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North East Link - June 2006

by bendickenson — last modified 2006-05-30 03:17 PM

June already?

Homeless Link's work in the region is taking off. We're helping hostels make strides towards being "places of change", and we're planning events on employment for homeless people, arts and homelessness, and prevention. I'm sure there's a lot you want to tell us about too. So whatever you're up to, whatever your issue, don't hesitate to get in touch.

The power to change

Homeless Link Annual Conference 2006. City University, Northampton Square, London. 4-6 July 2006. See flyer with schedule and booking form

Three thought-provoking days, exploring the opportunities for achieving positive change at national, regional and local levels, to help end homelessness.

Yvette Cooper MP, Minister for Housing and Planning, on current homelessness strategy
Debate and interaction with senior government officials
Streamed programme of workshops tailored to meet your requirements
Exclusive taster sessions from Homeless Link’s forthcoming masterclass series for senior management
Comprehensive social and cultural programme to complement the main programme

Places at the event are limited. Contact events@homelesslink.org.uk / 020 7960 3030 to book your place now.

NEWS

Regional prevention project up and running

Citizen's Advice have launched a Homelessness Prevention Liaison Unit for the North East. It is supported by the Homeless Innovation Fund, shares good practice, aims to support sub-regional forums and will run a region-wide event before the end of the year. Contact Catherine Hattam: catherine.hattam@citizensadvice.org.uk, 0191 233 3920.

UPDATE: Homeless Link events

We will run Emplyability Seminars, facilitated by OSW, in September - find out how get homeless people into employment. Then in October we will run a day conference on arts work with homeless people, at the SAGE. Get involved: ben.dickenson@homelesslink.org.uk

UPDATE: Youth Homelessness Network

Homeless Link will shortly be facilitating a meeting of a regional youth homelessness network, and you're invited. For more info email ben.dickenson@homelesslink.org.uk

ODPM is now DCLG

Department for Communities and Local Government Following the reshuffle, the department formerly known as the ODPM has had a change of name. References on this site to the ODPM are being updated.

Newcastle Housing Strategy - 18,000 new homes

The draft Housing Strategy for Newcastle will take us to 2021 and includes plans to build 18,000 new homes - 6,000 designated as "affordable". Be part of the consultation.

Ready to Work is back!

Business in the Community will run their Ready To Work programme again in the North East! Around 30 homeless people can get involved. Interested? We'll keep you posted, or email ben.dickenson@homelesslink.org.uk.

IN THE MEDIA

Crisis chief executive moving on - Interview with Shaks Ghosh about her decision to leave Crisis.

Scotlands commitment to end homelessness by 2012 - celebrity designers and chairities join forces.

Far right politics and housing - a perspective from In Perspective.

POLICY, PRACTICE AND RESEARCH

Shelter investigates exclusions

Shelter have published a new report examining the reasons that people in Tyne and Wear are excluded from social rented housing. Almost 40% of the households surveyed in the 'Exclusions in Tyne & Wear' study were excluded for rent arrears of less than £500. Some of these arrears dated back to the 1980s.

Shelter is now urging housing associations to review their practices. Bob Finch, Shelter's North East Area Manager, says: "Councils and housing associations must stop excluding people from the housing list for outdated and irrelevant faults."

Read the Shelter press release here.

Changing hostels to become "Places of Change"

Run a hostel? With support from the Hostels Capital Improvement Programme Tyneside Cyrenians are running a self-build scheme to re-furbish their Elliot House site in the West End of Newcastle. It is a unique and exciting scheme and Cyrenians have plans for many other interesting developments. Want to more? Then just get in touch with Ben for a chat.

In the meantime, have you seen the DCLG's hostels review toolkit?

DCLG roadshow

In May the DCLG toured the North East with a roadshow looking at how to measure local authority performance in homelessness, at prevention methods and at writing/reviewing homelessness strategies. Useful documents relevant the these themes are DCLG briefing on prevention and housing advice, and summary of Local Authority homeless strategies.

Copies of the DCLG's DVD, featuring 38 examples of best practice were also available at the roadshow.

Other policy themes