Sharing Best Practice and Networking for Social Change

1. Scotland and Slovakia: Sharing Best Practice and Networking for Social Change

2. Sharing Best Practice and Networking for Social Change Scotland: “Homelessness etc. Act 2003” • “The bill [..] has given Scotland the most progressive homelessness legislation in Western Europe.” • The bill aims for everyone in Scotland to have the right to a home by 2012 and providing support to those homeless people who need it. • But how does such a law come into existence?

3. Sharing Best Practice and Networking for Social Change Scotland: Homelessness Statistics • 5 million people live in Scotland • In 2006-07, 59,069 households made homeless applications • 44,123 were accepted as homeless (0.9% of population). 31,464 of these = ‘priority need’ • In 2006-07, 29,824 children living in households accepted as homeless. • Studies from 2001-2003 showed that 320-520 people were sleeping rough • A household survey showed that 3%of Scottish adults had experienced homelessness: ‘hidden homelessness’

4. Sharing Best Practice and Networking for Social Change Scotland: Homelessness Demographics 1

5. Sharing Best Practice and Networking for Social Change Scotland: Homelessness Demographics 2

6. Sharing Best Practice and Networking for Social Change Scotland: Establishing a Law to end homelessness • The new Scottish Government formed a ‘Homelessness Task Force’ in 1999 . • The group driven by a new government which wanted to bring about significant social change in Scotland. This succeeded MANY years of campaigning, lobbying and joint workingby NGOs working in the areas of homelessness. • Driven by the government, the group’s success lay in the variety of members and contributions: government, academia (University of Glasgow), The Big Issue in Scotland, homeless people, NGOs etc. • The group dropped its political defense mechanism and got down to basic, practical recommendations and priorities for the government to act on.

7. Sharing Best Practice and Networking for Social Change Scotland: The Homeless Task Force Mel Young, co-founder of The Big Issue in Scotland (street paper) and Honorary President of INSP says: ‘The success of the group lay in the diversity of people and groups involved and the grassroots opinions and feedback of homeless people themselves. One day at the Big Issue, we had a government minister, the head of the Glasgow police and 50 homeless Big Issue vendors in one room together talking about how to bring about change- it was a eye opening and important experience for the ministers to see how their work can affect people on the ground.’

8. Sharing Best Practice and Networking for Social Change Scotland: The Homeless Task Force • The wider needs of homeless people were a priority. • Homeless people must be addressed individually, not as one group. • This required a joint working approachacross a wide range of agencies. • Over 2 years, the group helped form the ‘Housing (Scotland) Act 2001’ and the second in a revision to the act in 2002. • Finally, in 2003, the group played a key role in establishing the ‘Homelessness etc. (Scotland) Act’ which sets out the target for 2012. • This says: all unintentionally homeless people will have housing by 2012.

9. Sharing Best Practice and Networking for Social Change Scotland: The Homeless Monitoring Group • Afterward, the ‘Homelessness Monitoring Group’ created to monitor the progress of the Task Force’s Act. • Includes a wide range of experienced representatives from NGOs, academia, government, housing authorities, health board, local councilors etc • Local Councils now have additional responsibilities to provide a minimum of temporary accommodation, advice and assistance to all homeless clients • In 2006/07 £57million was made available by the Scottish Government to local authorities to deal with homelessness. • In 2006/07 around £350million was allocated to build social housing in Scotland, including that for low cost home ownership.

10. Sharing Best Practice and Networking for Social Change Scotland: Other Service for homeless people • Shelter Scotland: Established in 1968, Shelter is the key lobbying, campaigning policy & advice NGO for homelessness in the UK and Scotland. (http://scotland.shelter.org) • Scottish Homelessness and Employability Network (SHEN): Established in 2003, SHEN is the national membership body for organisations and individuals working to improve opportunities for people facing homelessness through engagement with education, training and employment. Encouraging a ‘streamlining’ of services to homeless people in Scotland. (www.shen-scotland.org) • Glasgow Homelessness Network: strives to prevent, alleviate and ultimately eradicate homelessness by raising awareness of the issue, facilitating a joint working approach, influencing policy and provision at all levels and empowering homeless people to contribute to this process. (www.ghn.org.uk)

11. Sharing Best Practice and Networking for Social Change The important role of street papers • Street papers, like Nota Bene are independent newspapers and magazines that provide unique employment opportunities and enterprising social programmes for people experiencing poverty and homelessness. • The idea behind a street paper is simple, yet powerful: a homeless vendor buys a copy of the magazine at a price 50 percent or lower than the cover price and sells it to the public, keeping the proceeds. • Street papers also encourage editorial voices missing from traditional media, providing a platform for reporting poverty and social injustice issues, as well as writing and arts by homeless people themselves.

12. Sharing Best Practice and Networking for Social Change The important role of street papers • Street papers are a powerful tools for harnessing support of local people • Over the past 14 years, street papers have been involved in many local campaigning initiatives . • Internationally, street papers are united through INSP to share ideas and information, set up new papers and campaign for social change. • Street Papers are also more than just a magazine; creative solutions to poverty.