WIREDGOV

Too many organisations and professionals lack the time and resources to innovate, grow and put their expertise into practice. Lindsay Henderson introduces a new network across the North East and Cumbria, designed to change that.

How in control do you feel of the part you play in tackling homelessness?

You’ve built a career (maybe you’d call it a vocation) out of supporting people to rebuild their lives. You’ve honed your skills through vocational courses like Engage to Change and Leading Places of Change. Ending homelessness is your profession. But perhaps, like many of your colleagues, you have not yet been able to put much of the skills and knowledge you’ve acquired into practice.

Big ambition, no resources

With demand on services to deliver greater value with smaller budgets for people with increasingly complex needs, many homelessness professionals in your position feel disempowered. You have the experience, your training has taken you to the next level, and you know what you could do to make a real difference – but you lack the time and resources to make it happen.

We want to change that.

Introducing Be The Change

Launching this November, Be The Change is a unique new network of homelessness professionals across the North East and Cumbria, designed to counter some of the most acute challenges they face.

Created by Homeless Link, funded by Northern Rock, and run by its membership, we will encourage and empower professionals to drive change that is so desperately needed in homelessness services across the area.

It’s about providing the space to discuss issues and new approaches, and explore partnerships with peers. The network will also support and fund training and innovation, and help members develop ideas.

Our aim is to help members develop their skills and the skills of the sector – to support them to work with others, work differently and work better.

Does this sound like you?

If you’re based in the North East or Cumbria and you are a graduate of either the Engage to Change or Leading Places of Change programmes – and if you want to help drive real change in the sector and you are ready to commit to making it happen in your organisation, we want you to join us.

You’ll network both online and offline with your peers, creating new partnerships both within the sector and beyond, and you could contribute to funding decisions around training, development and innovation.

You’ll work to raise skill levels and the status of homelessness as a profession.

Most importantly, you’ll work to improve services for people who become homeless.

Next steps

All we need for now is to know whether or not you are interested in finding out more.

Complete the short form below and I’ll stay in touch with more information as plans for the network develop. Alternatively, if you have specific questions, please don’t hesitate to email me.

I look forward to working with you soon.