New facility planned to use third sector expertise to combat homelessness
A centre to improve homelessness prevention has been backed by the Scottish Government.
Glasgow Homelessness Network says the proposed centre will build on Scotland's international reputation for preventing and tackling homelessness, and will ensure “greater strides towards a future without homelessness”.
The facility aims to bring together third sector organisations in a bid to better tackle the problem and has the backing of the minister for local government and housing Kevin Stewart MSP.
Stewart lent his support as a report, Ending homelessness faster by focusing on ‘what works’, was published last week. Based on consultations with more than 200 experts, including people with experience of homelessness, the report recommends a new centre for Homelessness Impact.
The report emphasises the importance of raising awareness of generating and using evidence and data to make better, more grounded decisions about our practices and interventions.
Funding is now being sought for the project with a view to opening the centre later this year.
Stewart said: “I believe a strong robust evidence base is critical to developing and implementing effective policy. A central source and knowledge on homelessness, such as the centre can help inform the decisions of the Scottish Government and its partners and contribute to improving outcomes for people experiencing homelessness in Scotland.”
This is an ambitious vision and a refusal to accept that we can’t all do more - Margaret-Ann Brunjes
Margaret-Ann Brunjes, director of Glasgow Homelessness Network, added: "This is an ambitious vision and a refusal to accept that we can’t all do more to end homelessness in Scotland. This new Centre will give us the clearest pointers on how to prevent homelessness and improve the lives of people affected by it. In a time of reduced budgets, the Centre can instigate a shift of resources to evidence based solutions – because doing more of what works, means less of what doesn’t.”
Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, said too many people remain without a home. And the new centre will help ensure that “our values aren’t only articulated in our efforts and intentions but in our outcomes.”
He added: “If we can bridge the gap between knowing what needs to be done and effecting change on the ground, then we can make great leaps in the results we get from our work and investments."
