Impact Forum: Delivering the prevention turn

Impact Forum: Delivering the prevention turn

Embedding upstream thinking to end homelessness

The government's first-ever homelessness strategy for England arrives this autumn – and with it, the real work begins. The backdrop couldn't be more worrying: a rising tide of homelessness in the UK, despite spending more than a decade ago. This trend persists because the homelessness system, while vital, is only a small piece of the solution.

This reality underscores the urgent need for a whole-government, whole-society approach to stop and reverse the crisis. The new strategy must serve as a blueprint for proactive prevention, aiming to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring. Yet, translating this vision into widespread reality demands new tools, fresh strategies, and significant investment from every corner of society, challenging current approaches.

Join us at this year's Impact Forum to bridge strategy with tangible impact. This event is for everyone with a stake in a stronger, more productive, and happier society. Whether you're a policymaker, practitioner, researcher, journalist amplifying vital stories, faith leader building community support, or an individual with lived experience – if you're passionate about prevention, this is your forum.

Discover groundbreaking insights at our "Show and Tell", a dynamic space where members of our What Works community will share their evidence-based tools and strategies. Whether you're a member, keen to join, or simply curious, come and hear directly from the growing movement of people dedicated to using data to profoundly improve lives and strengthen communities.

Confirmed speakers for the event include:

• Cristiana Merendeiro, Neuropsychologist and Coordinator of the Housing First program at CRESCER
• Eddie Hughes, Housing Advisor and former MP and Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing
• Erin Dalton, Director of the Allegheny County Department of Human Services
• Cllr Grace Williams, Leader of the London Borough of Waltham Forest and Deputy Chair of London Councils
• Henrique Joaquim, National Coordinator of the National Strategy for the Social Inclusion of Homeless People (NEW ENIPSSA) in Portugal
• Katriona O'Sullivan, Professor, Psychologist and Author of Poor

• Sir Michael Barber, Chair and Founder Emeritus of Delivery Associates, and a world-leading authority on the effectiveness of government
• Tom Copley, Deputy Mayor of London for Housing and Residential Development

Programme outline

09:00am-09:30am: Registration and Show + Tell stands open

09:30am-11.10am

How do we build a system that stops homelessness before it happens?

We’ll explore what it takes to shift whole systems upstream so homelessness is prevented before it can take root. We know that ambition is vital but it’s not enough. In the morning session we’ll look at what it takes to turn policy ideas into real-world action - and what we can learn from other parts of society.

11:00am-11:20am: Break and Show + Tell presentations

11:20am-1:00pm

How do we reach and support people at risk before they fall into homelessness?

How do we spot risk earlier, mobilise networks and funding, and act fast to keep people in stable homes before crisis strikes? We’ll discuss how we use the power of communities to respond as well as the role of data in preventing in homelessness.

1:00pm-2:00pm: Lunch and Show + Tell presentations

2:00pm-4:15pm

How do we respond faster and better when people do experience homelessness, so it is rare, brief and non-recurring?

We’ll look at how places, services, and leadership can ensure that when homelessness does occur, it is met with effective responses that break the cycle for good. Discussions will include the role of political leaders in driving prevention through law, policy and local action as well as ideas on innovative Interventions to stop crisis becoming long-term homelessness.

Breakout spaces

11:20am-12:50pm

Long table discussion with Anthony Luvera

Art, creativity and cultural communities can play a key role in preventing and responding to homelessness. But arts and creativity are still often seen as a ‘nice to have’ rather than a ‘need to have’. But what if we re-imagine the role of creativity as a positive intervention to prevent homelessness?

Joining the discussion with Anthony will be Gaia Segal (Cardinal Hume Centre), Katy Rubin (The People Act: Legislative Theatre), Louis Platman (Museum of the Home), Marice Cumber (Accumulate) and Sharon Clint (Groundswell - Homelessness Charity UK).

Whether it’s accessible public spaces, the importance of creative play for children and young people, or trauma-informed creative programmes. We’ll invite five contributors to reflect on the role of arts and creativity to prevent homelessness before we open up the discussion to all of those in the room.

2:00pm-3:15pm

Legislative Theatre hands-on demonstration and conversation with Katy Rubin and Sharon Clint.

Take part in an interactive introduction to the Legislative Theatre methodology, for policymakers, experts by experience, activists, and anyone seeking to inject accessibility, creativity, co-production and fun into decision-making and systems change in the homelessness sector. The hands-on workshop will be followed by an open dialogue between Legislative Theatre practitioners, Groundswell staff, and participants, sharing outcomes from recent initiatives with councils including RBKC and Medway, and investigating how Legislative Theatre could help prevent homelessness and improve service delivery across the nation.

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