Author: lsen

Respected Colleague Peter Anderson retires

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Peter Anderson is Training Lead at Homeless Network Scotland, and a well know figure in the sector for his work on addiction, Psychologically Informed Environments (PIE) and for delivering top quality training throughout Scotland. Peter retires in December after more than 30 years working in homelessness and related fields. We wish Peter lots of happiness in his retirement and a huge thanks for his work with Homeless Network Scotland.

Below are Peter’s thoughts on how we can all ensure our work is making a difference.

Working for Homeless Network Scotland I was often asked, “We all know the work you do, but what defines you?” As this is an agile, responsive organisation, our work wide reaching and influencing to help end homelessness in Scotland, it can be a challenge to pin that down. Travelling to work on the bus I was reflecting on our role as an assay of knowledge, research and solutions to homelessness when, from the small circle I had cleared in the steamed-up bus window, I saw a poster for a new exhibition in the National Museum of Scotland.

The Galloway Hoard comprises around 100 gold and silver objects from the Viking Age discovered in 2014. Found by a metal detectorist it has been described as, ‘one of the most significant Viking hoards ever found in Scotland’. When excavated it was found to be a varied collection of jewellery from the Viking world, Anglo-Saxon England and elsewhere in Europe dating to the mid-9th or -10th-Century.

The hoard consists of a variety of gold and silver objects including armbands, a Christian cross, brooches, ingots and what is possibly the largest silver Carolingian pot ever discovered. Of course a visit was planned. Among the wonderful exhibits the guides stopped alongside was a large gold decorated pendant, within this frame nested a strange, perfectly shaped piece of black schist. The guides explained schist is common and would not be accorded the status of a gemstone save for its function as a “Touchstone”.

The guide explained the meaning, which was confirmed when a clasp on the pendant released the schist and subsequent analysis of the stone showed traces of gold and other precious metals, a touchstone therefore was used to assay precious metal – gold being malleable leaves a streak on the schist and the greater the streak the purer the gold.

Later online I gazed at the touchstone, not just at its beauty but the ingenuity of our ancestors. What is the equivalent of Touchstones in what we do, whether policy driven or front-line? How do we assay whether our work is 24 Carat or base metal? Too often we see reports on what people have done, how they do it and why, but often no mention of the impact; what has changed as a result?

Applying virtual touchstones to our work at Homeless Network Scotland has helped identify what works and what matters, while measuring the quality of the outcomes for people. We produce regular Impact reports capturing activity and outcomes and everyone can introduce Touchstones into their work triggered by changes in performance, complaints, a ceiling on evictions for example leading to quick assessments and effective action.

Touchstones at higher levels, front line, long term, and short-term can assay and illuminate our work and help us keep on a true north. Lessons from a visit back in time 1000 years, and an exhibition we should all see to help put recent events into perspective.

Right to Addiction Recovery Bill Consultation

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The Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill was written by activists and was published as a member’s bill by the Scottish Conservatives.

A consultation was launched in October 2021 on a proposal for a Bill and closes in January 2022. The Bill aims to give people a right in law to access a range of different options for treatment and services. In 2020, National Records Scotland reported that drug deaths in Scotland were the highest in Europe and on record. 1,339 people died following drug use in 2020. And just this week, the NRS reported an increase in deaths while people are homeless and in temporary accommodation in Scotland. 256 people had their death recorded while homeless during 2020 – the majority (59%) were preventable drug-related deaths.Join us for a briefing on the scope and intention of the Bill from those involved in its development, on the parliamentary process a bill goes through before it becomes an Act – and discuss what difference the Bill would make, and any amendments it might need to achieve that. Speakers include from the Drugs Policy Unit at Scottish Government and Stephen Wishart, advisor and activist and co-author of the Bill. This is an event for Homeless Network Scotland members. We look forward to seeing you then.

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Glasgow meets all international homeless targets

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At our annual conference in 2018 Baroness Casey of Blackstock (at that time Dame Louise Casey) announced that Glasgow would take a leading role in a new global programme to end street homelessness by 2030. The ‘A Place to Call Home’ initiative is led by the Institute of Global Homelessness (IGH) based in Chicago, which Baroness Casey chairs.

Eventually drawing in 150 global cities, the starting point was pioneering work undertaken by a small group of 12 Vanguard Cities working to achieve specific targets by 2020. Glasgow was part of that group with a target to reduce by 75 per cent the number of people sleeping rough every week in the city centre and cut by 50 per cent those sleeping rough across Glasgow each year.

Along with Sydney in Australia, Glasgow has fully met its targets. The COVID-19 pandemic had varying effects on the Vanguard Cities and in several areas the pandemic presented an opportunity to point significant resources towards effectively ending and preventing homelessness in the short-term through the use of hotel rooms, eviction moratoria and enhanced financial support. In Scotland, both Glasgow and Edinburgh used the opportunity to end the use of communal shelters altogether.

Among the success factors identified by the IGH is Housing First and the wraparound support that accompanies it. Other significant positives include rapid access to settled housing and, where that is not available immediately, a decent emergency accommodation offer. Assertive street outreach services were also important along with access to mental health support.

More information at the Institute for Global Homelessness here.

Fair Way Scotland

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Roundtable for Funders, Grant Makers & Commissioners

9 December 2021 | 12.30 – 2.00pm | MS Teams
Chaired by Dr Jim McCormick, Chief Executive of The Robertson Trust

An important lunch-time session to take-stock of recent policy and mood changes that will impact on how people seek sanctuary in the UK. Along with the new need to prevent destitution among many thousands of EU nationals with no settled status following Brexit. A crisis is unfolding, but collaborative urgency and action can head off the worst impacts.

Attend this session for:

  • A briefing on recent Immigration Policy developments from the UK-Government and their anticipated impact on people.
  • A discussion on how the devolved nations are working to create a fairer way forward.
  • An update on Fair Way Scotland, an exploratory action learning programme to design-out destitution and protect human rights.

Please email hello@homelessnetwork.scot to book a place.

What will it take to scale up Housing First in Scotland?

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You are warmly invited to an interactive briefing and webinar for local authority leads and partners involved in starting up or scaling up Housing First. The event will be chaired by Sir Andrew Cubie and Marion Gibbs.

Scottish Government and Homeless Network Scotland have developed a package of support with tools to help all councils, commissioners and providers of housing and support to scale up Housing First.

Navigate a new framework to guide this, a method to assure Housing First is delivered according to the principles, a tool to monitor progress – plus hear more about a package of bespoke training and support for local partners to swap notes and share experiences.

We look forward to seeing you then. Register your place here