Equality in Housing (Equality in Housing)

In this episode we talk to Janice Stevenson. Janice is a Development Officer at LGBT Youth Scotland. LGBT Youth Scotland is a youth work service, providing youth groups for LGBT young people across Scotland. Janice’s work focuses on influencing policy in Scotland for LGBT youth populations.

In this conversation we discuss discrimination in housing for LGBT people, challenges with people not recognising their own rights to housing and issues with gatekeeping in accessing services. We explore research and data in this area, and the conversation raises issues that we know many organisations face, which is a lack of data to help providers deliver appropriate services.

Podcast notes

• Youth Commission on Housing and Homelessness - https://www.lgbtyouth.org.uk/national-programmes/youth-activism/youth-commission-housing-and-homelessness/
• Albert Kennedy Trust - https://www.akt.org.uk/
• LGBT charter - https://www.lgbtyouth.org.uk/the-lgbt-charter/
• UK Centre for Homelessness Impact - https://www.homelessnessimpact.org/post/lgbtq-people-are-more-likely-to-experience-homelessness

In this episode, we speak to Anthony Morrow, Community Connector Manager for Sanctuary Scotland. Anthony spoke to us about Sanctuary’s Housing and Community Connector role, which has been rolled out across the UK, and how it has enabled the organisation to transform their trauma-informed practice.

Podcast Notes:

Sanctuary Scotland: https://scotland.sanctuary.co.uk/

Resilience Learning Partnership: https://resiliencelearningpartnership.co.uk/

In this bonus episode, following on from our episode with Emily Edwards of the Scottish Refugee Council, we speak to Ryan Powell, Reader in Urban Studies in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at the University of Sheffield. Ryan spoke to us about the Migrant Youth Integration in Europe project, the research undertaken by the project, and the findings around the experience of young migrants in the UK, and the exclusions and displacement that they face.

The Migrant Youth Integration in Europe project

MIMY Project: https://www.mimy-project.eu/

MIMY Project - Peer research: https://www.mimy-project.eu/partners/peer-research 

MIMY Project - Outcomes: https://www.mimy-project.eu/outcomes/public-deliverables 

University of Sheffield

Migration Research Group: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/migration-research-group 

MIMY Partner profile: https://www.mimy-project.eu/partners/consortium/usfd 

Other Organisations

Chilypep: https://chilypep.org.uk/

Football Unites, Racism Divides: https://furd.org/ 

Migration Matters Festival: https://www.migrationmattersfestival.co.uk/ 

Stand & Be Counted Theatre: https://www.sbctheatre.co.uk/organisation

Young People Together:

• Documentary: https://player.sheffield.ac.uk/series/young-people-together 

• Theatre programme: https://www.sbctheatre.co.uk/events/young-people-together

In this episode, we speak to Dr Steve Rolfe about the experiences of veterans when accessing housing and veterans’ homelessness and the work Steve has done to create the Veteran’s Homelessness Prevention Pathway. The conversation explores the current debates in veterans’ housing in the UK, and explores some of the challenges that research has highlighted and we talk more about the need for continued research in this space, with a particular focus on the diversity of veterans – a space that for lots of reasons, has been problematic in the context of the military.

Steve is a Lecturer in Social Policy at the University of Stirling whose research focus is around housing, particularly exploring access to housing for disadvantaged groups, how people make a home and the way in which policy and practitioners can help people to sustain their tenancies.

Podcast notes

• Steve’s Stirling University profile: https://www.stir.ac.uk/people/257354
• Veteran’s Homelessness Prevention Pathway: https://homelessnetwork.scot/2022/01/25/major-report-on-veterans-homelessness/

In this episode, we have a sobering conversation with Emily Edwards, Housing Development Officer for the Scottish Refugee Council. Emily spoke about the current challenges in claiming asylum in the UK, further challenges in the supply and standard of housing for refugees and migrants, and the importance of community integration, amongst a host of other things.

A note on this episode, we recorded this conversation with Emily in June 2023, before the Illegal Migration Bill was passed into law in July.

