Transatlantic Practice Exchange 2018

The Transatlantic Practice Exchange was supported by the Oak Foundation and delivered in partnership with the National Alliance to End Homelessness. In 2014 and 2016-18, the project funded annual placements for five frontline homelessness staff to spend a fortnight in the United States, exploring different practice topics and sharing this learning on their return. Each year, five participants from the US were also hosted by services here. The Exchange programme has aimed to inspire new approaches to ending homelessness, and to develop future leaders in the sector.

The 2018 UK participants were:

• Ed Addison, St Mungo's in London - responding to long-term street homelessness through multi-disciplinary outreach 
• Flora Newbigin, Cardboard Citizens in London - using theatre to involve people with lived experience
• Rachel Inman, Elim Connect Centre in Wells - peer support and community involvement in rural homelessness settings
• Rachel Woolf, London - coordinated entry systems in rough sleeping responses
• Steven Barkess, VOICES in Stoke - involving people with lived experience in employment, peer specialist and strategic roles

And from the US:

• Cassy Westmoreland, United Way of Weld County - understanding Housing Act implementation, hosted by the Welsh Local Government Association in Swansea
• Jessica McKown, Allegheny County Dept of Human Services - the impact of co-production on positive outcomes, hosted by Expert Citizens in Stoke
• Lauren Dreyer, Integral Care - coordination and multi-agency working for better outcomes in criminal justice, hosted by Exeter CoLab
• Shahera Hyatt, California Homeless Youth Project - the impact of engaging people experiencing homelessness in the performing arts, hosted by the Booth Centre in Manchester
• Tramecia Garner, Swords to Plowshares - responses to veteran homelessness, hosted by Veterans Aid in London

You can download their reports below.

There are currently no more Transatlantic Practice Exchanges planned.

Transatlantic Practice Exchange 2018 reports

The 2018 UK group share good practice and learning about coordinated entry, rural homelessness, legislative theatre, multi-disciplinary outreach teams, and peer leadership. Our US colleagues, hosted in England and Wales, explore co-production, coordinated approaches, arts, veterans' services, and homelessness prevention.

Downloads

• TransatlanticPracticeExchange2018 report.pdf | 10727K

Transatlantic Practice Exchange 2017 reports

The Transatlantic Practice Exchange 2017 reports bring together learning and reflections from participants' placements with US and UK homelessness services. The UK group covered Housing First for Women, Employment, Strengths Based Practice and Critical Time Intervention. The US group explored Employment, Youth Homelessness, Engaging the PRS, LGBT+ Support for Youth, and Systems Change for Chronic Homelessness.

Downloads

• Transatlantic Practice Exchange 2017.pdf | 10569K

Transatlantic Practice Exchange 2016 reports

In 2016 ten frontline staff from the UK and US took part in the Transatlantic Practice Exchange, completing a two-week placement focused on good practice in homelessness services. In these reports the participants share their learning and observations on how the two countries support people experiencing homelessness, what practice can be transferred, and how their approach has changed since their return.

Downloads

• Transatlantic Practice Exchange Reports 2016.pdf | 5750K