Tackling Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Digital Conference

Wednesday 20th January 2021

Digital Event, Broadcast Live

Key Points
  • Hear best practice from around the world of successful interventions to tackle homelessness and how we might apply lessons learnt in the UK
  • Progress delivering the Next Steps Strategy from the Rough Sleeping Taskforce
  • Local best practice in resettling temporarily accommodated rough sleepers
  • How local areas are implementing the Homelessness Reduction Act; early intervention, prevention and supporting those newly at risk of eviction and homelessness
  • Delivering Housing First in England with an international comparison to the pioneers in Finland
  • Addressing the health and social needs of homeless people in a safe way during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with a spotlight on improving access to specialist substance misuse services
  • Improving use of data and evidence to inform the policies and interventions you apply to tackle homelessness
  • Click Here to Secure your Place
Overview
Expert Speakers Include:

  • John Isserlis, Senior Rough Sleeping Advisor, MHCLG
  • Polly Neate CBE, Chief Executive, Shelter
  • Lydia Stazen, Director, Institute of Global Homelessness
  • Juha Kaakinen, CEO, Y-Foundation
  • Molly Bishop, Strategic Lead - Homelessness, Greater Manchester Combined Authority
  • Neil Munslow, Service Manager, Active Inclusion, Newcastle City Council
  • Alex Smith, Project Manager - Housing First England, Homeless Link
  • Oliver Standing, Director, Collective Voice
  • Alex Skerten,Housing Solutions Manager, Southwark Council
  • Dr Ligia Teixeira, Chief Executive, Centre for Homelessness Impact
  • Cllr Sharon Thompson, Cabinet Member for Homes & Neighbourhoods, Birmingham City Council
  • Claudette Chiroodza, Housing Service Manager (Temporary Accommodation), Sovereign Housing Association
  • Rachel Fletcher, Social Inclusion Manager, Basingstoke and Deane Council
  • Dr Stephanie Barker, Psychologist, Outcome Home & Research Fellow, University of Southampton
  • Charlie Wood, Lead Peer Mentor (Basingstoke), Outcome Home & Director Mind the Gap


The coronavirus pandemic demonstrated what can be achieved in an emergency situation to end rough sleeping and support those that are homeless, with thousands of rough sleepers being rapidly moved into temporary accommodation, evictions being suspended and the welfare state stepping up to provide a safety net for those in need.

Westminster Insight’s Tackling Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Digital Conference explores how we can keep the momentum after the lock-down has been lifted, build on progress made post Covid-19 and ensure no-one who is now indoors needs to go back to sleeping rough.

With committed Government funding brought forward, local authorities, housing, health and voluntary sector homelessness services now face a huge challenge in turning their short-term emergency solutions into long-term strategies. Temporarily accommodated rough sleepers will need resettling and with the full economic impact of the lock-down yet to be realised, it is predicted that many others will soon be at risk of eviction and homelessness for the first time.

With the event being live streamed you will also benefit by hearing directly from international speakers from the Institute of Global Homelessness in the USA who will draw connections between successful global homelessness interventions and how we can best apply them to our local context in the UK. Plus listen to a discussion between the pioneers of Housing First in Finland where homelessness has rapidly decreased since its implementation, and our Housing First leaders in the UK about how we can accelerate the programme’s progress in Britain.
Agenda
Start

09:00 - 09:10
Chair’s Opening Remarks

 
Speakers

Polly Neate CBE CEO, Shelter

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09:10 - 09:30
Keynote Address - Applying Lessons from Global Homelessness Solutions

 
  • Countries and cities across the world that have seen steep reductions in homelessness, and those that have ended it outright 
  • Key success factors including; the right mix of program interventions, well-coordinated local systems, and effective policy
  • What global lessons can we apply to the UK homelessness context

Speakers

Lydia Stazen Executive Director Institute of Global Homelessness

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09:30 - 10:10
Panel Discussion - Best Practice on Tackling Rough Sleeping

 
  • Supporting rough sleepers into long-term, safe accommodation       
  • Delivering new housing units         
  • Interventions to unlock new opportunities to improve lives for the better 
  • Commissioning services and developing effective multi-agency partnerships
10.00 - 10.10 Questions and Discussion
Speakers

John Isserlis Senior Rough Sleeping Advisor, MHCLG

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Molly Bishop Strategic Lead - Homelessness, Greater Manchester Combined Authority

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Cllr Sharon Thompson Cabinet Member for Homes & Neighbourhoods, Birmingham City Council

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10:10 - 10:40
A Partnership Approach to Tackling Homelessness

 
This is an opportunity to hear about an exciting new service for single homeless clients which is being delivered in partnership by Sovereign Housing Association, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and Outcome Home. The aim of the service is to create a safe, stable, positive and homely environment for people who have slept rough and been living in emergency accommodation for the last 5 months. With input from peer mentors and clinical psychologists from the outset of the project, this service holds co-production, PIE and the prevention of repeat homelessness at its core.

