The last year has been a difficult time for migrants and for housing providers. Housing providers face increasing demands on them to do more with less, while struggling to keep faith with their tenants and to be fair to all. The toxic debate around Brexit and the government commitment to creating a “hostile environment” for some has brought discrimination and sometimes fear into the lives of many migrants. Migrant destitution and homelessness is a growing problem.
We need to find ways to work well in these hard times. So ARHAG and Innisfree housing associations and Praxis Community Projects commissioned MigrationWork to organise a first Migrants’ Access to Housing Conference to explore what we can do. We quickly got the support of major figures in the housing world and London government. Today we find out what we can do and what may come next.
Speakers
- Terrie Alafat CBE is Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing
- Jennette Arnold OBE is a Labour and Co-operative Party politician and member of the London Assembly representing the London Boroughs of Hackney, Islington and Waltham Forest
- Adrian Berry is a barrister at Garden Court Chambers and chair of ILPA
- Sally Daghlian OBE has 25 years’ professional experience in the migration field. Sally is CEO of Praxis Community Projects
- Patrick Duce is the Innovation and Good Practice Project Manager at Homeless Link
- Sue Lukes is a director of MigrationWork and co-edits the CIH/BME national website www.housing-rights.info.
- Dr Nigel de Noronha conducts research on housing disadvantage and discrimination experienced by migrants in the UK
- David Orr is Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation and a former President of Housing Europe, the European network for Social Housing
- Barbara Roche is a former Member of Parliament and Government Minister. In government she served in the DTI, Treasury, Home Office, Cabinet Office and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. At the Home Office, she was the Minister for Immigration.
- Babita Sharma is a Documentarian, TV Presenter, BAME spokesperson and News Anchor for the BBC
Programme
10:00 – Welcome
Jennette Arnold OBE Chair, London Assembly
10:15 – Panel discussion: Housing Migrants in Hard Times
chaired by Barbara Roche, Former MP and immigration minister, Chair of Praxis Community Projects
Setting the Scene; Brexit and housing
Terrie Alafat CBE, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing
Housing Associations in the age of migration
David Orr, Chief Executive National Housing Federation
Housing, migration, discrimination and disadvantage
Dr Nigel de Noronha, University of Warwick
12:00 – Seminar introductions
chaired by Sally Daghlian OBE, Chief Executive Praxis Community Projects
Housing rights for migrants: the legal position
Adrian Berry, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Migrants in trouble, helping the destitute
Patrick Duce, Homeless Link and Sally Daghlian OBE, Praxis Community Projects
Migrant customers and how to work with them
Sue Lukes, Director, MigrationWork CIC
13:30 – Seminars and briefings
Housing rights for migrants: the legal position
Adrian Berry, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Migrants in trouble, helping the destitute
Patrick Duce, Homeless Link and Sally Daghlian OBE, Praxis Community Projects
Migrant customers and how to work with them
Sue Lukes, Director, MigrationWork CIC
16:30 – Plenary: bringing it all together: the Migrant Housing Pledge
David Orr, Chief Executive National Housing Federation
Babita Sharma, BBC World News presenter
Organisers
Arhag
Arhag was set up in 1979 as a community organisation to support African refugees who were experiencing housing problems. Arhag registered as a housing association in 1988 and started to develop permanent homes in 1989. Arhag still, primarily, house refugees and migrants but now from all countries and continents.
www.arhag.co.uk | @Arhag
Praxis
Praxis is a human rights’ charity that has been supporting migrants and refugees in London for over 30 years. They provide a holist ic range of services including specialist immigration advice and casework, housing, group work and advocacy. They build innovative cross-sector partnerships to find sustainable solutions to migrant homelessness and destitution. Their frontline expertise in forms their training courses, which support service providers to work more effectively with migrants and refugees.
www.praxis.co.uk | @Praxis_Projects
Innisfree
Innisfree is a housing association providing high-quality affordable homes, proud of their Irish roots and their experience in working with migrant communities. Established in 1985 to meet the housing and support needs of the Irish communities in London they now own and manage over 550 homes predominately in the London Boroughs of Brent, Camden and Haringey.
www.innisfree.org.uk | @_InnisfreeHA
