Fairer Scotland

  • Putting tackling homelessness at the heart of our COVID-19 recovery

    4th June 2020 by

    We want to ensure that everyone has a warm, safe home that meets their needs. Our focus has not changed during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic but our ambition has increased. When I last co-chaired the Scottish Government’s Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group (HPSG) in early March, I could not have envisaged all that would be...

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  • Unsuitable Accommodation Order extended

    5th May 2020 by

    Scottish Government Housing Minister Kevin Stewart

    A Programme for Government commitment to ensure everyone experiencing homelessness has access to suitable quality accommodation has been brought forward in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The Unsuitable Accommodation Order, which currently prohibits local councils from placing pregnant women or families with children into bed and breakfasts (B&Bs) or hotels for more than seven...

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  • Ending homelessness together and protecting vulnerable people

    13th March 2020 by

    Earlier this week I was joined by Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick at a meeting of the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group, which is tasked with taking forward the Scottish Government’s Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan. Our main focus at the meeting was Covid-19 and how it will impact those who are experiencing, or at...

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  • Progress made on tackling homelessness

    14th January 2020 by

    CEO of Crisis and Chair of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group Jon Sparkes welcomes progress made since the launch of the Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan. The Scottish Government asked some big questions of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group (HARSAG) reflecting a serious commitment to addressing homelessness in Scotland. The ambition...

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  • Changing negative perceptions of rough sleeping and homelessness – guest blog from the Simon Community

    20th August 2019 by

    simon community

    Megan Thomson manages the Simon’s Community’s RSVP Street Team service in Glasgow.  Here she talks about changing negative perceptions of rough sleeping and homelessness, and how the Simon Community is making a difference to people’s lives.  Simon Community Scotland Street Team are out on the streets of Glasgow 365 days of the year, working with...

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  • Housing First – Adam’s story

    17th July 2019 by

    Adam is a bright, articulate and funny 37 year old man who has been homeless on and off for the past seven years. He is great company and has a warm and caring personality. He has, however, been through a very traumatic time that he still finds difficult to talk about. When asked about his...

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  • Historic opportunity to end homelessness in Scotland for good

    27th June 2019 by

    Guest blog from Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive, Crisis Twelve months ago, in June 2018, I was working closely with colleagues from the Scottish Government’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group to finalise our report on ending homelessness in Scotland. We had worked intensively from October 2017 to answer 4 questions: How to reduce rough sleeping...

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  • Guest Blog: Alasdair Bennett, Bethany Christian Trust

    29th March 2019 by

    Bethany Care Shelter fixed venue New raised beds and comfy mattresses!  New fixed 32 week venue!  We are so thankful to be at Diadem, part of Gorgie Dalry Stenhouse Church in Edinburgh.  Our larger single venue also has laundry, showers and new toilet facilities. This is desperately needed with over 70 people a night given...

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  • Guest blog: Phil Wray, Head of Projects at Glasgow City Mission

    5th February 2019 by

    Working together to tackle rough sleeping Most of us have had the heart-rending experience of walking through a city on a cold winter morning past a figure in a sleeping bag tucked into a doorway. None of us wants a Scotland where this happens. In 2010, Glasgow City Mission established the Glasgow Winter Night Shelter,...

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  • Breaking down barriers to end homelessness – by Kevin Stewart MSP

    1st February 2019 by

    Everyone should have a secure warm place to call home – it’s one of the most important factors in any person’s quality of life. Our Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan sets the direction for real and lasting change. As part of this, we have just launched a consultation on the current local connection and intentionality...

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