26th Impact Report 2020/21

On behalf of our fellow trustees, it’s a pleasure to present Positive Action in Housing’s 26th Impact Report.

The external context of our work continues to be extremely challenging, with profound implications for our beneficiaries. COVID-19 worsened the already precarious situation of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. Existing inequalities have left ethnic minorities, refugees, older persons, and women disproportionately negatively affected by the pandemic.

This year’s report illustrates the huge positive differences the charity made to the lives of our beneficiaries and, in doing so, the benefits of our profoundly human- centred ethos. See our infographic “The Year in Numbers” on pages 8 and 9.

We all know the appalling scale of the global refugee crisis, and the corresponding rise in xenophobia and racism. It is therefore critical that we all step up our efforts to support those who have lost everything, or who are newly arrived, by welcoming refugees and migrants and standing up for one other. To those who already support our work, it is your kind donations - and time - that has allowed us to carry out life-changing work. Because of you, we have substantially increased the numbers of people we can support. This includes new refugee families needing support to find permanent accommodation, get a bank account, register with a GP, and find work; immigrant families with no recourse to funds who are facing eviction because of their legal status; asylum seeking men, women and young people living in a state of near destitution and struggling with their mental health. And it also includes those who are shielding or living with long Covid symptoms while trying to deal with paperwork through digital advice.

Sincere thanks go to our members (Scottish based Registered Social Landlords), trade unions, Universities, local councils, and diverse nonprofits) who have stayed with us and supported us as well as benefitting from our expertise. Thanks also go to the many charitable trusts/foundations, the Scottish Government and many hundreds of individual donors, volunteers, and supporters who stepped forward to help us go that extra mile.

I would like to thank my fellow trustees for their support, resilience and wisdom, our Chief Executive, Robina Qureshi and her team of staff and volunteers for working so hard in what has been the most challenging year yet.

Leadership in 2020 came not from power, privilege, or profiteers. It came from the countless people marching to demand change. We saw an outpouring of support for Black Lives Matter and peaceful protests in support of refugees and immigrants. We must all learn from the pandemic and commit to building a world grounded in equality, human rights, and humanity.

We look forward to the challenges of the year ahead with strength, determination and always a positive outlook!

Rani Dhanda
Chair

Download the report