Our hard-hitting report outlines five key priorities to radically improve support for women facing homelessness, substance use, and involvement with the criminal justice system in the UK. Hard Edges: The Reality for Women Affected by Severe and Multiple Disadvantage, funded by the Oak Foundation, exposes the trauma and exclusion endured by this vulnerable group. It […]
News
Destitution in the UK 2023
I-SPHEREs report for JRF published today, reveals a shameful increase in the level of destitution in the UK. The number of people experiencing destitution increased by 61% from 2019 to 2022, with an even larger increase in the number of children experiencing destitution. A combination of extremely low incomes, a threadbare social security system, the […]
Fair Way Scotland Evaluation Published
We found more than 1,200 people in Scotland received vital support in the first year of Fair Way Scotland – an ambitious programme to end destitution caused by UK immigration policy by Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Our research has been released against a backdrop of rising asylum seeker evictions and fears of the return of “lock-change” eviction […]
Welsh White Paper published on World Homeless Day
Over the past year, I-SPHERE’s Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick, has chaired an expert panel organised by Crisis on behalf of Welsh Minister Julie James on how legislative change could help end homelessness in Wales. The panel’s work was informed by the views of more than 300 people with lived experience of homelessness and wide engagement with […]
Homelessness amongst Black and Minoritised Ethnic Communities: Research Internship
We are looking for our next research intern. Based anywhere in the UK, the post is for 9 months and will be paid at the London Living wage. It provides the post holder with a unique chance to undertake their own research project with support from the I-SPHERE team and an advisory group of experts […]
Global collaboration to address street homelessness shortlisted for THE Award
We are delighted to have been shortlisted for a prestigious THE Award, widely known as the “Oscars of higher education” for our work with the Institute of Global Homelessness. As well as providing a lead research role in the creation of the Institute of Global Homelessness at DePaul University, Chicago, our recent evaluation work on […]
The utility of Housing First principles ‘beyond’ Housing First
Prof Sarah Johnsen reflects on the wider utility of Housing First principles ‘beyond’ Housing First interventions in light of findings from the evaluation of an assertive outreach housing support service in Scotland’s Western Isles. Echoing broader calls for a shift toward more trauma-informed approaches in health and social care for people experiencing homelessness, recent evaluations […]
Homeless World Cup teams up with Heriot-Watt University and Oriam to tackle social exclusion and ignite change
The Homeless World Cup has forged a ground-breaking partnership with Heriot-Watt University and Oriam to tackle the pressing challenges of social exclusion and deprivation head-on. In a significant milestone, all three organisations have signed a memorandum of understanding, demonstrating their shared commitment to raising awareness about homelessness and its far-reaching societal impact. This collaboration also […]
Digital exclusion in Scottish education
In a new report for the Nuffield Foundation published today, I-SPHERE’s Professor Morag Treanor and Dr Patricio Troncoso highlight key issues of digital inequality in Scottish secondary schools. Digital inequality operates in the same way as traditional inequalities, through income, age, gender, race, ethnicity, disability and social class. These create inequalities in access to, experience […]
Social Innovation Partnership learning programme: final report
New research published today by the Institute of Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research (I-SPHERE) at Heriot-Watt University presents the final findings from a three-year programme of research with the Social Innovation Partnership (SIP), a unique collaboration between the Scottish Government, the Hunter Foundation, and a selection of social entrepreneurs. The SIP is an important innovation in testing the […]