Taking place in person once again after two years online, the annual Housing First Conference on 31 March will hear that Housing First is ‘Here To Stay’ in Scotland, which is also the title of the one-day event at Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) – now open for bookings. 

The Scottish Government this week announced that more than 1000 Housing First tenancies have been created across the country’s local authorities. The conference will be an opportunity to explore what we now know – and need – for the long-haul, as well as consider some of the pressing questions as the policy continues to scale up across the country. 

With a welcome return to in person events, delegates are invited to reconnect at the EICC after the conference and join colleagues and speakers for a glass of wine or a soft drink and snacks. An informal opportunity to catch up or make new connections. 

Firmly established as national policy in 2018, by the conference 27 Scottish councils will have embedded Housing First locally, providing ordinary, settled housing as a first response to redress disadvantage and for people whose homelessness is made harder by experiences such as trauma, mental ill-health or addiction.  

This year’s event will explore the following themes. 

• From sprint to stamina: what is needed to reach the pace and scale of demand estimates for Housing First across Scotland? 
• How can people with most to gain be a bigger part of putting Housing First in Scotland?  
• How do we collectively ensure frontline workers feel supported, inspired and enabled? 
• How can health and social care step up to this challenge – as joint planners, commissioners and providers? 

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

“Here to Stay is a celebration of the many hundreds of people now building and living their lives in their own home as part of a community. And marking a successful end to the remarkable Pathfinder which achieved results in line with international best practice, despite challenges as a result of the pandemic. With these firm foundations, Here to Stay will also provide an honest exploration of the pace and scale of the challenge that still lies ahead.” 

The conference gets underway with A Well-Lit Path, focusing on learning and experiences at the end of Scotland’s Housing First Pathfinder that launched officially in April 2019. Hosted by Sir Andrew Cubie, Chair of Social Bite and former Chair of the Housing First Advisory Group, the session features a distinguished panel of experts who have been involved in the Pathfinder, including: Ewan Aitken, Chief Executive, Cyrenians; Professor Sarah Johnsen, ISPHERE at Heriot-Watt University; Nicky Miller, Head of Homelessness, Turning Point Scotland; Ruth Ogilvie, Head of Services, Aberdeen Cyrenians; Bryan Smith, Head of Operations, Transform Community Development, Dundee and Emma Thomson, Head of Care at Wheatley Care.  

The morning segment continues with Housing Ends Homelessness. For Housing First to scale up in line with demand estimates, the supply of and access to affordable housing is key. Hosted by Callum Chomczuk, National Director Chartered Institute of Housing Scotland, this session will explore what is needed for and from the housing sector. Panel members include: David Bookbinder, Director, Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations; Lorna Cameron, Chief Executive, Horizon Housing Association; Nicola McQuiston, Wheatley Group and other guests to be confirmed. 

Following a break for lunch, the afternoon session signals breakouts on topics such as New Deal for Tenants; Women and Housing First; Breaking the Cycle and Housing First Endings. One session, Housing First – The Help! will provide an expert overview of the new Housing First annual check-up process for local authorities and partners rolling out across the five Housing Options Hubs. 

The conference will be rounding off with a session on Home & Belonging from Heather Coady while Tyler Carey, Associate of Homeless Network Scotland, will be in conversation exploring what it is to be ‘trauma informed’, and how can Housing First lead and influence a culture of compassion. 

Book tickets on the Housing First Scotland website here and sponsorship / exhibitor packages are available to suit a range of budgets and requirements. Please email hello@homelessnetwork.scot to discuss or browse the right option for your organisation here. Follow on Twitter #HeretoStay 

Scottish Government & COSLA have published a joint consultation on new Prevention of Homelessness Duties. The background to the consultation includes:

• A recommendation to legislate from the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group in 2018, accepted by Scottish Ministers.
• Recommendations from the Prevention Review Group reporting 2021, convened by Crisis and chaired by Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick.
• The Prevention Commission, who influenced and scrutinised the Review Group’s work during 2020-21. Led by people with personal experience of homelessness and/or in frontline roles, the Commission was pivotal in cutting through to what matters. You can review the Commission’s deliberations here.

The new duties build from a simple framework to ‘Ask and Act’ – to ask about housing and to then act on what people tell you. The principles underpinning the new duties are that:

• Responsibility to prevent homelessness should be a shared public responsibility and not rely solely or primarily on council’s homelessness services.
• Intervention to prevent homelessness should start as early as possible. In many cases this will be before issues have escalated to a point where homelessness appears imminent. 
• People facing homelessness should have choice in where they live and access to the same range of housing outcomes as other members of the general public, with appropriate protections to mitigate further risk of homelessness. 
• Housing outcomes should be comparable across the new prevention and existing homelessness duties.

We are holding this online event to create the opportunity to fully explore the prevention duties together. Join us for:

• A full briefing on the scope and intention of the prevention duties.
• Discussion and debate on the key principles and proposals.

This is a free event for Homeless Network Scotland members. Not a member? Join up here

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.