AMIF Project: https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/funding/asylum-migration-and-integration-funds/asylum-migration-and-integration-fund-2021-2027_en 

[RE] Illegal Migration Act:

https://scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk/illegal-migration-bill-set-to-become-law/ 

New Scots Strategy: https://newscots.scot/ 

[Research] Queen Margaret University: Psychosocial Wellbeing, Integration and Protection Cluster https://www.qmu.ac.uk/research-and-knowledge-exchange/research-centres-institutes-and-knowledge-exchange-centres/institute-for-global-health-and-development/psychosocial-wellbeing-integration-and-protection-cluster/ 

AMIF New Scots: A Pathway to Social and Economic Inclusion:  https://miscintegrationresearch.org/newscots 

Scottish Refugee Council: https://scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk/ 

Principles for a fair and humane asylum system: https://scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk/working-for-change/policy-campaigns/about-our-policy-and-research-work/ 

In this episode, we talk to Amy Rich, Communities and Campaigns Officer for the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights. We talk to Amy about their recent report on Ethnicity and Homelessness, and the rates and unique causes of homelessness for Ethnic Minorities in Scotland. She talks about the need for more research and data around this topic, and the need to include people living in these communities in academia. Podcast notes:

• CRER: Ethnicity and Homelessness in Scotland - https://www.crer.org.uk/s/Homelessness-in-Scotland-2023.pdf
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In this episode we speak to Emma Hock, Research Follow at the University of Sheffield, about her work looking at housing insecurity and its impacts on the health and wellbeing of children and young people. Amongst her findings, she discusses impacts including isolation, loss of friendship, negative effects on mental health, and access to education and healthcare. She also looks at what families are doing to improve the lives of young people, and what housing providers could be doing better to support them to mitigate the negative effects.

Notes

You can find the evidence review here. 

Information on the Renters Reform Bill can be found here: 

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmselect/cmcomloc/624/report.html

https://housingevidence.ac.uk/publications/the-impact-of-regulatory-reform-on-the-private-rented-sector/

Information about research funded by Battersea Dogs and Cats Home on the benefits of pet ownership in rental accommodation can be found here. 

The UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE) published a working paper exploring people’s housing aspirations and choices.

For our first episode of 2024, we have a conversation with Francis Burrows, Director of Support and Service Development for Housing Association Orbit. 

Francis talks about the work the organisation does to engage with their tenants, particularly underrepresented groups, and how that work informs their policies and processes in how they support them.

Notes:

Housing Ombudsman Special Report on Rochdale Boroughwide Housing, March 2023: https://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/2023/03/28/ombudsman-finds-culture-of-othering-residents-lies-at-the-heart-of-rochdale-boroughwide-housings-issues-and-identifies-lessons-for-sector/ 

Housing Ombudsman Service, Spotlight on attitudes, respect and rights - relationship of equals, January 2024: https://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/reports/spotlight-on-attitudes-respect-and-rights-relationship-of-equals/ 

National Housing Federation - Chairs’ Challenge:  https://www.housing.org.uk/our-work/governance/Roadmap-to-equality/chairs-challenge/ 

Orbit: https://www.orbitcustomerhub.org.uk/about-us/

Tenant Satisfaction Measures, UK Gov: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tenant-satisfaction-measures-standard

In this episode of Equality in Housing, we are delighted to be speaking with James Carter and Liz Crowter about what it means to live independently, and some of the challenges that James and his mother-in-law Liz have faced in trying to make this happen. James lives with his partner Heidi, and both have Down's Syndrome. Following on from the Down's Syndrome Act 2022, which will have implications for housing providers, we wanted to hear first hand about the importance of independent living and what the housing sector can do to make this happen for more people.

Podcast notes:

The Downs Syndrome Act https://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk/our-work/campaigning/the-down-syndrome-act/

In this episode, we speak to Janet Haugh, CEO of Right There. We chat to Janet about a new report published to mark 200 years of the charity. We talk about their work and the impact it has had over the years.

In this episode we are joined by Alice Tooms-Moore, Senior Advocacy Officer from Shelter Scotland, and Lucy Hughes, Policy and Parliamentary Manager from Engender. In This episode we'll talk to Alice and Lucy about their recent report, Gender and the Housing Emergency, as well as exploring what the housing emergency looks like in Scotland, and in particular from a gendered perspective.

In this episode we speak to Rohini Sharma Joshi. Rohini is an experienced equalities consultant who has been a prominent figure in Scottish Housing for over 30 years, and was awarded an OBE in the 2022 New Years Honours list. We spoke to Rohini about the barriers ethnic minority older people face around housing, and how research, both existing and future, can improve their ability to access and meaningfully engage services.

In this episode, we talk to Charlie McMillan, Chief Executive of the Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities (SCLD). Charlie spoke to us about the challenges finding accommodation for people with learning disabilities, in terms of availability and system design, and the value of joined up, holistic approaches.

He also talks about SCLD’s “Include for Good” project, which aims to change societies view of the status, value and contribution of people with learning disabilities by including their voices in research and policy making.

