Grant Campbell has been appointed as the new Skylight director for Crisis in Edinburgh. Grant has been the chief executive of Glasgow City Mission since 2013 and will take up the position in March 2019.

Grant will take on the role held by Ann Landels since December 2011. During Ann’s tenure, the work Crisis does in Edinburgh and across Scotland has expanded considerably, building on direct service provision for people who are homeless and at risk of homelessness to providing training on alternative housing models and campaigning for change to support more people out of homelessness.

During his time with Glasgow City Mission, Grant co-founded the City Ambition Network (CAN), a collaborative approach between the third and statutory sectors providing creative and flexible solutions for people who are homeless. He has played a key role in Glasgow’s ambition to end rough sleeping, and in it becoming a Vanguard City with the Institute of Global Homelessness.

Speaking on his appointment, Grant said: “I believe homelessness can be ended and I look forward to working with the team at Crisis, who share this ambition, and have produced a plan on how it can become a reality across Scotland, England and Wales.

“Homelessness is not inevitable, it can be prevented and we have the best chance of doing so by working together to make it happen. I hope my experience of working in collaboration in Glasgow to provide assertive solutions and to hold local and national government to account can play a decisive role in the work Crisis does across Scotland.

“In the last five years, Glasgow City Mission has been instrumental in supporting thousands of people to access the advice and support they need, I wish the team all the best in continuing to do so and with the hope that in the future less people will have to rely on it.”

Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, and chair of the Scottish Government’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group, said: “Grant’s expertise and compassion will be a great asset to the dedicated team we have in Scotland. As the Scottish Government publishes their Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan this week, Grant joins at a time of great change across the sector and his experience will be invaluable in ensuring the work Crisis does across Scotland is at the forefront of ensuring that this blueprint for ending homelessness is delivered effectively.”