The spotlight shone on Greater Manchester and the Housing First model at the Homeless Link Conference last week.
The Greater Manchester Housing First partnership co-hosted the event alongside the GMCA and Homeless Link as it brought together experts from home and abroad to discuss policy and the future.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham delivered the keynote speech in front of more than 200 people to discuss the future of homeless policy across the country as well as lauding the efforts and achievements of the GM Housing First partnership over the last five years.
There were a number of workshops and speeches through out the day at ECT in Portland Street as homeless experts and decision makers discussed how policy should look following the next general election.
Emily Cole, Programme Lead, Greater Manchester Housing First, said: “Delivering our Housing First programme, we see every day the huge impact of putting people at the centre of their recovery by providing a safe, secure home and individual, tailored support provided by partners all working together.
“Over the last five years, we have worked with our Greater Manchester Housing Providers partnership to provide permanent homes to over 375 people, but demand for housing massively outstrips supply and there is only so much we can do to creatively attempt to provide more housing solutions. The issue is a structural one we quite simply need to build more affordable housing.
“There is an international evidence base that demonstrates the effectiveness of Housing First in ending homelessness for people with multiple and complex issues who face huge disadvantages.
“We were proud to co-host the national Housing First conference with Homeless Link alongside the GMCA to highlight the great work going on nationally and to make the case for continued funding for Housing First as an approach that we know works.”