The shortlisted projects in this awards category are:

Joanna, Leeds
Joanna is a Leeds based cross denominational Christian outreach and support ministry working with vulnerable women at risk of, or involved in prostitution. They aim to empower those exploited by prostitution to exit and sustain a new life. Through advocacy and support, they assist individuals to make informed choices, engage with support services and regain physical stability. Joanna’s outreach teams befriend those on the streets, offer one to one key working and care plan co-ordination to those wishing to exit. Joanna measures its effectiveness through a combination of qualitative and quantitative outcomes focused analysis and share resources and good practice with agencies around the UK through the National Christian Alliance on Prostitution (NCAP) of which it is a member.

Lark in the Park, Sidcup
Lark in the Park is a free 16 day community festival organised and run by local churches in Sidcup, London. In 2008 over 11 000 people took part in activities and various courses run by around 350 volunteers. The main aim of the event is to provide the community with a practical and tangible expression of God's love and bring together local people from all walks of life. They are passionate about meeting the needs of their local community and wherever possible work with local stakeholders and organisations to join up services, add value to each other's work and learn from each other. They work closely with other organisations to create better services which are more accessible to the marginalised and excluded within the community.

Oasis Caring in Action, Belfast
Oasis Caring in Action Ltd is based in East Belfast, providing a range of social outreach programmes to an area of high deprivation, which has suffered from sectarianism and conflict as well as family and community breakdown. By offering support, training and resources, their vision is to see people empowered within their personal, family and community lives. They run various training courses; help people back into work after long-term unemployment; offer befriending support to those with minor mental health issues; work with families to provide affordable childcare, run a summer scheme and cross community youth work and run two coffee shops and a social housing project as social enterprises.

Together for Peace, Leeds
Together for Peace (T4P) is a pioneering initiative in Leeds which partners with communities, organisations and individuals across the city to catalyse and promote creative approaches to transforming conflict, tension and injustice. In a city which was home to three of the 7/7 bombers and has an elected BNP councilor, the project aims through diverse initiatives and programmes to help people communicate and act 'across difference' to create a more cohesive and socially just city. T4P focus on communities with high levels of conflict to identify and develop people within the communities who can be social change agents. They work closely with private, public and third sector organisations, schools, the local authority, police and faith communities (particularly the Muslim community to help identify 'at risk' areas) as they work to transform people's prejudice, fear, and intolerance.

The Lighthouse, Scunthorpe
The Lighthouse is a supported housing facility and life skills centre based in one of the most deprived areas of Scunthorpe. The building was converted to accommodate those whom the council class as 'hard to house' and currently runs at 97.5% capacity. The project has also converted an adjacent garage block into a life skills centre which in partnership with other agencies, offer counselling, marriage and debt advice, drug and alcohol support and family health clinics to clients and community. They aim to include and support those individuals who have fallen `below the radar` or are in danger of doing so.