10.30 - 10.40 Questions and Discussion 
Speakers

Claudette Chiroodza Housing Service Manager (Temporary Accommodation), Sovereign Housing Association

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Dr Stephanie Barker Psychologist, Outcome Home & Research Fellow, University of Southampton

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Charlie Wood Lead Peer Mentor (Basingstoke), Outcome Home & Director Mind the Gap

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Rachel Fletcher Social Inclusion Manager, Basingstoke and Deane Council

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10:40 - 10:50
Break

 

10:50 - 11:20
Panel Discussion - Implementing the Homelessness Reduction Act

 
  • Progress in delivering HRA
  • Adapting services and processes to prevent people becoming homeless because of the pandemic
  • Lessons and outcomes from trailblazers
  • What is working well and measuring the impact of the Act
11.10 - 11.20 Questions and Discussion
Speakers

Alex Skerten Housing Solutions Manager, Southwark Council

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Neil Munslow Service Manager, Active Inclusion, Newcastle City Council

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11:20 - 11:50
Supporting Those with Multiple Needs – Drugs and Alcohol

 
  • How can the momentum from Covid-19 and ‘everybody in’ be kept up?
  • The current policy, political and systems context for the delivery of drug and alcohol support
11.40 - 11.50 Questions and Discussion
Speakers

Oliver Standing Director, Collective Voice

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11:50 - 12:20
Panel Discussion: Housing First Update and Continuity Throughout the Covid-19 Crisis

 
  • Housing First – The success story from Finland, responding to the pandemic and next steps
  • Understanding the principles required for commissioning, designing and delivering a Housing First service in England
  • Providing effective support to your residents in a safe way during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic
  • Case studies of successful projects
12.10 - 12.20 Questions and Discussion
Speakers

Alex Smith Senior Project Manager - Housing First England, Homeless Link

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Juha Kaakinen CEO, Y-Foundation

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12:20 - 12:50
Using Evidence and Data to Inform Homelessness Interventions

 
  • How to evidence impact and cost effectiveness for specific interventions
  • Fostering a learning culture to aid policymakers, practitioners and commissioners 
  • Case studies of best practice in applying evidence to improve outcomes both globally and in the UK
12.40 - 12.50 Questions and Discussion

Speakers

Dr Ligia Teixeira Chief Executive, Centre for Homelessness Impact

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12:50 - 13:00
Chair’s Closing Remarks

 
Speakers

Polly Neate CBE CEO, Shelter

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End
Speakers

Dr Stephanie Barker Psychologist, Outcome Home & Research Fellow, University of Southampton

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Molly Bishop Strategic Lead - Homelessness, Greater Manchester Combined Authority

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Claudette Chiroodza Housing Service Manager (Temporary Accommodation), Sovereign Housing Association

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Rachel Fletcher Social Inclusion Manager, Basingstoke and Deane Council

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John Isserlis Senior Rough Sleeping Advisor, MHCLG

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Juha Kaakinen CEO, Y-Foundation

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Neil Munslow Service Manager, Active Inclusion, Newcastle City Council

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Polly Neate CBE CEO, Shelter

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Alex Skerten Housing Solutions Manager, Southwark Council

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Alex Smith Senior Project Manager - Housing First England, Homeless Link

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Oliver Standing Director, Collective Voice

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Lydia Stazen Executive Director Institute of Global Homelessness

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Dr Ligia Teixeira Chief Executive, Centre for Homelessness Impact

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Cllr Sharon Thompson Cabinet Member for Homes & Neighbourhoods, Birmingham City Council

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Charlie Wood Lead Peer Mentor (Basingstoke), Outcome Home & Director Mind the Gap

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Venue details

Digital Event Broadcast Live

Speakers
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