Understanding homelessness under the new political regime: What comes next? Conference
This joint conference aimed to provide an opportunity to discuss the challenges and identify a way forward for ending homelessness in the context of a new political regime, and with the benefit of lessons from research carried out in the North East and elsewhere.
There was a full day’s discussion with key note speeches, workshops, a video and displays of material from a range of homelessness and housing organisations. The themes for the event were chosen along the lines of the NEHTT Homelessness Charter developed before the General Election – this can be read here. The presentations for all speakers, plenary session presenters, and workshop sessions are set out below.
Slide Packs from the Day
Introduction Slides – Val Keen, Youth Homeless Advisor, St.Basils
Keynote: Understanding homelessness under the new political regime – Jon Sparkes, CEO Crisis
Young People’s Perspective – Mike Clark, Chair of YHNE
YHNE: Findings of the 2015 Survey of Youth Homelessness in the NE – Adele Irving, Research Fellow, Northumbria University
Workshops AM:
Youth Housing Charter, Young people’s evaluation – Young people with Kieran Platts, Project Assistant, YHNE and Herbie Cooper, Your Homes Newcastle
Measuring single homelessness – Sheila Spencer, NEHTT and Sharon Brown, Regional Manager, YHNE
Housing Benefit for young people – Ruth O’Sullivan, Campaigns Officer, Centrepoint
NEHTT Research Sanctions; Is there an alternative? – Dr Jamie Harding, Senior Lecturer, Department of Social Science and Languages, Northumbria University
NEHTT: Sanctions Video
The NEHTT research has highlighted the increasing difficulty and disengagement for homeless people as a result of benefit sanctions, and the consequent problems for the organisations working with them. This video highlights the recommendations from the research.