As we approach the celebration of our 20TH anniversary, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who’s been part of this extraordinary journey – our friends, colleagues, peers, donors, MPs, and supporters. This is a milestone for all of us, and our 20th anniversary wouldn’t be complete without celebrating the people who have made the Centre for Social Justice what it is today.
Twenty years ago, we set out to change lives, to connect the back streets of Britain with the corridors of power, and to take real stories from the frontline into the heart of government. The CSJ has always been about listening to those who not only know the problems best, but also how to solve them. It is listening to them that has enabled us to reshape welfare through Universal Credit, to create the Modern Slavery Act, to produce Project Adder addiction program. And 20 years on, our belief could not be stronger that the solutions to our society’s toughest challenges don’t always come from the top, but from those on the frontlines.
Today, we’ll be ofcourse reflecting on some of those huge achievement’s we’ve made with our charities – the big-ticket reforms as just mentioned – But just as important are the countless, quieter victories. The times we’ve fought to get an emergency Covid fund for small charities, or to push the government to pilot new solutions, like the Housing First model, helping those at risk of homelessness.
As we gather together, we’ll also be looking ahead to the next 20 years. We’ve got big challenges on the horizon – 165,000 children severely absent from school, a nationwide inactivity crisis, and too many people locked out of the job market. But with the same passion and commitment that’s driven us this far, I know we can continue to shape the future. We’re working on bold ideas to tackle these problems head-on – using sport as a tool to re-engage our young people, the use of technology for innovation in criminal justice, and driving Westminster to empower the regions to go and deliver.
So, here’s to all of you – to a night of celebration, inspiration, and gearing up for the challenges ahead. Let’s reflect on how far we’ve come and set our sights on how far we’re going to go.
Thank you for walking this road with us – together, we’ll keep shaking up the system and driving the changes that those who rely on us need.
