Speakout

SpeakOut is a process of consultation and investigation, culminating in an event. The process in Glasgow is planned and organised by people affected by homelessness themselves, supported and facilitated by Glasgow Homelessness Network (GHN). The attendance at the past 3 SpeakOuts has steadily increased, over 200 people took the opportunity to become involved and contribute their views to SpeakOut 2007. Glasgow Homelessness Network is delighted with the strong support for the process and the commitment of the statutory and voluntary planners, served providers and service users coming together for discussion.
 
GHN works with everyone concerned to bring these views and experiences to the attention of decision makers, opinion formers and influencers across the city, wherever they can be heard and used to influence services, policies plans and opinions that impact on homelessness.
 
It is important that the people most directly affected can have a forum to express their views, and GHN fully believes that plans, policies and services can be improved if they are.
 
Sometimes shocking, sometimes warm and humorous, and always full of courage and strength, SpeakOuts were always special and powerful!
 
In line with the development of a more localised homelessness focus and the Community Health and Care Partnerships (CHCP’s) being formed, large scale SpeakOuts were discontinued.
 
Instead, smaller scale Shared Solutions Workshops now occur in each of the CHCP’s every six months. The Shared Solutions process is an innovative approach to events that has been used successfully by GHN in the past. It is a collaborative approach bringing together all key stakeholders in homelessness - service planners, managers, frontline staff, policy makers, service users and community members - as equal stakeholders in the process of identifying potential solutions to key issues within local areas.