To be opened by Kevin Stewart MSP, minister for local government and housing, the day will hear how Scotland has now placed Housing First firmly at the heart of a broader housing-led and homelessness prevention approach.

Housing First means a settled home quickly, then the space and intensive support to address other issues people have. The international evidence tells us it works best for people who are facing severe and multiple disadvantages, including people sleeping rough. It supports people to leave homelessness behind – the system, the experience, the label – for good.

This year, Scotland will begin a steady expansion of Housing First. Many cities across the world have been scaling up successfully, but too few countries have sized up the opportunity to take Housing First to scale nationally. Scotland embarking on this approach will attract international observers and commentators, and it is important that we get it right.

Read: Blog: Housing First Scotland - Doug Gibson from the Glasgow Homelessness Network reflects on Housing First in anticipation of today’s major conference.

The conference is a key milestone in getting all hands – and views – on deck.

On the day:

Maggie Brünjes, director of The Glasgow Homelessness Network (GHN), which hosts Housing First Scotland, said: “Our recent collaboration with over 400 people with direct experience of homelessness gave us the clearest message; that most people want housing with support that is right alongside them while they leave homelessness behind. There is no doubt that Housing First is the right way forward, but we need to get it right. Delivering it at the right scale means working together to resolve some of the bigger blocks that stand in our way, and assisting frontline workers with what they need to lead from the front.”