Salvation Army plays crucial part in new Scottish Housing First model

The Salvation Army has taken in part in an event aimed at ending homelessness in Scotland.

The Housing First Scotland Conference was held in Edinburgh this week and brought together government, charity, health and housing officials. 

Speakers included Scottish Cabinet Secretary Aileen Campbell, homelessness expert Sam Tsemberis (pictured with Salvation Army representatives) and Maggie Brunjes, chief executive of the Homeless Network. Housing First gives people a permanent home and intensive support as a first response rather than the final step in a long process.

The Housing First Scotland Fund, which is one of the largest of its kind in the UK, was launched by Social Bite in partnership with the Corra Foundation and the Homeless Network.

The programme aims to bring hundreds of people sleeping rough and those caught in the homeless system into secure long-term tenancies.

As a specialist provider of Housing First support in Glasgow and Dundee, the Salvation Army is committed to breaking the cycle of homelessness.

During the conference we gave an update on the wraparound support we provide. As a church and charity, we believe in the power of community and helping people feel like they belong somewhere. That was the theme of our conference workshop where our Housing First manager Helen Murdoch, and Malcolm Page, our assistant UK territorial director of homelessness services, spoke about the integrated support we provide to help people overcome homelessness.

More information on the Housing First services provided by the Salvation Army in Scotland.