Ongo staff member recognised at anti-social behaviour awards

An Ongo staff member has been shortlisted in the ‘Anti-social behaviour (ASB) Practitioner of the Year’ category, at this year’s Resolve ASB awards, for her commitment to making communities safer.

The annual awards shine a light on the outstanding contribution of tenants, housing officers, ASB practitioners and their partners, to tackling crime and making a difference across the UK.

Jo Sylvester began working at Ongo in 2012 and has since become a leader within her industry. Along with supporting tenants, she also shares vital skills and knowledge at regional events, hosting talks on cuckooing and county lines in particular.

Since the creation of the Cuckooing Project in April 2019, Jo has worked alongside local Police forces on 66 cases of Ongo tenants being cuckooed, with no signs of slowing down. She is also now Ongo’s safeguarding lead and will be settling into this role over the coming months.

This nomination means that Jo is in the top three nationally for her approach and passion towards helping those suffering from ASB and crime. She has been relentless in her quest to ensure partner agencies and communities w better together to understand and report this type of crime.

When asked about the award Jo commented: “I am so shocked to have been shortlisted. It’s a true honour and I cannot thank my team enough for putting me forward.

“Everyone I work with goes above and beyond their duty to make sure our communities are as safe as they can be. I feel like I’ve made a difference to people’s lives through my work, and that’s what it’s all about.

“Hopefully this nomination will highlight the successful work achieved so far and help other social housing organisations.”

Kevin Hornsby, Director of Communities at Ongo said: “Over the last couple of years Jo has been doing a huge amount of work to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour within our communities, with a focus on putting a stop to cuckooing and county lines.

“She has not only been a leader within our organisation but has also worked with partners to share her experiences and make sure each case is dealt with in the correct way. I have seen Jo run these sessions personally with real energy and passion.

“We are over the moon that Jo has been recognised for such a fantastic award, and we wish her the best of luck for the night.”

Winners will be announced at a Virtual awards ceremony on Friday 23 July, 2021 so fingers crossed for Jo, and also the Community Resolution Team as a whole, who are up for “Project of the year” at the same awards.

To find out more about the Resolve awards go to: www.resolveuk.org.uk/, and to find out more about Ongo and the support they offer, go to: www.ongo.co.uk.