Delivering on 2012: sharing ideas on ending homelessness

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This one-day Shelter conference, held in Glasgow on 6 October 2009, gave delegates the opportunity to share experiences and to discuss new ideas around meeting 2012 and ending homelessness.

Morning Plenary Session

Foster Evans, Director, Employers in Voluntary Housing, chaired the event and the first plenary session focused on progress towards the interim 2009 target, the challenges ahead in meeting 2012 and looked at Scottish homelessness legislation within an international context. Alex Neil MSP, Minister for Housing and Communities, gave the first presentation, and outlined the Government’s priorities for meeting the 2012 commitment.

Mr Neil was followed by Graeme Brown, Director, Shelter Scotland, who talked about the importance of the 2012 target and ending homelessness in Scotland. Professor Isobel Anderson, Director of the Policy and Practice Unit at University of Stirling then looked at how Scotland’s homelessness legislation compares with that of other countries taking a similarly progressive approach.

You can download their presentations here:

The road to 2012
Graeme Brown, Shelter Scotland

Homelessness in the international context
Professor Isobel Anderson, University of Stirling

Morning Workshops

Delegates were given a choice of four workshops as follows:

An end to evictions for rent arrears
Tony Cain, Stirling Council

Raising the standards of temporary accommodation
Jessie Crawford, Shelter Scotland

Prevention activity in North Ayrshire
Janeine Barrett, North Ayrshire Council

Action on mortgage repossessions
Gavin Corbett, Shelter Scotland

Afternoon Plenary Session

The afternoon session looked at what work is being done to prevent and alleviate homelessness, in both the social and private rented sectors, and the importance of meeting the 2012 commitment. Jill Cronin, Policy and Strategy Manager, South Ayrshire Council, talked about the challenges of meeting 2012 for a rural local authority and how South Ayrshire Council is addressing these. Andrew Morrison, Director of Policy and Development, Orchard & Shipman plc outlined the role of the private sector in preventing and alleviating homelessness.

You can download their presentations here:

Meeting the 2012 commitment in South Ayrshire
Jill Cronin, South Ayrshire Council

Homelessness and the private rented sector
Andrew Morrison, Orchard & Shipman plc