Tag: prevention

August Network Briefing

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This month’s Network Briefing shares details of booking and sponsorship opportunities for Scotland’s annual homelessness conference in October, themed ‘Right here, right now’, spanning 2 days for the first time and delivered this year in partnership with Salvation Army.  

Early bird tickets are open until the end of the month, offering a 20% discount – there’s a range of packages available, including residential options for maximum convenience. Got something to promote? Check out this year’s expanded sponsorship options.

We also announce a brilliant celebrity addition to the speaker line-up… who could it be ❓

And we bring news of the Supported Housing Task and Finish Group, which published its final report and recommendations with a launch at Queens Cross Housing Association’s impressive Wellbeing for Young People service, attended by Housing Minister Paul McLennan.

Elsewhere in the briefing you’ll find news of a great new appointment to HNS, themes for the next All in for Glasgow design session, and a great success story from Salvation Army’s Eva Burrows Centre in Cambuslang.

As ever there’s a wide range of news, research and coverage across a range of sectors. And we’re pleased to bring you details of upcoming training opportunities in our Learning Lounge. Enjoy.

Read August’s briefing

May Network Briefing

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This month you’ll find analysis of ways to deliver more affordable homes, a raft of research and reports on the linked issues of health, housing and homelessness, a Covid-19 Inquiry invitation, commentary on recent political upheaval, news of All in For Glasgow, and much more.

Read the briefing

Change at top must not derail homelessness fight

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The collapse of the Bute House agreement, Humza Yousaf’s abrupt resignation as First Minister and the following period of renewal and change in government are drawing attention and energy away from the urgent task of addressing the housing crisis and ending homelessness. Homeless Network Scotland’s Jamie Milne sets out what needs to happen once the dust settles.

All change then. After little more than a year in the top job Humza Yousaf resigned as First Minister and we’re in another period of uncertainty – a new FM, return to minority government, new faces around the Cabinet table making decisions that affect our lives. 

That’s politics. But these things eat up time and energy while the housing crisis deepens.  

What has not changed is rising homelessness, the 10,000 children living in temporary accommodation, the mental toll on people waiting for social or affordable homes, the desperate lives of people trapped in difficult or dangerous situations because there’s nowhere else to go. 

Politics will dominate the news in weeks to come. But beyond the headlines we have a potentially game-changing Housing Bill in the early stages of the process towards becoming law.  

Progress towards this point must not be unravelled by politics. Once the dust settles, all parties must sharpen their focus on protecting the proposals in the Bill – not least the Ask and Act measures to prevent homelessness earlier, which will stand or fall on how they are resourced. 

Reversing the £200million cut to affordable homes in the Budget must also be at the top of the new First Minister’s in-tray.  

What better way to signal a new direction than to make it easier for people to find a decent home so they can build the foundations of a life? What better way to ease housing pressures on local authorities doing their best for people in urban and rural areas? 

The cost-of-living crisis, global events and the pandemic have played their part in stoking housing pressures, but we are not powerless to solve this, as 25 years of devolution shows. 

The new First Minister can re-energise our collective effort to end homelessness by explicitly making this his top priority.  

By finding common ground and working together, all parties at Holyrood can make the Scottish Government’s ambitious plans to end homelessness and destitution a reality – and ensure this period of uncertainty does not make things worse.

Homelessness is neither a personal choice or inevitable

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Homeless Network Scotland’s chief executive Maggie Brunjes, and Prof Andrea E Williamson from the University of Glasgow co-authored an editorial in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) published this month.

It highlights the stubborn collective consciousness that continues to divorce homelessness from the larger health and economic inequality that causes it – and encourages health professionals to adopt an ‘inclusion health’ approach that can help reduce the unacceptably poor health outcomes among people affected by homelessness. Find the BMJ article here.

Read the full article here

‘You need to have that know-how if you want to make changes for the people it affects’

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All in For Change members with personal and professional experience of homelessness have been talking about their work on the team and explaining the benefits a co-production ethos brings to the table.

The Change Team works with decision makers to develop homelessness policy and has had a significant influence in areas including development of the new prevention duties proposed for public bodies and policies around Rapid Rehousing.

Change Lead Suzie McIlloney, Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan Officer at South Ayrshire Council, talks about the positive experiences and range of different work she has been involved in during her time on the Team.

I got involved with the Change Team because I see the value in coming together, listening and driving forward real change.

Before coming to South Ayrshire Council, I supported people who were experiencing homelessness.

I am extremely lucky to be involved with a team of people who are passionate and who really care about what they do.

As a team, we come together as equals, we learn from each other, we have built relationships, we support each and deliver on what is needed to change.

What surprised me most is the range of opportunities we are involved in. I have participated in the Prevention Duties Task and Finish group, attended focus groups, I have spoken at conferences – this is just a snapshot.

Bringing policymaking and people with experience of homelessness together just makes sense. You need to have that know-how if you want to make changes for the people it affects. This is what co-production is all about.

⏩The Change team’s successes and future priorities are set out in this evaluation of the programme’s first 3 years.