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Homeless Link Events
Rt Hon Margaret Hodge, MBE, meets Jan from Streetshine
Homeless Link has a growing programme of national conferences and regional seminars that address the latest topics of interest in the homeless sector and tackle the governments' agenda in relation to homelessness. Previous themes covered have included: anti-social behaviour, prevention, risk, staff development and quality of life.
We recognise that homelessness is not an issue in isolation and aim to work with partners in the voluntary sector to run events with draw together staff from across the sector. Our conference partners have come from many different fields including the drugs and the criminal justice sectors.
Making every adult matter, 2 December, London
This event will launch an important new coalition to focus attention on the most marginalised people in British society. Hosted by Homeless Link, Clinks, DrugScope and Mind, it will mark the beginning of a new initiative that will work to achieve positive change by influencing policy making and public debate.
Through our respective memberships, we all work with the most excluded people, often the same clients, who have complex and multi-faceted needs. Often they fall just under the threshold for services and do not fit easily into conventional treatment patterns. This event will launch an on-going programme of activities to better support these individuals.
Signs of success, 21 October, London
Using soft outcomes to improve homelessness services and demonstrate impact
It is important that the voluntary sector demonstrates its impact. Outcomes measurement enables us to show the value of our services to commissioners and funders, but also to help service users recognise their progress and achievement. Combining the Government perspective with the cutting edge of practice, this conference cuts through the complexity and provides simple solutions to help service managers and commissioners make evidencing success a reality within the homelessness sector.
Connecting with communities, 8-10 July 2008, University of Warwick
Local Solutions: National Impact
Homeless Link Annual Conference 2008
This flagship event in the Homeless Link conference calendar was essential for anyone interested in ending homelessness through social cohesion and community engagement. The conference focused on the community agenda and on ensuring that everyone in society, even those who are the most vulnerable and with the most complex needs, has an opportunity to play a significant role in the improvement of local communities.
Delegates heard about current government thinking on empowering citizens, building strong communities and the importance of this for homeless people and the homelessness sector. Good practice workshops included examples of how to effectively link up and access local services and how homeless people can play an active part in the development of their communities.
Featured
- launch of the good practice handbook on street outreach
- Iain Wright MP, Housing Minister
- informal networking session involving service users
- Long Lost, an exclusive preview of the play from the 1st Chance Theatre Group
- Grant Shapps MP, Shadow Housing Minister
- Homeless Link’s AGM
- New Rough Sleeping Strategy and Empowerment White Paper
- regional networking with other agencies over an evening drinks reception
- musical performance from Travelling Light
- international perspective – JoAnne Page, The Fortune Society, New York
- streamed programme of good practice workshops.
Multiple exclusion Homelessness - improving the evidence base together, 25 June 2008, Crisis Skylight, London
Multiple exclusion Homelessness - a new research initiative
Following a proposal from the Homeless Link Research Forum, a groundbreaking new research initiative under the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) has been launched in partnership with the Housing Corporation, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Communities and Local Government, the Department of Health and Homeless Link (representing the voluntary sector).
The £680,000 fund available will focus on improving the evidence base around ‘multiple exclusion homelessness’ and is open to proposals from June 2008. Although all projects must have an academic lead there is a strong emphasis on involving the voluntary sector and people with experience of multiple exclusion homelessness in research proposals. Innovative new approaches and proposals from areas of academia that has not traditionally been associated with this area of work are also welcomed.
For further information about the initiative and the background to this work contact Linda Briheim-Crookall, linda.briheim-crookall@homelesslink.org.uk or click here.