36 Simon Communities of Ireland Background to the Research As a follow up to our Finding the Way Home research and in light of the Government’s commitment to end long term homelessness by implementing a housing-led approach, the Simon Communities in Ireland commissioned a piece of research to explore the experiences of the Simon Communities introducing housing-led services. The research was undertaken by Mark Bevan with Nicholas Pleace of the Centre for Housing Policy in York University and was designed to help inform and critically assess the use of housing-led services as a response to homelessness at both a national and local level. The key aims of the research were: • Explore the development of housing-led services by the eight Simon Communities; • Examine the context in which the rolling out of housing-led services is occurring and look specifically at the ways in which contextual factors may be influencing how housing-led services are being developed; • Look at how the Communities are developing good practice to address some of the barriers and challenges that relate to using housing-led approaches and; • Compare and contrast the experience of the Simon Communities in introducing and rolling out housing-led services with experiences in other countries. The research included: • Discussions with senior managers, other staff and service users, and staff at the National Office. • Visits to three Simon Communities: Dublin, Cork, and Midlands. • Interviews with respondents from the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government; Health Service Executive, and the Dublin Region Homeless Executive. • A literature review of the experience of utilising housing-led approaches in other countries. Respondents discussed their experiences and views on introducing housing-led services in relation to the operational principles of the Pathways Housing First approach: • Housing as a human right • Respect, warmth, and compassion for all clients • A commitment to working with clients for as long as they need • Scattered-site housing; independent apartments • Separation of housing and services • Consumer choice and self-determination • A recovery orientation • Harm reduction. Respondents also discussed operational issues and some of the barriers and challenges in relation to rolling out a housing-led approach.
Which Way Home?
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