Witness Event: New Labour and Street Homelessness

Witness Event: New Labour and Street Homelessness

The University of Birmingham is staging a 'witness event' at The Exchange, Centenery Square in the centre of Birmingham.

As a ‘witness event’ it aims to utilise the collective knowledge, insights and experience of those responsible for the planning and delivery of homeless policies and services in the New Labour period to examine their impact and efficacy, and to explore their potential relevance to contemporary homelessness policy-making.

Invitations have been made to those engaged in homelessness during the New labour period, contemporary homeless sector practitioners, academics working in the field of homelessness, government decision makers and the media.

There will be a morning and an afternoon session. The morning session will be a chaired panel. The Panellists will be Ian Brady (Deputy Director, Rough Sleepers Unit, 1999-2003), John Hamblin (CEO Shekinah 2008-present), Neil Morland (Housing Solutions manager Stoke City Council 2003-2007 & DCLG Specialist Adviser on Homelessness 2007-2010), Rebecca Sycamore (Director of Regional Development Homeless Link 2000-2019) and Robin Johnson (PIElink). Gary Messenger , (Homelessness Directorate Head of Homelessness programme 2002 -2011) will take over from Ian Brady for the afternoon session.

The afternoon session will seek to expand on the first and draw on the knowledge and experience of both audience members and remote participants.

Refreshment and lunch will be provided.

This is a hybrid event. In person attendance is encouraged, but there is an option to attend virtually. Please ensure you select the correct ticket type when registering.

As an edited transcript of the event’s proceedings will be produced with a view to publication, in order to particpate you are required to read the participant information (below) and confirm your consent.

Participant Information

What will happen to the data obtained during the seminar?

Both sessions will be audio recorded. An edited transcript including both the panellist’s comments and any contributions made during the open discussion by audience members (both physically present and remote) will be produced for publication in an academic journal. Selected quotes from the transcript may be used in other academic outputs.

Will I be Identified in the reports of the seminar?

A witness event is designed to be a public forum, and any statements made as a panellist or during audience participation will normally be fully accredited (name, position, organisation). If, however, you wish your comments to be excluded from the transcript, you have the right to have them removed. You can do so by notifying the event co-ordinator (David Christie [email protected]) using the contact details listed below up to two months (no later than 12 February 2025) following the event’s conclusion.

If there is anything you do not understand prior to participating, please seek further clarification from the event co-ordinator.

Confidentiality and data security

The recording of the event will be transcribed. The recording will be transferred onto a secure computer at the University of Birmingham and then deleted from the recorder. If we use a professional transcription company to type up the recording, it will be transferred to the transcription company through a secure file transfer system. A confidentiality agreement will be in place with the transcription company. The recordings will be deleted once we have checked the transcription.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Exchange, 3 Centenary Square, Birmingham, United Kingdom