Category: Events

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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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.

Webinar launches Scotland’s new national Housing First ‘Check Up’

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An online event for local authorities and partners on Thursday 25 November will set out plans for a new ‘Check Up’ process that will support the rollout of Housing First in Scotland. Activity will be co-ordinated by a nationwide policy and practice network supported by a strategic partnership between Homeless Network Scotland and the Scottish Government.

Housing First provides ordinary, settled housing as a first response for people whose homelessness is made harder by experiences such as trauma, addiction and mental ill health.Scotland is the first part of the UK to move ahead with a national rollout, with local authorities at the spearhead of this transformation.

Branching Out, The National Framework for organisations and sectors starting up or scaling up Housing First in Scotland, has been updated ahead of the webinar to reflect the latest research and data.

Maggie Brünjes, Chief Executive of Homeless Network Scotland, said:

“The Scottish Government has committed to scale up Housing First and all councils in Scotland have local plans on how Housing First will be implemented in their area.

“However, there’s doing something and there’s doing the right thing, at the right time and in the right place. We know that local authorities are naturally reflective and already committed to the Housing First approach. The new annual check-up process builds on this strong foundation with additional support and advice, safeguarding the elements that make Housing First work.”

Updates to the 100-page National Framework, endorsed by the Scottish Government, SFHA, CIH and Wheatley Group among others, link into the Prevention Review Group report, Shared Spaces research into shared and supported accommodation and the Housing First Interim Evaluation Report delivered by I-SPHERE at Heriot-Watt University. The Framework is a ‘how to and why’ guide to planning, commissioning and delivering the approach locally and nationally covering community justice, housing and social care issues as well as local and national government.

Growing evidence from across Scotland and the rest of the UK supports the delivery of Housing First for specific groups in addition to the wider group of people with the sharpest experiences of homelessness. For example, the Rock Trust and Almond Housing Association have tested Housing First for young people leaving care in West Lothian and their evaluation shows that:

  • All but one young person has continued to sustain their tenancy.
  • All young people described ways in which their relationship with their Housing First worker had led to positive changes in their life.
  • Some young people reported improvements in mental health and satisfaction with life, healthy eating and exercise, and some reported fewer problems as a result of substance misuse.

The Housing First Check Up webinar for Local Authorities and Partners takes place on Thursday 25 November 2021 from 10am to 12.00pm on the MS Teams platform. The event will be hosted by Sir Andrew Cubie and Marion Gibbs, Team Leader – Homelessness, with the Scottish Government. Book a place here.

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

Veterans Homelessness

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3 November 2021 | 10am – 11:30am

The pathway to prevent and end homelessness for people leaving the armed forces in Scotland

Presented in partnership with Veterans Scotland, this Homeless Network Scotland Member Event is an opportunity to input into the pathway to prevent and end homelessness for people leaving the armed forces in Scotland.

Kevin Gray, CEO of Veterans Housing Scotland and chair of the Veterans Scotland Housing Group and Dr Steve Rolfe, Lecturer in Social Policy at Stirling University, will present the draft report for the first time publicly. This will be followed by a Q&A when the team want to hear your experience of veterans’ homelessness and your views on what needs to be done to address the housing needs of former services personnel.

In 2020 The Scottish Government requested the support of the Veterans Housing Scotland to explore, investigate and recommend a pathway to end homelessness for people leaving service and former service personnel already established in civilian life. The remit and approach of the project includes:

The definitions of homelessness

Transition from service and the barriers to housing

Establishing the experience of other homelessness projects and their impact

Data sources and the availability of accurate information

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