Gendered Lens Framework

Homeless Link have produced a Gendered Lens Framework to support homelessness services to responds effectively to women.

The Gendered Lens Framework asks services to consider the impact of gender on a person’s experience of homelessness and ability to access the service. It includes seven approaches to service design and delivery:

• co-production
• valuing relationships
• working together
• intersectional
• actively inclusive
• trauma-informed
• safer spaces

Homeless Link have created a series of bitesize videos (5-10 minutes) for homelessness professionals to understand the impact of gender on women and the steps they can take to embed a gendered lens through approaches to service design and delivery.

Introduction

This video covers:

• What is gender.
• What is the impact of gender on experiences of homelessness.
• Why do homelessness services need to become gender informed.

Gendered Lens

This video covers:

• What is a 'Gendered Lens'.
• What are gendered needs.
• How to apply gendered lens to services.

Additional Resource: a toolkit written by St Mungo's and Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse 'Keeping Us Safer: An Approach for Supporting Homeless Women Experiencing Multiple Disadvantage”

Co- Production

• Reaching out to women.
• Recognising strengths.
• Actions services can take to co-produce services with women.

Additional Resource: a toolkit produced by Homeless Link on Co-Production

Valuing Relationships

This video covers:

• Healthy relationships.
• Relationships with children
• Actions services can take to value women's relationships.

Additional Resource: St Mungo's toolkit on Supporting Couple in Relationships

Working Together

This video covers:

• Making every contact count.
• Wrap-around support.
• Actions services can take to work together effectively.

Additional resources: a case conferencing tool developed by Single Homeless Project called Team Around Me

Intersectional

This video covers:

• Double disadvantage.
• Need for specialist services.
• Actions services can take to understand and practice an intersectional approach.

Additional Resources: Ask your local by and for and specialist organisations if they have a training offer. Examples include Cultural Mediation - Hibiscus Initiatives ; Halo Project: Trauma Informed training packages. Watch Homeless Link's webinar on Supporting LGBTQI+ Women Experiencing Homelessness

Actively Inclusive

This video covers:

• Barrier to accessing services.
• Why it is necessary to be actively inclusive.
• Actions services can take to be actively inclusive.

Trauma Informed

This video covers:

• Relationship between gender and trauma.
• Supporting women affected by trauma.
• Actions services can take to be gender and trauma informed.

Additional Resource: A toolkit produced by One Small Thing for women's service providers on Becoming Trauma Informed

Safer Spaces

This video covers:

• Managing risk.
• Creating safer spaces .
• Actions services can take to create safer spaces.

Additional Resource: A template created by Your Place Newham to support the development of women's safer spaces, this can be found in the Appendix of the Gendered Len's Framework.