Today the government has released their new strategy, A National Plan to End Homelessness, which was informed by the incredible work of Groundswell volunteers in partnership with members from Revolving Doors and Justlife.
Working collaboratively with MHCLG, colleagues and peers from the three organisations co-created and co-delivered a series of lived experience forums to ensure insights grounded in real experiences of homelessness were sought to develop a set of recommendations for the strategy. Alongside the launch of the strategy, today MHCLG have also published the full Lived Experience Forum report which can be viewed here.
Members of the core group were also invited to write a foreword to the strategy, stating:
“We are pleased that what we and countless others shared has been heard and is reflected here. We also welcome the publication of our report alongside this strategy. People with lived experience and frontline workers must be involved, co-creating solutions from the ground up to ensure this strategy delivers what it promises. Our input isn’t just the right thing to do. It’s the best way to get value for money. We are uniquely qualified to know what works, not just what looks good on a page.”
Rachel Brennan, Director of Participation, Progression and Change at Groundswell, who helped coordinate the Lived Experience Forums, shared “We welcome the commitment to involving people with lived experience in the design and implementation of the strategy. When people with lived experience help shape solutions alongside systems and services the solutions are stronger, more compassionate and more effective. It is encouraging to see recognition of how closely homelessness is linked to our health and the important shift in ensuring that people are not discharged from hospitals or other services into crisis. The focus on collaboration and cross-sector working is a vital step forward recognising everyone has a role to play in ending homelessness.”
Michael Chandler, CEO, said “Whilst the number of people experiencing homelessness continues to rise to shocking levels, this strategy gives cause for optimism. It feels like a realistic yet ambitious roadmap away from the homelessness crisis we are currently in, with clear targets to halve rough sleeping in this parliament, and towards the prevention of homelessness in the future. In addition to immediate funding commitments to help those in crisis, as Rachel highlights, we are particularly encouraged by the acknowledgement of the health impact of homelessness and initial proposals to address this, linked with the NHS 10 Year Plan; the duty to collaborate across councils and sectors from housing to healthcare to social services and safeguarding services. And we of course particularly welcome the emphasis on lived experience involvement and coproduction – from the creation and implementation of this strategy itself, through to the commitment to work with councils and public services to ensure they are shaping local plans with people with lived experience – which we at Groundswell wholeheartedly support. A huge thanks to Rachel, the Lived Experience Forum and our colleagues at Revolving Doors and Justlife for ensuring lived experience was at the heart of this new strategy”.
We will continue to review the strategy and development of the commitments made in partnership with our people, we will seek opportunities to work in partnership to play our part in delivering the strategy and also identify any gaps that we feel may prevent people from leading a happier and healthier life away from homelessness.