Experts meet to find solutions to Scotland’s housing crisis

Meeting held at launch of second round of Nationwide’s Community Grants programme in Scotland

• Issues include challenges faced by young people, those in rural isolation and those struggling to access private rental accommodation
• Solutions discussed include providing skills around budgeting and maintaining a home and working with landlords to help them support their tenants

Local charities and housing experts came together in Edinburgh this week to discuss the housing challenges faced by people living in Scotland and look at potential practical solutions.

Tuesday’s event at Foundation Scotland’s Edinburgh office was hosted by Nationwide Building Society to launch the second round of its Community Grants programme in Scotland.

The Society is inviting applications from charitable organisations for grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 for housing projects that will support the most vulnerable in local communities.

Applications will be shortlisted by experts and then a regional Community Board made up of Nationwide members and employees will decide which projects should receive funding. Applications will be accepted up until 5 July.

The meeting was hosted by Garry Samson, Nationwide’s Regional Director for the North, and David Roberts, Nationwide’s Chairman.

Organisations represented at the meeting included Foundation Scotland, Crisis Skylight, James Hutton Institute, University of Glasgow, SSAFA, Melville Housing Association, Social Bite and The Rock Trust.  Attendees made the most of the opportunity to connect with peers in the sector and collaborate around solutions to improve the lives of people struggling with housing issues in Scotland.

Alistair MacDermid, Operational Manager at the Rock Trust, presented the impact made by the charity’s “Housing First for Youth” project, which was funded by the Community Grants programme last year.

He said: “The grant from Nationwide has enabled us to help nine vulnerable young people into a permanent home this year, with access to high intensity, flexible support for as long as they need it.  The Housing First approach is well established, but this was the first time it’s been used specifically for young people in Scotland and so far it’s really working.

“It was great to be able to share this success with the charities and experts at the event and hear about some of the other solutions being provided. We can achieve so much more by collaborating together, and I think the event today has given us the inspiration and encouragement to do more of that.”

Garry Samson, Nationwide’s Regional Director of the North, said: “This was a great opportunity to hear from some of the real local housing experts in Scotland and those delivering projects addressing the housing crisis.

The thoughts, experiences, challenges and approaches discussed will be fed directly back into our Community Grants programme, informing our Scottish Community Board members about local housing needs and the different types of projects that Nationwide could support and help them decide which projects should be funded.”

So far Nationwide has awarded £4 million in grants to more than 100 projects and will be investing £5.5 million in housing projects across the UK per year. The programme is being delivered with support from the UK Community Foundations programme, the national network for all accredited Community Foundations across the UK.

Nationwide is currently inviting applications for housing community projects in six regions until 5 July 2019.

Full details can be found at www.nationwide.co.uk/communityfunding or in local Nationwide branches.