GHN is a voluntary and membership organisation working with and for people affected by homelessness. We connect knowledge and expertise to improve policy, practice and perceptions on homelessness.

striving to end homelessness:and improve options for people in housing crisis

Damian McGowanManaging Director, Gowrie Care

Board of Directors, Glasgow Homelessness Network

04 October 2011

A Mandate & an Audit

GHN is a voluntary and membership organisation working with and for people affected by homelessness. We connect knowledge and expertise to improve policy, practice and perceptions on homelessness.

striving to end homelessness:and improve options for people in housing crisis

The Mandate

GHN is a voluntary and membership organisation working with and for people affected by homelessness. We connect knowledge and expertise to improve policy, practice and perceptions on homelessness.

striving to end homelessness:and improve options for people in housing crisis

• Represents a position shared by a group of 21 voluntary organisations, locally and nationally;

• We are organisations bringing forward a homelessness, not an anti-cuts, agenda;

• We are addressing the Big Questions for homelessness in Glasgow considered at last year’s conference;

• Our approach is innovative, evidence-based, solutions focused and aims to assist Glasgow to meet the 2012 target;

• We work to ensure the views of people affected by homelessness are considered within the current debate.

2012 Mandate

GHN is a voluntary and membership organisation working with and for people affected by homelessness. We connect knowledge and expertise to improve policy, practice and perceptions on homelessness.

striving to end homelessness:and improve options for people in housing crisis

Reflecting

That we record the key learning from the last decade of homelessness investment, so that mistakes are never repeated and next steps are progressive

Consenting

That cross-sector consensus is reached on a current profile of homelessness and rough sleeping - and a definition of service quality - that informs policy and spending decisions

Predicting

That spending decisions are risk assessed for impact on services and service users. That we statistically forecast homelessness and set prevention and reduction targets

Participating

That the next phase in tackling homelessness is truly collaborative and co-produced by people living, working and using services in Glasgow

Our 4 Point Mandate:

GHN is a voluntary and membership organisation working with and for people affected by homelessness. We connect knowledge and expertise to improve policy, practice and perceptions on homelessness.

striving to end homelessness:and improve options for people in housing crisis

Crossreach Glasgow City Mission Glasgow Council for the Voluntary

Sector Glasgow Homelessness Network Glasgow Rent Deposit and Support

Scheme Glasgow Simon Community Glasgow Women’s Aid Govan Law Centre Gowrie Care Harmony Employment Impact Arts

Lodging House Mission Marie Trust Penumbra SAY Women Scottish Council for Single

Homeless Scottish Churches Housing Action Scottish Refugee Council Shelter Scotland Southside Housing Association Unity Enterprise

Mandate Signatories(to date)

GHN is a voluntary and membership organisation working with and for people affected by homelessness. We connect knowledge and expertise to improve policy, practice and perceptions on homelessness.

striving to end homelessness:and improve options for people in housing crisis

The Audit … (A decade of progress?)

GHN is a voluntary and membership organisation working with and for people affected by homelessness. We connect knowledge and expertise to improve policy, practice and perceptions on homelessness.

striving to end homelessness:and improve options for people in housing crisis

“Those who cannot remember history are doomed to repeat it”

(George Santayana)

“History is a vast early warning system”(Norman Cousins)

Reflecting…

GHN is a voluntary and membership organisation working with and for people affected by homelessness. We connect knowledge and expertise to improve policy, practice and perceptions on homelessness.

striving to end homelessness:and improve options for people in housing crisis

Important that Glasgow

critically reviews and records:

• The progress we have made

• The mistakes we have made

• The key learning that should inform future decisions

Reflecting…

GHN is a voluntary and membership organisation working with and for people affected by homelessness. We connect knowledge and expertise to improve policy, practice and perceptions on homelessness.

striving to end homelessness:and improve options for people in housing crisis

• 10 year audit of homelessness in Glasgow carried out by the Homelessness Mandate Steering Group

• Aims to consider the impact of key legislative, policy and practice changes

• Aims to consider the impact of the significant investment in homelessness

• Aims to consider how to use the learning to inform funding and policy decisions in the coming period

The Audit

GHN is a voluntary and membership organisation working with and for people affected by homelessness. We connect knowledge and expertise to improve policy, practice and perceptions on homelessness.

striving to end homelessness:and improve options for people in housing crisis

Key Events 2000-2011: Homelessness in Glasgow

Winter Initiative

Prevention of Homelessness Guidance (SG)

Homelessness StrategyHomelessness Strategy

Housing Stock Transfer

Glasgow Homelessness Partnership

Hostel Closure & Reprovisioning

Regulation & Inspection

Health & Homelessness Standards

Supporting People

Homelessness etc (Scotland) Act 2003

Housing (Scotland) Act 2001

Homelessness Task Force

Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI)

Housing (Scotland) Act 2010

Hunter Street Health Centre Opens

HIA Pilot

Asylum Dispersal

New Futures (Employability)

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

GHN is a voluntary and membership organisation working with and for people affected by homelessness. We connect knowledge and expertise to improve policy, practice and perceptions on homelessness.

striving to end homelessness:and improve options for people in housing crisis

• We have legislation that is viewed as the most progressive in Europe … but not all of it has been (or will be) implemented or felt on the ground;

• Rough sleeping reduced by 50% during the period of targeted investment… but rose again when ring fencing was removed;

• Hostel closure was positively evaluated in terms of the outcomes for former residents … but there are recurring challenges in finding temporary accommodation for all homeless applicants;

• The number of homelessness presentations dropped in the city in 2010-11 … but we still receive almost 10,500 presentations, the highest in Scotland.

What Difference?

GHN is a voluntary and membership organisation working with and for people affected by homelessness. We connect knowledge and expertise to improve policy, practice and perceptions on homelessness.

striving to end homelessness:and improve options for people in housing crisis

Our PledgesWe invite you to work with us to create a series

of pledges that can serve as a multi-agency ‘treaty’ to guide the decisions of the future…

GHN is a voluntary and membership organisation working with and for people affected by homelessness. We connect knowledge and expertise to improve policy, practice and perceptions on homelessness.

striving to end homelessness:and improve options for people in housing crisis

For example:

Glasgow will not build or re-commission large scale hostels.

Glasgow will adopt a cross sector approach to measuring rough sleeping.

Glasgow will use a consistent approach to needs assessment.

Our Pledges

GHN is a voluntary and membership organisation working with and for people affected by homelessness. We connect knowledge and expertise to improve policy, practice and perceptions on homelessness.

striving to end homelessness:and improve options for people in housing crisis

For tackling homelessness:

• Determine 2 key successes that you would pledge we keep doing?

• Determine 2 of Glasgow’s key mistakes that you would pledge we learn from?

Our question to you…