Podcast Notes:

• SCLD - https://www.scld.org.uk/
• Include for Good - https://www.includeforgood.co.uk/
• Capability Scotland - https://www.capability.scot/
• Coming Home Report - https://www.gov.scot/news/coming-home-implementation-report/
• UNCRPD - https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities.html
• Dr Karen Watchman - https://www.learningdisabilityanddementia.org/

Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory - https://www.sldo.ac.uk/

Equality in Housing returns for Series 2 with a conversation with Mushtaq Khan, Chief Executive of Housing Diversity Network. Pedro and Gareth spoke to Mushtaq about the work of HDN, the opportunities presented for the housing landscape by a new government, and the role housing associations should play in responding to racism, particularly in the context of the UK riots of 2024.

https://www.housingdiversitynetwork.co.uk/

HDN has produced a Roundtable Briefing following the far-right violence in England in 2024.

HDN has produced a 14-point plan to support tenants and communities through the riots. 

Better Social Housing Review

Hope Not Hate

In this episode, we have a great conversation with Megan Moffat, Policy and Public Affairs officer for Who Cares? Scotland. Megan tells us about the specific issues faced by Care Leavers in accessing housing, the role of local authorities as a guardian for people in care, and the fight to recognise being care experienced as a protected characteristic.

Podcast notes

Who Cares? Scotland

The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014

Petition to extend aftercare for previously looked after young people and remove the continue care age cap

Clan Childlaw – Scotland’s law centre for children and young people

In this episode, we speak to Edith England (Cardiff Met University) and Neil Turnbull (Cardiff University) about LGBTQ+ housing and homeless. Edith and Neil talk us through their latest research project, which included an extensive survey of over 1000 young LGBTQ+ people about their housing situations. We talk about the policy and legislative landscape and explore what is needed to make the system fair.

Podcast notes

LGBTQ+ Homelessness Survey: https://www.instagram.com/lgbtqplushomelessnesssurvey/

UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence -

BLOG: Is queer theory relevant to LGBTQ+ homelessness? By Edith England, Neil Turnbull, Oliver Townsend. Jul 2023. https://housingevidence.ac.uk/is-queer-theory-relevant-to-lgbtq-homelessness/

BLOG: What don’t we know about LGBTQ+ homelessness (and how you can help us address that). By Edith England and Neil Turnbull. Jun 2023. https://housingevidence.ac.uk/what-dont-we-know-about-lgbtq-homelessness-and-how-you-can-help-us-address-that/

Previous episodes referenced -

with Rhiannon Sims: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hos-cache/episodes/Live-at-Scotlands-Housing-Festival-with-Rhiannon-Sims--Crisis-Scotland-e2i4ihe

with Kelly Henderson: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hos-cache/episodes/Domestic-Abuse-With-Kelly-Henderson--Addressing-Domestic-Abuse-e1umrd3/a-a9ac86q

Book reference in this episode -

In The Dreamhouse by Carmen Maria Machado: https://serpentstail.com/work/in-the-dream-house/

More information coming soon about the research report and future focus groups.

In this conversation we’re joined by Kelly Henderson, founder and CEO of Addressing Domestic Abuse (ADA), a community interest company providing bespoke support to social housing providers and associated supply chains to identify and respond to domestic abuse.

Today we talk about the work Kelly has done with victims and survivors of Domestic Abuse, the ways in which organisations need to work holistically to provide positive outcomes and the way in which all policy, practice and research needs to be people-centred, ensuring that the voices of survivors are recognised in all the work that is done to tackle DA.

Please note that you may find some of this discussion upsetting.

Podcast notes

· Homelessness Amongst Black and Minoritised Ethnic Communities in the UK: A Statistical Report on the State of the Nation, by Glen Bramley, Suzanne Fitzpatrick, Jill McIntyre and Sarah Johnsen

· Femicide census report for 2020

· Durham University’s work around male domestic abuse

· Next Chapter

· Addressing Domestic Abuse

· Prof. Catherine Donovan’s work

· HOPE - https://hopetraining.co.uk/

This special episode was recorded in front of a Live Audience at SCVO’s The Gathering event at the EICC in Edinburgh. We are joined by a panel of speakers, comprising of Gordon MacRae, Assistant Director of Shelter Scotland, Aer Nicholson Clasby, who leads on Third Sector Human Rights and Equalities, and Iain Chisholm, New Migrants Action Project Leader at Positive Action in Housing. This episode takes a zoomed out look at equality in housing in Scotland through a third sector lens.

Shelter Scotland - https://scotland.shelter.org.uk/

Third Sector Human Rights and Equalities (THRE) - https://thre.org.uk/

Positive Action in Housing https://www.paih.org/

Minoritised ethnic access to social housing in Scotland at key transition points - Report by Shelter Scotland

For our first conversation proper, Pedro Cameron and Dr Gareth Young talk to Chief Executive of Scottish charity Housing Options Scotland, Moira Bayne.

With Moira we discuss the history of the charity, which offers housing advice and information to people with disabilities, older people and members of the Armed Forces across Scotland. Moira shares her thoughts on the power of knowledge, the importance of person centered services, and the barriers that the groups she works with face in accessing housing.

