Homeless Link Annual Conference

A practical conference that explored how we can strengthen and secure the future of our sector so that we can continue to work towards our goal of ending homelessness.

5 - 7 July 2010 | The University of Reading

the annual event for the sector

This year our annual conference looked to inform how we can future proof the homelessness sector so that we can continue to work towards our goal of ending homelessness.

If we are to ensure that vulnerable and socially excluded individuals continue to receive the care and support they need, we need to secure the future of our services, by ensuring we offer good quality, cost efficient provision.

Please scroll down to download copies of the workshop presentations.

What Was new in 2010

• capacity building, specialist one-on-one advice surgeries
• Michael Whippman Client Involvement Award: the audience voted for their winner of a “Dragons Den” style competition
• social enterprise exhibition
• panel debate that challenged us all to think differently: Is enforcement essential to end rough sleeping? See other views on our Facebook page
• Leading Places of Change graduation ceremony.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND

• themed workshops, all aimed at sharing best practice, information, ideas and solutions
• National Advisory Council hosted regional debates
• social activities, including a pub quiz, drinks reception and conference dinner
• informative keynote speakers
• opportunities to network and build links.

WORKSHOPS

Please click on the title of the workshop to download the presentation.

WORKSHOPS HELD ON TUESDAY 6 JULY

• Are You Local? This workshop will explore and document the pros and cons of being a small and local Supporting People contracted provider
• Learning to be a Place of Change: Skills for staff, managers and trustees
• Working with others to tackle multiple needs and exclusions
• How to offer positive activities, training and employment opportunities to your clients
• Total Place: what it is, how you can become involved in it and how it can help you
• Client involvement: how those who have experienced homelessness can inform how services are run to ensure we offer the right support at the right time: learning from the Escape Plan
• What makes a good social enterprise
• Good practice in offering housing and support for young people to prevent rough sleeping and homelessness
• How to put personalisation into practice
• Task and targetting - working in partnership to provide the best support to clients with complex needs
• (Second presentation for Task and targetting)

WORKSHOPS HELD ON WEDNESDAY 7 JULY

• Managing culture change: how to ensure you have the right staff and employ them effectively to perform successfully as an organisation
• How to support clients to become more financially capable
• Hospital admissions and discharge protocol: ensuring no-one is discharged homeless
• Local Strategic Partnerships: what they are, how you can become involved in them and how they can help you: a good practice example
• (Notes from the above workshop)
• Using social media to raise the profile of your organisation and of homelessness
• Guidance on how to be commercially aware and engage business support in a recession
• How to end the prison and homelessness cycle
• How to prevent evictions, abandonments and exclusions through client engagement
• Enforcement: what role can and should it play?
• Why Bother With Data?

WHAT tHE EVENT offered

• friendly, informal learning environment
• networking opportunities with other experts in your field
• chance to share and hear good practice models and innovative ideas
• tips and advice on how to future proof your service
• sense of belonging to a community committed to ending homelessness.

Supported by

This conference was kindly supported by Sanctaury Group, Salesforce.com and CREATE.

Sanctuary Group
Sanctuary Group, one of the UK’s leading housing associations, manages around 76,000 units of accommodation across the country including general rented, sheltered, supported accommodation, student and key worker accommodation and care homes. Working in partnership with both public and private sector organisations, Sanctuary Group is committed to providing quality affordable housing and effective social care services and facilities.

Salesforce.com
Salesforce.com is the enterprise cloud-computing company, known for the Sales Cloud™ and the Service Cloud™, two customer relationship management applications; as well as Force.com, their cloud platform for building and running business applications.

CREATE
As a not-for-profit company CREATE are committed to developing innovative training and employment opportunities for people who have been homeless, marginalised or vulnerable. Working in the heart of the city of Leeds Create staff and volunteers are motivated and driven to rebuild their lives: wanting a hand up, not a hand out.