Category: News

A voice for change: GHIFT’s journey in understanding overnight services in the winter

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Earlier this year, Glasgow Homelessness Involvement and Feedback Team (GHIFT) investigated people’s experiences of using winter night shelters or welcome centres last winter. The team carried out a survey and interviewed people in three day centres, including a women’s service, to gather evidence of what’s happening on the ground right now and find out what people want prioritised in winter 2025-26. Their findings were published in the Homeless in winter report. GHIFT is a team of Associates of Homeless Network Scotland with first-hand experience of homelessness in Glasgow and at the forefront of work to improve services in the city. Below, team member Jeremy Wylie shares his experience of the project.

Glasgow in the winter is a challenging place. The cold and dark exacerbate the challenges people experiencing homelessness face, such as exposure and further isolation. As a team of people with lived experience of homelessness, many of us are aware of this issue and have slept rough in the winter.

So we wanted to turn our experiences into something constructive and positive. Night services play a vital role in helping people. GHIFT designed a survey of people using those services, so that the experiences of other people can inform solutions and strategies that will benefit everyone who needs support during the rough winter nights in future.

Designing the survey

Our goal in designing a survey was to gather evidence from people using night-time services to advocate for ways to improve this journey. While as a group we acknowledge that there can be trauma associated with shelters, we recognise that these places will continue to exist without better solutions being put in place.

We know there are better solutions, such as rapid rehousing into settled housing or access to community-based temporary furnished flats. But the immediate need for night-time services can’t be overlooked. The survey questions were carefully crafted to bring to light the experiences of individuals in order to identify the benefits and drawbacks of overnight services.

We included questions on people’s sense of safety and security, and challenges such as overcrowding and the lack of privacy. We knew it would not always be easy or comfortable for people to share their experiences, so we thanked participants with a £20 shopping voucher.

Conducting the research

Despite all members of GHIFT having an involvement in this project, three members conducted interviews with 16 individuals – 11 men and 5 women. We spoke to people in the day centres as we know how important it is to meet people where they are, in a familiar setting, with a central location and supporting a diverse range of people, all with different experiences.

To ensure the interviews were conducted ethically and respectfully, we obtained informed consent from each participant and assured them of their anonymity. The interviews were structured around the survey questions but we allowed room for open responses to capture a richer range of responses and experiences.

With all our feedback gathered, we sat down as a team and analysed it to pick out themes, barriers to support, and what is and isn’t working well. All of this is contained in the report. After it was published, we presented our findings to councillors, officials and an MSP at an event in the City Chambers in Glasgow.

Emotional and personal impact

Being involved in this project was a deeply meaningful experience for GHIFT. We had different roles including designing the questions, conducting the research and analysing the responses.

As people with personal experience of being homeless, we felt a strong sense of responsibility – it was gratifying to know our efforts could potentially make a small difference and raise awareness in our city, a place we are proud of, with a rich history and culture.

Glasgow has a global reputation as a leading city in tackling homelessness. However, GHIFT are not oblivious to the challenges the city faces.

At the City Chambers we had an in-depth discussion and to hear the honest truth about those challenges from the people we invited made us feel like we were not wasting our time with this piece of work.

We were all one team in one room, all connecting and trying to come up with a solution. This engagement made members of GHIFT feel respected.

Conclusion

There is no denying that over the past few years there has been a lot of change in the world, from the cost-of-living crisis to wars, and not to mention the lingering effects of the pandemic – an event that forced people to use hotels as emergency shelter and which mentally was a very challenging situation for people trying to get back on their feet.

However, the difficult times we are all experiencing won’t stop us from trying our best and persevering through choppy waters. Despite all the hardship, we saw and heard incredible examples of resilience and people’s determination to overcome their circumstances.

It became clear that addressing homelessness is a complex challenge influenced by many factors. This project reinforced our belief in the importance of compassion and the need for continued efforts to support those experiencing homelessness. It also made us more determined to advocate for those better solutions mentioned above, such as a rapid rehousing that works, and can provide a more dignified and sustainable path forward for people.

GHIFT investigation highlights risk of ‘shared air’ night shelters as a response to homelessness

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Glasgow City Council has committed to the principle that there should be no ‘shared air’ communal night shelters in the city after hearing hard-hitting testimony of the damaging impact they had on people who were homeless last winter.

The pledge by councillors and officials came at a summit held by Glasgow Homelessness Involvement and Feedback Team (GHIFT) to share findings from their recent investigation into people’s experiences of using shared air night shelters in Glasgow.

