Read our latest annual report, providing a snapshot of our work with 2,896 people during 2018-19.
An introduction from QSA Director Judith Moran.
The work of QSA has three aspects to it; which are easy to explain but can be hard to achieve.
We despair at the inequalities in our society and QSA, in its own small way, tackles these through practical projects. We’re proud that 2,896 people this year benefitted from our work. To do this well isn’t easy, requiring us to have a restless energy and curiosity. What is changing in the world around us? How is that affecting the people we support? What can we do better? How can we reach more people and provide what they need? We need to stand still long enough to learn and move forward quickly enough to respond to needs and opportunities. We need to have confidence that what we’re offering is of high quality and humility to learn from it if it’s not.
We are determined to share our learning to benefit others. What can we offer as training to peers in the sector to learn from? What issues do we have credibility on that we can – indeed should – speak out about? As a small charity, trying to get our voice heard isn’t easy, but feels an important task. We should speak truth to power where we believe our distinctive perspective – on financial wellbeing, young adult carers and funeral poverty in particular – means we have something important to say.
In all we do, we work as collaboratively as possible with others. This can be challenging given that strong partnerships need working at, as all thriving relationships do, to ensure clarity, communication and commitment all round. But by doing this we have an impact greater than the sum of our parts and we demonstrate the strength of organisations with aligned values pulling together towards social justice. Our effect is amplified.
I wish our work wasn’t needed. But it is, and we’re proud of what we’ve contributed towards building a more equal and just society.
Judith Moran, QSA Director