Highly Commended for Volunteer Team of the Year Shortlisted for Charity of the Year, Charity Director of the Year, Volunteer Team of the Year and Best Social Media and Digital at the North-West Charity Awards 2018 Winners of Apprenticeship Award and shortlisted for Non-Profit Award at the Hyndburn Awards 2018 Winners of Skills, Education and Training Award and shortlisted for Charity of the Year, Employer of the Year at the E3 Business Awards 2018 Winners of Excellence in Engagement (Justine Hodgkinson, CEO) at the North-West Employee Engagement Awards 2018 Finalists in the categories of Employer of the Year and Third Sector Business of the year at the BIBA's, Lancashire’s largest and longest running business awards programme, from the North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce Shortlisted for Volunteer of the Year at the Selnet Enterprise in Society Awards 2018 Highly Commended status for Volunteer Manager of the Year at the 2017 North West Charity Awards Shortlisted for Charity of the Year and Volunteer Manager of the Year at the 2017 North West Charity Awards Winners of the 2017 Selnet Enterprise in Society Award for Excellence in Training and Mentoring Finalists at the 2017 Hyndburn Business Awards in the category of Large Business of the Year Winners of the Outstanding Service category at the 2016 National Advocacy Awards, with Highly Commended recognition for Leanne Barber in the Outstanding Advocate category Winners of the 2014 Selnet Enterprise in Society Award for Most Effective Partnership Highly Commended status recognition in the 2011 National Charity Awards for our partnership work in IMCA Accreditations Investors in People Accredited since 2004 Investors in People... since 2004 The widely coveted Investors in People Award shows the world how well we are committed to the leading, supporting and improving of our people. We believe in the personal and professional development of our people, and are extremely happy that Investors in People have seen the commitment to our team with accreditation until 2021. 2017 Quality Performance Mark (QPM) in Advocacy Advocacy Focus has held the highly acclaimed QPM accreditation since 2009, and our most recent glowing review and assessment will see us retain this accreditation until 2019 in the first instance. The QPM accreditation allows Advocacy Focus to demonstrate and prove how effectively and efficiently we are meeting and exceeding the different standards of the nationally recognised Advocacy Charter. 2012 Registered Charity Status Receiving such status allowed Advocacy Focus as an organisation in its own right to compete at the highest level for awareness, support and funds in order to support the very people in our locality who need us the most. 2009 National Advocacy Standards Award Advocacy Focus were proud to be only the fifth organisation in the country to have ever been awarded this accreditation at this time... testament to our pioneering work in our industry!