GHIFT, a team with first-hand experience of homelessness who work to improve services in Glasgow, invited councillors, officials and MSPs to hear their evidence and inform decisions that will help keep people safe this winter and in the longer term.

The event heard real stories of people who felt unsafe, disrespected and traumatised during the worst crisis of their lives – with some people opting to sleep rough, sofa surf or take other risks rather than use a communal night shelter.

GHIFT also shared examples of good practice and what people want to see from better overnight provision, with safety, privacy and direct links to services among the priorities.

Why did GHIFT do this work?

The team carried out the survey earlier this year to assess the impact on people of changes to overnight winter services in Glasgow for people experiencing homelessness.

Being roofless in winter and during other extreme weather events is particularly brutal due to the intensified physical and psychological toll on people.

Freezing temperatures, snow and ice increase the risk of severe harm. And throughout the year, exposure to high winds, heavy rain or heatwaves also makes people’s situation more precarious. Glasgow has the highest level of rough sleeping in Scotland, followed by Edinburgh, Fife and Highland.

In previous years, a welcome centre provided in partnership between the council and local charities ensured access to individual rooms, meals, multi-agency support and rapid access to self-contained rooms and community accommodation.

But the housing emergency, rapidly rising homelessness, shortages of all forms of accommodation and overwhelming pressure on homelessness budgets and services hampered all efforts to provide a welcome centre last winter.

The team asked city decision makers at the event to resolve this situation as a matter of urgency for the winter ahead and to join them in committing to the principle that shared air shelters are inadequate, compromise dignity and reinforce stigma.

GHIFT members spoke at the event about their experiences of carrying out the survey, including specific concerns women raised about safety, and moving examples of the compassionate and equality-led support they found in other services.

Extreme weather provision during a housing emergency

An accompanying briefing on housing provision in extreme weather makes it clear that doing nothing to improve the situation this year is not an option, with the return of a triage-focused welcome centre the best option in the time available before this winter arrives. The briefing also shows that GHIFT’s findings align with an international evidence review on what works to end rough sleeping, including the effectiveness of shelters.

GHIFT welcomed a shared commitment at the event to work together to do better for people this winter, along with a pledge to preserve people’s existing housing rights, with acknowledgment of the present struggle the city has in meeting these duties.

Glasgow declared a housing emergency in November 2023 and around 30 people are now estimated to sleep rough in the city each night due to a lack of  social and affordable housing.

The council is paying millions of pounds to house more than 1,800 people in 40 unsuitable hotels and B&Bs and failed to offer any temporary accommodation 6,320 times between April and September 2024.

Susanne Millar, chief executive, Glasgow City Council, said: “GHIFT were frank about the bad situations they uncovered in their work, and we were frank about the challenges we face and the resources we need to improve the response to homelessness in the city.

“We welcome that honest discussion. Glasgow has long been committed to eradicating use of old-style communal shelters. Over decades we have worked hard to close down unsafe places like the Bellgrove Hotel and create a modernised homelessness system.

“Everyone around the table wanted the same thing, to provide the best service possible to support people in crisis in Glasgow. The evidence GHIFT has gathered will help to inform how the city can move forward to get to that place as quickly as possible.”

GHIFT said: “One of our priorities is housing, not shelters, as a response to rough sleeping in Glasgow. With winter round the corner, we wanted to gather people’s experiences of using shared air shelters and open a conversation with councillors and officers to make sure that this winter, everyone could commit to a safe solution.

“Our investigation shows that people will choose options that feel safe to them, and that shared air shelters are not a safe place to stay. If no alternative can be provided, people are at risk of sleeping rough because what’s currently available just isn’t good enough.

“We want to feel proud of our city, and to know that Glasgow is providing places for people to sleep safe, not rough, would be a step in the right direction.

“We are really pleased with the conversations with the councillors and officials and we’re ready to collaborate with all partners to make sure the voices of people with personal experience of homelessness in Glasgow are kept at the forefront of decisions on winter planning.”

Homeless Network Scotland, who supported the event, said: “Rough s leeping is the last resort for people who have run out of places to turn to, or for people who are unable to stay where they are but don’t know where to go.

“An ideal housing system would rapidly rehouse and support people year-round, without the need for weather-specific measures. But Glasgow, like many other parts of Scotland, currently lacks the houses and funding it needs to make this a reality.

“GHIFT’s guests at the event heard the sobering truth that for some people, having no safe place to go at night in winter is literally a life-or-death situation.

“So we are clear, as are GHIFT: doing nothing is not an option. And the actions we take during the housing emergency are just as important to avoid straying further from the ideal we all aspire to. Without winter provision that prioritises safety, dignity and what works, we risk rising rough sleeping and deepening harm. “If anyone is in doubt about the danger that causes, we recommend reading GHIFT’s report and considering the wider range of evidence that is available to help decision making.”

