Future Foundations will be taking place on 6th October at Bolton Wanderers Stadium, bringing together professionals from throughout the social housing space to break down some of the biggest issues facing the sector not just today, but those that will define expectations of the sector for years to come. Talks throughout the day will focus on bringing together experts and decision-makers on differing sides of each issue, fostering real debate and honest discussion around the priorities at the core of the conversation.
The social housing sector is one that is characterized by its ability to lean on one another. The sector is no stranger to regulatory changes and policy shifts that have all but flipped everyday options on their head, and the last few years have been no different. During these times, collaboration has been a key pillar of social housing’s ability to respond to such changes, leaning on fellow professionals to gain a deeper level of understanding of the adjustments required.
Future Foundations aims to champion this entirely. Bringing together not just key housing decision makers, but supply chain professionals, local authorities and community support groups, the conference will align all those who share in social housings core mission: reducing the levels of homelessness rising throughout the UK, and combatting the ongoing housing crisis. As well as a range of talks taking place throughout the day within three key zones, following each talk attendees will have the opportunity to discuss their personal views in smaller focus groups, allowing attendees to understand not just the challenges at hand but exactly how they interact with different facets of the sector day by day.
Some of the key questions on the day will focus on:
How did we become so rigid?
The conference will take place just before the one year anniversary of the implementation of Awaab’s Law, a time that will also see the second phase of the law coming into effect. In the build up to Awaab’s Law, much of the rhetoric from the sector was the same: enthusiasm to meet the higher standards and to ensure the tragedy of Awaab Ishak’s death would not be repeated, but concern over the sectors capacity to grapple with such a shift. The law’s strict timeframes will expand to cover more and more hazards over the next two years, and providers will be faced with a rolling increase in expectations to address these hazards with prejudice.
These shifts highlight a growing pressure within the sector: capacity. To cope with regulatory shits and raising standards, providers need flexibility and resources to adjust, two characteristics that have become rare as providers attempt to balance investing in their current stock whilst also attempting to keep up with ever-growing waiting lists. In order to treat compliance as the floor rather than the ceiling, and truly thrive under increasing pressure rather than simply survive, providers must be able to do more with less, and work towards regaining a sense of flexibility that the sector has missed for some time.
Homelessness: Is prevention the way forward?
Homelessness in the UK has grown rampant. The dire rising homelessness statistics not only highlight a growing human crisis, but also an economic one, as Local Authorities find their finances crippled by expensive use of temporary accommodation reaching record levels up and down the country. Research from leading homelessness charities and pilot projects are calling for a fundamental shift in the UK’s approach to homelessness, referencing success stories from other countries around the world that focus on prevention first rather than reactive solutions for rough sleepers.
But a change like this asks one key question: Where would these people live? The practicalities of such a shift will need a combined effort from the healthcare, homelessness and housing sector. Providers will no doubt play a key part in this shift, but one thing is for certain, urgent change is needed in our homelessness support system, and the groundwork needs to be laid out now in order to support such a shift.
How can technology encourage human connection rather than replace it?
We are witnessing a true digital transformation take place, a truly global shift rather than a housing specific one. However, social housing’s human ethos and mission places it at a difficult crossroads within this transformative time. Housing providers have been faced with a growing responsibility to understand and truly know their residents and their needs, needs that are often complex and multilayered, and require true human understanding to address effectively.
As we see artificial intelligence redefining how organisations interact with and address their audience, the key question for the social housing sector is how can we ensure this tool empowers human connection, rather than replaces it. New technology has created a AI gold-rush, but providers must now cut through the hype surrounding these emerging technologies to understand how they can be used to better connect with their residents, rather than create a barrier between them.
What Future Foundations will bring to professionals:
Cut through the noise- join fellow professionals from the entire social housing landscape face to face, breaking down sector-wide issues to work towards actionable solutions.
Build meaningful connections- tailored, specific networking opportunities will streamline the conference experience and make it easy to connect directly with fellow professionals working on tackling the issues most relevant to your responsibilities.
Three key zones- the conference will host speaker panels discussing three key themes relevant to the social housing sector. Whether you are looking at enhancing your social value output, how to grapple with the latest policy changes or looking for the latest innovative solutions that can help to save your organisation precious time and resources, Future Foundations will bring you face to face with valuable expertise that can secure success for your organisation.
You can secure your place at Housing Executive: Future Foundations here, and secure your place in the conversation to tackle the issues that will shape the sector tomorrow, today.
Nick Fellows, Managing Director of Housing Executive said: “Housing Executive is looking to solidify and develop it’s role as a platform that truly is within the sector, helping to cultivate debate and discussion surrounding the issues that really matter. We are looking forward to welcoming industry leaders to the first Future Foundations Conference in October”.
