Join GM Integrated Care Partnership – PCCA team for their January Spotlight learning session, which will explore how housing and homelessness connect to Greater Manchester’s ambition for great everyday support — and what this means for frontline roles across sectors.
This session brings together strategic insight and frontline experience to build shared understanding, strengthen partnership working and support a ‘no wrong door’ approach for people who need support.
With speakers from GM Combined Authority, local authority services and frontline homelessness services, the webinar will explore:
- How homelessness and housing insecurity intersect, and what frontline workers need to know
- Key enablers in the system, including partnership and cross-sector approaches
- The day-to-day reality of frontline practice – including barriers, opportunities and examples of effective collaboration
- How health, housing, and community services can work better together
Guest speakers
Big Picture Overview
Niamh Foley
Principal – Homelessness and Rough Sleeping
Public Service Reform Team, GMCA
Covering:
- Homelessness Prevention Strategy
- Housing First City Region approach
- GM Live Well ambitions
- Rough sleeping and homelessness trends
- Commissioning examples including:
- Dual diagnosis services
- A Bed Every Night
- Women’s rough sleeping census
Operational and Front Door Practice
Local Authority Representative – TBC
A practical perspective on how housing and homelessness support works in practice, including:
- How the homelessness and housing options front door operates
- What “priority need” means in practice
- Cross-borough moves and continuity of support
- Supporting people to appeal decisions
Frontline Spotlight Role
Rachel O’Connor
Young Person’s Homelessness Pathfinder
Rachel will offer a frontline role spotlight, with a focus on youth homelessness (18–25) and wider system connections, including:
- Real-life practice challenges and solutions
- Preventative approaches
- The role of health in housing escalation (including GP letters)
- How homelessness and housing are linked to other frontline roles and sectors
- Introducing and highlighting the work of the GM Homelessness Action Network (GMHAN)
Q&A and expert discussion
Isla Oxton-Grant
GM Homelessness Action Network (GMHAN) Manager
Isla will join the session to:
- Expand on the GMHAN offer
- Share opportunities for training, collaboration and partnership
- Respond to questions and support discussion
This interactive 90-minute session includes:
- Short strategic presentations
- A practical frontline role spotlight
- Live Q&A and facilitated discussion
- Group reflection on partnership working
- Space to identify barriers, opportunities and small changes that improve collaboration
This session is relevant for anyone working in health, housing, VCFSE, local authority, community or frontline support roles.