Glasgow Joins Global Alliance to Tackle Street Homelessness

Published: 9 October 2018

Glasgow is one of two UK cities to join a new global programme to end street homelessness by 2030.

We will join 12 Vanguard Cities around the world including Chicago, US; Adelaide, Australia; Edmonton, Canada; Tshwane, South Africa and Manchester who will join the "A Place to Call Home" initiative led by the Institute of Global Homelessness chaired by Dame Louise Casey, former head of the Uk Government's Rough Sleepers' Unit.

Each city will work to achieve targets to reduce homelessness. Glasgow's target for 2020 is to reduce by 75% the number of people sleeping rough every week in the city centre, and cut by 50% those sleeping rough across Glasgow each year, estimated at just over 500 individuals annually.

The official announcement will be made by Dame Louise and Glasgow councillor Mhairi Hunter at The Homeless Network's Annual Conference today (Tuesday 9 October 2018) at Glasgow City Chambers. The event that will include insight from leading academics, politicians and housing experts.

Dame Louise Casey, Chair of the Institute for Global Homelessness, said: "We are impressed by the ideas and energy and the close collaboration between the public and charity sectors here in Glasgow. We believe this is a combination with the strongest potential to achieve the type of change that can be an inspiration to other world cities facing a deeper and more complex challenge."

Councillor Mhairi Hunter, City Convener for Health and Social Care, said: "A national commitment to end rough sleeping, backed by a £50m fund over five years, has already been established. Glasgow at the front of this larger global effort announced today will provide inspiration and pace, but also perspective. We will be upfront about challenges to be solved and pragmatic and persistent about what it will take to achieve our ambition to end rough sleeping."

Susanne Millar, Chief Officer for Glasgow Health & Social Care Partnership, said: "We know that some people get stuck in our homeless system, slip through our safety nets, or opt out of them altogether. Housing First will be at the heart of making a better offer and making sure people get a better outcome. Our partnership with the third sector and with people with lived experience recognises that we share the ideas and answers and need to listen, learn from and trust each other."

Maggie Brunjes, Chief Executive of the Homeless Network, said: "Rough sleeping is the most damaging form of homelessness and an ordeal that no one should have to endure. We are looking forward to welcoming Dame Louise to our annual conference. It is an opportunity to hear about the ambitious plans that the IGH has to tackle homelessness globally and begins a very exciting opportunity for Glasgow and Scotland to be at the front of this programme going forward."

The theme of the conference this year will explore 'No Wrong Door', a new approach that aims to ensure that whatever service people arrive at is the right door to a rapid response. This is aimed at delivering help as quickly as possible to either prevent people becoming homeless or to resolve their housing situation. The conference takes place as Glasgow City Council has confirmed that a £23m budget for homelessness services will be co-managed by a new strategic Alliance between the city's Health & Social Care Partnership, the Homeless Network and frontline service providers.