Homelessness conference 2025: Early bird booking & speaker news

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Scotland’s housing emergency is more than stats and headlines. It’s a human issue that affects individuals, families and communities every day. This year’s homelessness conference is focused on the impact of the housing emergency on people. As the conference title says: It’s personal.

So it’s fitting that we can announce a great keynote speaker with a big personality. Someone who will inspire us all when we meet to explore how to build a better future where everyone is safe, well, respected, and in control.

Baroness Floella Benjamin: ‘Childhood Lasts a Lifetime’

A pioneering star of stage and screen, beloved former host of Play School, award-winning writer, campaigner and prominent member of the Windrush generation, Baroness Floella Benjamin has overcome adversity and prejudice since she arrived in Britain aged 10 to achieve stellar success in her career and as a champion for diversity and childhood wellbeing.

Baroness Benjamin’s keynote address, Childhood Lasts a Lifetime, is a powerful and anecdote-filled narrative of resilience to inspire us all to work for positive change.

The theme will resonate deeply with delegates, with childhood poverty still the strongest predictor of later homelessness, and 10,000+ children living in temporary accommodation in Scotland.

Sponsorship opportunities

Get your message across to an engaged and expert audience from across multiple sectors. This year we have 9 great sponsorship packages to suit all budgets and preferences. Check out options below, get in touch at hello@homelessnetwork.scot or call for a chat on 0141 420 7272.

Click here for Sponsorship options

Over two unmissable days, Scotland’s Annual Homelessness Conference 2025, titled It’s Personal: the human face of the housing emergency’, will unite experts, advocates and those with lived experience to address the real-world impacts of the housing emergency.

Dive into four powerful themes – Safe, Well, Respected, In Control – and discover cutting edge strategies, share solutions and must-hear stories:

  • Safe: Champion the approaches needed to protect people and make homes the ultimate community safety solution.
  • Well: Build the case for health and social care to integrate with housing to transform housing options and lives beyond homelessness services.
  • Respected: Uphold people’s rights and redress the inequality they face, with a bold push to shape policy before the 2026 Scottish elections.
  • In-Control: Unlock solutions to financial inclusion, choice and the active participation of people navigating homelessness.

Expect inspiring stories, evidence-based practices and practical solutions that put people first. By focusing on the human impact, this year’s conference can help build a better future where everyone is safe, well, respected and in control.

Book your spot

MSPs debate call for action on severe destitution

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A Scottish Parliament debate will highlight how people living in Scotland are experiencing severe destitution and homelessness because they have limited or no access to welfare support or housing.

MSPs will also hear about the practical steps that could be taken by local and national policymakers to address and reduce the harm people are suffering, set out in a new legal briefing.

Ending Destitution in Scotland – a Road Map for Policymakers, recommends action across seven areas including work, social security, education, and health and social care.

The Members Business Debate in parliament on Wednesday, 26 March will focus on a motion lodged by Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman.

The motion notes the recent publication of the legal briefing by Lawmanity’s Professor Jen Ang, who was commissioned by Heriot-Watt’s I-SPHERE institute and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF).

This briefing sets out a series of practical actions that Scottish Government and local authorities can now take, all within devolved competence, to end destitution. These cover a range of areas such as access to social security, to transport, to education and to health services.

Fair Way Scotland – a 3rd sector partnership that provides a lifeline to people experiencing destitution who have No Recourse to Public Funds or Restricted Eligibility for support – urges policy makers to include these actions in the next stage of the Ending Destitution Strategy.

Professor Ang’s briefing followed the Destitution by Design report produced by I-SPHERE and funded by JRF, which set out the severe damage caused to people in Scotland from lack of access to supports due to the hostile immigration system.

Researchers found that 93% of people supported by Fair Way were experiencing homelessness while 97% were destitute. Skipping meals and relying on charity for daily basics was common.

Average incomes were exceptionally low at just under £40 per week and a third reported no income at all in the last month. Two-thirds were not allowed to work.

Survey respondents reported poorer physical health, mental health and mental wellbeing than the general population and other disadvantaged groups.

The report also provided harrowing real life case studies of people whose traumatic experiences included being forced to sleep rough or walk the streets at night, experiences of violence and extreme poverty.

The report made a series of recommendations for local authorities and the Scottish and UK Governments to address the situation.

A key recommendation was for Scottish Government to exercise powers in devolved areas to the fullest extent possible to ensure everyone has full access to health, social care, education, social security, transport and housing.