Scotland’s annual conference looking in detail at the causes of and solutions to homelessness takes place next week from 5th – 7th October. The theme of choice runs through this year’s varied programme covering topics from the housing we want to live in, to the area we want to settle and the support we want to tap into as Covid continues to have an impact on housing and support services.
Guest speakers at this year’s event include Shona Robison MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing & Local Government; Professor Ruth Chang from The University of Oxford; Dr Martin Kettle, Glasgow Caledonian University; Pat Togher, Glasgow City Health & Social Care Partnership and Dr Beth Watts, I-SPHERE at Heriot Watt University. The online format using the Remo platform allows Dr Andrew Clarke and Professor Cameron Parsell from The University of Queensland, Australia, to join the event, co-authors of the recently published book ‘Charity and Poverty in Advanced Welfare States.’
The conference addresses three questions that will really matter in 2022.
- How can we ensure that real-world options match the policy ambition?
- How do people exercise choice and control when options are sometimes limited?
- How do we enable informed choices, not enable others to make choices for us?
Professor Ruth Chang’s research on choice and decision-making has been profiled by media outlets internationally. Ruth has also given lectures or been a consultant to industry and academia on this theme. Professor Chang said: “Making good choices is not a matter of being expert at discovering the pros and cons of the options before you. If you had a crystal ball and could know the possible futures corresponding to your options, you would still not have the critical tool for making good decisions. What is required instead is the ability to commit, to put yourself behind something. That’s how we can move forward in hard choices and make ourselves who we are.”
On Tuesday 5th October, journalist Kirsteen Paterson, a 2021 Scottish Press Awards nominee for coverage of immigration issues, interviews Sabir Zazai, Chief Executive of the Scottish Refugee Council, as he reflects on current events, his own journey from Afghanistan and what a fairer way forward in Scotland would look like. This session is presented in association with The National newspaper.
On day two the choice is yours, with three interactive breakout rooms exploring choice in support led by Dr David McCartney, Clinical Lead, LEAP, NHS Lothian; Robin Johnson, Founder and Editor of PIElink; Rankin Barr & Frank Reilly from Simon Community Scotland. Also on day two, Pat Togher, Assistant Chief Officer Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership, looks at how cities are planning their recovery from a unique set of homelessness challenges experienced during the pandemic.
Wrapping up the conference on day three is, Freedom of Choice? Choice Informed By Trauma Awareness, a panel session that offers insights and stories about how personal choice is viewed by those in authority within the criminal justice system and demonstrates how an understanding of the impact of trauma for those dealing with the reality of addiction and homelessness can change minds and outcomes. Hosted by Ishbel Smith of Heart In Mouth, conversationalists will include Iain Smith (Scottish Lawyer of the Year 2020) and James Docherty and Kirsty Giles of the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit.
Maggie Brünjes, Chief Executive of Homeless Network Scotland, said: “Choice is the core principle that will lead us through current dilemmas and debates about what options are ‘right’ for whom, and in which circumstances. But informed choice is key — people with a housing concern or crisis need access to the right information, and for some a bit of advice and advocacy too.
“We work closely with partners to prepare this annual event and work hard to make sure it reflects the moment. We look forward to welcoming you, to learn from the previous 12 months and shape the year ahead.”
Two key pieces of research will be launched at the conference. On Tuesday 5th October the much-anticipated report, Shared Spaces, looks at the future role of supported and shared housing as a response to homelessness in Scotland. This is presented by the report author, Anna Evans, Director at Indigo House along with chair of the research advisory group, Dr Beth Watts, Senior Research Fellow, I-SPHERE at Heriot-Watt University.
The following day, Wednesday 6th October, the launch of the Homelessness Monitor is hosted by Crisis. The Homelessness Monitor provides an independent analysis of the homelessness impacts of recent economic and policy developments. A panel discussion will be chaired by the Chief Executive of Crisis, Jon Sparkes, including a presentation of findings by Heriot Watt University followed by a Q&A with Maggie Brünjes CEO of Homeless Network Scotland, Catriona MacKean of the Scottish Government and John Mills of ALACHO.
Delegates will benefit from specialist conference platform, Remo — which takes online events to a new level. Remo enables greater interaction, with table-to-table networking and the freedom to roam and join spontaneous conversations in the ‘room’.
Booking for the conference can be made online here, more information and the full programme is available at this link. There’s also still time to be associated with Scotland’s annual homelessness conference highlighting your organisation as an exhibitor or sponsor. More information here on the Homeless Network Scotland website.
