Housing First

Housing First Consortium

Housing First in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire consists of five partnership organisations, these are Aberdeen Cyrenians, Aberdeen Foyer, Turing Point Scotland, Aberdeen City Council and  Aberdeenshire Council.  The five partners are working together to  maintain effective pathways to ensure those suffering from cyclical homelessness and multiple complex needs receive the housing and support required to live and integrate successfully within our and their local communities.

Housing First logo

About Housing First and Housing First for Youth

Housing First is an international evidence-based approach which uses independent, stable housing as a platform to enable individuals with multiple and complex needs to begin recovery and move away from homelessness. It operates on the principle that if a person has a safe, secure home they are in the best position to address any other challenges they may have.

Our aim in this innovative service is to ensure that people with complex needs are accommodated safely without the requirement to be ‘housing ready’. Based around a set of core principles which are designed to achieve optimum outcomes, Housing First is an innovative approach, proven to successfully support people with repeat histories of homelessness and who experience multiple disadvantages, into independent and stable accommodation. Once housed, they are provided with the supportive services and connections to community-based support so that they sustain their housing and avoid returning to homelessness. The

Housing First Model is based on the following core principles:

  • People have a right to a home
  • Flexible support is provided for as long as is needed
  • Housing and support are separated
  • Individuals have choice and control
  • An active engagement approach is used
  • People are supported to identify their strengths, goals and aspirations
  • A harm reduction approach is used

Housing First for Youth acknowledges that the roots and circumstances of youth homelessness are distinct from adults, and therefore the solutions must be youth focused. Housing First has predominantly been used to support adults with chronic life challenges and has a strong evidence base to support the model. It is only in the last 5 years this this model has been applied to young people who are homeless or at risk. This is an opportunity to build on the emerging understanding around HF4Y and draw directly from the Foyer Housing model. HF4Y is grounded in the belief that all young people have a right to housing and that those who have experienced homelessness will do better and recover more effectively if they are first provided with housing.

The core principles of HF4Y are:

1. A right to housing with no preconditions

2. Youth choice, youth voice and self-determination

3. Positive youth development and wellness orientation

4. Individualised, client-driven supports with no time limits

5. Social inclusion and community integration