We’re now just one week away from Housing Executive: Future Foundations, with the 6th October marking the date that Bolton Wanderers Stadium will be transformed into a thriving hub of discussion, dedicated entirely to the social housing sector. You can find our full agenda and timetable at our website.
Future Foundations: zone three will be focused on People, Homes & Communities, discussing the residents and communities that truly are the lifeblood of the sector.
With discussion focused around a number of key social and people-centred issues, the zone will be chaired by non other than Vicky Spratt, renowned author and political commentator with extensive experience and expertise in the social housing sector. Vicky will share the stage with a number of expert speakers, discussing a range of topics throughout the day and encouraging meaningful collaboration.
Four key discussions will be taking place throughout the day:
Division today: How to Cultivate Communities
It is no secret that the UK is undergoing a period of serious political and social tension, with numerous cultural and economic factors pushing people from both sides of the political spectrum towards more extreme ideological viewpoints. Housing sits in the centre of a number of these emotionally charged debates, such as immigration, often arising during discussions of immigration, welfare and class. This means that the widespread degradation of social cohesion throughout the UK is explicitly relevant to both housing providers and the residents they house. With a robust panel made up of Kyle Smith, Director of Partnerships & Communications at CHIC LTD, Shelley Hathway-Batt, Director of Clarion Futures and Charlotte Hamilton Kay, Deputy CEO at ASB Help, the opening talk in zone three will dissect the impacts of the division we can see in the UK today on social housing residents, and how providers can use their unique position within the community to promote cohesion and pride in place.
READ MORE: Building Trust: The Foundation of Sector-Wide Transformation
Homelessness in 2026 – Why Prevention Must Come First
An ongoing crisis in the UK, homelessness has been reaching record levels for a number of years as the UK’s depleted social housing stock has been unable to support the vast number of people priced out of the private sector. The result is rapidly growing social housing waiting lists and a record number of households trapped in temporary accommodation, including a record number of children. This is not only placing incredible pressure on support services and charities, but also presenting a catastrophic drain on council finances, who’s spending on temporary accommodation has increased tenfold in just over ten years. The system is close to buckling under pressure, and a key priority for tackling the crisis is to break the reactionary cycle that often plays out during homeless intervention, pivoting towards a preventative philosophy that will prevent rough sleeping before households find themselves on the streets. The panel will bring together a number of homelessness including Alex Smith, Head of Innovation & Good Practice at Homeless Link, Jess Page, Strategy Director at Bridge Housing Solutions and Paul Morgan, Head of Quality Assurance & Property at YMCA Cheshire.
The Resident’s Perspective- How Do We Rebuild Trust?
A talk led by social housing residents, discussing their experiences as a social housing tenant and building an open dialogue between residents and providers aimed at rebuilding trust between tenants and the professionals who govern their homes. Nic Bliss, Campaign Director of Stop Social Housing Stigma will be joined on stage by social housing residents , with discussions focusing on common miscommunications and points of tension between tenants and their landlords, and how these issues can be embedded and overcome culturally within associations.
The Skills Gap- Building the Workforce of Tomorrow
A conversation focused on the growing pressure of the construction skills gap, and a realistic analysis of the obstacle it poses to turning the tide on our housing crisis. Housing development will not increase by the scale we need without a healthy flow of professionals, and encouraging and retaining new talent is a priority in order to turn the tide on the housing crisis. The talk will be led by a number of professionals such as Joe Bell, Skills Development Manager at City & Guilds, Lorraine Donelly, CEO of Your Housing, Dalvinder Shoker, CEO of Nayaa People and Helen Phoenix, Head of Work & Wellbeing at South Yorkshire Housing Association.
The success of the social housing sector is judged on the quality of life it can provide for its residents, and the communities they form. Future Foundations aims to embody this throughout our agenda, but even more so in zine three, where the human element of the sector is front and centre. Secure your FREE tickets for Future Foundations here, and follow the link to view our full agenda across the conference.