Podcast Notes

• www.housingoptionsscotland.org.uk
• https://www.homeforyou.org.uk/
• https://homesforgood.org.uk/

For this special episode we were delighted to be invited by the Chartered Institute of Housing to record live amongst the bustle of Scotland’s Housing Festival. We were joined by then Senior Policy Officer for Crisis Scotland, Rhiannon Sims. We spoke to Rhiannon about equalities in the current Scottish Housing Climate, about the concept of “reasonableness” and disadvantage in accessing housing and homelessness, and connecting knowledge with practice.

Podcast notes:

Crisis Scotland

https://www.crisis.org.uk/about-us/scotland/ 

Fund to Leave (now closed to applications)

https://womensaid.scot/information-support/fund-to-leave/#:~:text=The%20Fund%20to%20Leave%20is%20there%20to%20provide%20the%20money,options%20when%20experiencing%20domestic%20abuse. 

Furnishing Futures

https://furnishingfutures.org/ 

Homes for Scotland – Existing Housing Need in Scotland

https://homesforscotland.com/our-work/existinghousingneedinscotland/ 

Housing to 2040

https://www.gov.scot/publications/housing-2040-2/ 

I-SPHERE Research Institute

Website: https://i-sphere.site.hw.ac.uk/ 

Research report: Hard Edges: The reality for women affected by severe and multiple disadvantage: https://i-sphere.site.hw.ac.uk/2024/02/08/the-reality-for-women-affected-by-severe-and-multiple-disadvantage/  

In The Dream House, Carmen Maria Machado

https://serpentstail.com/work/in-the-dream-house/

Rock Trust: Upstream

https://www.rocktrust.org/news-upstream-scotland/  

Shelter Scotland

Website: https://scotland.shelter.org.uk/  

Research: Minoritised ethnic access to social housing in Scotland at key transition points: https://scotland.shelter.org.uk/professional_resources/policy_library/minoritised_ethnic_access_to_social_housing_in_scotland_research

In this episode of Equality in Housing, hosts Gareth Young (UK Centre for Housing Evidence) and Pedro Cameron (Tenants Information Service) are joined by Professor Vikki McCall from the University of Stirling. Vikki shares insights from the Intersectional Stigma of Place-based Ageing (ISPA) project, a groundbreaking five-year study funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

We explore the barriers older and disabled people face in housing and communities, from place-based stigma to the lack of accessible, well-designed home adaptations. Vikki discusses the power of co-production, with over 140 community peer researchers gathering real-life experiences to shape more inclusive policies. We also hear about the Inclusive Living Alliance, a coalition working to create practical, stigma-free housing solutions that benefit everyone.

Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on why housing plays a crucial role in ageing well, and how better design, policy, and collaboration can create more inclusive communities for all.

●     The ISPA project page can be found here.

●      For more information on the Inclusive Living Alliance that is being developed, and how to get involved, click here.

●      You can read more about Vikki’s ‘Designing homes for healthy cognitive ageing’ here. 

●      Invisible Creations were discussed as a new way of thinking about the visual impacts of home adaptations to help increase their uptake and reduce stigma.

In this episode, your hosts Dr Gareth Young and Pedro Cameron discuss the origins of the project, and why it's important for the sector be discussing and researching Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion in housing and homelessness, and why it's essential for the stories of those affected are shared and listened to every step of the way.

In this episode we speak to Michael Sanders, Professor of Public Policy at King’s College London, and one of the authors of the Centre for Homelessness Impact’s report on Sexuality, Gender Identity and Homelessness. We talk to Michael about the lack of data surrounding LGBTQ+ people who experience homelessness, the challenges of collecting that data, and measures that can be taken to improve the situation.

Podcast notes:

Sexuality, gender identity and homelessness: Incidence, experience and evidence of homelessness among LGBTQ+ people by Michael Sanders, Ella Whelan Alba Murcia, Louise Jones: https://www.homelessnessimpact.org/post/lgbtq-people-are-more-likely-to-experience-homelessness

What Works for Children’s Social Care https://whatworks-csc.org.uk/

Invisible Women by Caroline Criada Perez https://carolinecriadoperez.com/book/invisible-women/

Homelessness Case Level Collection (H-CLIC) https://analysisfunction.civilservice.gov.uk/government-statistical-service-and-statistician-group/user-facing-pages/mhclg-homelessness-statistics-user-forum/

Albert Kennedy Trust: https://www.akt.org.uk/what-we-do

Vaxxers by Sarah Gilbert and Catherine Green https://www.hodder.co.uk/titles/sarah-gilbert/vaxxers/9781529369885/