Invitation to discuss housing outcomes for refugees

Refugees and new arrivals often experience the worst housing outcomes in the UK. Over the last two years our team (University of Huddersfield and Migration Yorkshire) has been working to better understand the housing situation faced by refugees. This has included improving the evidence base on how refugees gain access to housing post-decision and post-arrival in the UK and their pathways through in order to understand their experiences.

From this work we have produced a number of reports notably a research digest and a detailed paper which summarises the existing evidence about how housing impacts refugees and a policy briefing based on the findings arising from our research. In an attempt to engage a wider audience in these issues we have also produced a comic based on our research to help document the day-to-day housing and integration struggles refugees often face in their settlement. We now working towards trying to find out what works in terms of housing solutions for refugees and new arrivals both in terms of the current policy framework and possible future contexts.

We are looking to bring together experts who are working in housing at a strategic level, at a service delivery level and those working to support communities from within the voluntary and community sector. We are holding a series of online workshop discussions to hear and share your practices, experiences and learning. We want to draw on these discussions to develop recommendations for policy makers and offer housing organisations, local authorities, and voluntary and community sector partners opportunities to learn from one another. We will be producing briefing notes and policy recommendations throughout the year and drawing on your experience and expertise to engage decision makers.

We have a number of workshops available and this link will allow you to book a date and time that suits you. You will then be sent more information and the link to the meeting. Please do share this invitation with others you feel would offer insights on practice and policy. We are looking to speak to senior policy and practice, frontline workers in public authorities and housing organisations and those who are working in the voluntary and charity sectors on this agenda. More information about the project and your rights as a participant is available here. Please contact the lead researcher directly if you wish to discuss anything – Prof. Phil Brown, p.a.brown@hud.ac.uk