Beyond Homelessness: Developing Positive Social Networks

Research into the application and effects of positive social networks in tackling homelessness

As some of you may be aware, Scottish Social Networks in partnership with the Rock Trust and Glasgow School of Social work, has been awarded funding from the Big Lottery Fund to conduct research into the impact of housing support services working with those affected by homelessness to build positive social networks. The research is now underway and there has been an excellent response from volunteers and organisations keen to help with the research.

Existing research indicates that homelessness is more than a housing issue and should be acknowledged as a complex mix of social and economic factors. The Beyond Homelessness research will examine the application and integration of social network support within housing services provided by local authorities and support service providers. It is hoped that one outcome of the research will be to demonstrate how housing support services which provide social network support can meet the outcomes of single outcome agreements and targets set as part of the 2012 Homelessness Target. The report will advocate, as suggested in the Homelessness Task Force final report 2002, that providing housing support services which build up the social networks of those affected by homelessness have a positive long lasting impact in re-housing homeless people. The research hopes to indicate how through successful delivery of social networks based support; local authorities can save money by assisting the full range of needs of those affected by homelessness promoting prevention from the outset rather than cure at crisis point. Through involvement with the project, local authority housing support departments would be investing in research which hopes to highlight the full value and impact of their services, and something we feel that would be of great value in safeguarding funding and support in years to come.

The research has also been accepted to present at the New Housing Researchers Colloquium hosted by the European Network for Housing Research, this July in Istanbul, Turkey. This opens up the opportunity for the project to gain European recognition and feedback from a panel of housing experts. As Scottish policy is currently leading the way in support and provision across Europe, we hope that the value and impact of social networks based support can be used as an example for other countries across Europe.

August will also see us sending out our questionnaire for those working within local authority housing support services and voluntary and community organisations working directly with homelessness.

Please take the time to visit the Scottish Social Networks website from early August to fill out our survey and help us identify key issues for the study.

If you would like any further information please contact Katey Staton, Research Fellow, on 07827851795.

katey.staton@rocktrust.org