The National Expert Panel met this week for the first time following the launch of Homewards – a transformative new programme from Prince William and The Royal Foundation that aims to demonstrate that together, it is possible to end homelessness, making it rare, brief and unrepeated.
The group – consisting of ten renowned experts from across homelessness and associated areas – came together to reflect upon the launch of the programme, as well as provide crucial advice and insight to The Royal Foundation on next steps.
National Expert Panel members have been chosen for their expertise in a range of areas including housing economics, homelessness prevention, mental health, human rights and criminal justice, and represent all four nations of the UK.
The Homewards National Expert Panel members are:
- Rachel Brennan, Participation and Progression Director at Groundswell, a homelessness and health charity that actively promotes and supports involvement of people with lived experience in developing and delivering solutions to homelessness.
- Tom Bridges, a chartered town planner and Arup’s Leeds Office Leader, with over 27 years’ experience in economic development, town planning, urban and regional policy, transport, regeneration and city operations.
- Pavan Dhaliwal, Chief Executive of Revolving Doors, the national charity working to break the cycle of crisis and crime for those whose behaviours are largely driven by unmet health and social needs, such as homelessness.
- Professor Kenneth Gibb, professor of housing economics at the University of Glasgow where he is the Director of the ESRC UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence. Ken has published widely on issues of housing markets, social housing and the economics of housing policy.
- Tamsyn Hyatt, Director of Evidence at FrameWorks UK. Tamsyn works to understand how people think about social issues and with non-profits across Europe to translate framing research into practice on such issues including homelessness.
- Alyson Kilpatrick, Chief Commissioner to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. Alyson was previously a Commissioner on the Independent Commission on the Future of Housing in Northern Ireland.
- Professor Peter Mackie, Professor in the School of Geography and Planning at Cardiff University, where the primary focus of his research and advisory work is homelessness prevention, impacting legislation and practice in multiple countries.
- Geeta Nanda, former Chair of the G15, the group of London’s leading housing associations, and current Chief Executive of Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing, a leading national provider of affordable homes to rent and buy.
- Dr Shubalade (Lade) Smith, incoming President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and Consultant Psychiatrist at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. Lade has specialist expertise in mental health inequality.
- Lydia Stazen, Executive Director at the Ruff Institute of Global Homelessness. Lydia is Chair of the United Nations NGO Working Group to End Homelessness and a founding editorial Board Member of the International Journal on Homelessness.
The panel previously met in March, playing a pivotal role in the selection of the six Homewards locations, and many have provided ongoing advice and challenge throughout the development of the programme.
The group will continue to meet twice per year to support the implementation of Homewards with ongoing advice, guidance and challenge.
