Homelessness and substance use: Manchester's view

Dr Robert Ralphs is part of the Substance Use and Addictive Behaviours (SUAB) group. They conduct research that improves the lives of those affected by problematic substance use, and aim to improve policy and practice in this area. He has spent the past four years working on Manchester City Council/Community Safety Partnership-funded projects looking into substance use in the homeless community; this has covered ‘Spice’ and the concerns about the perceived increase in drug related litter. Robert will discuss the direct impact his research has had on policy and practice in Manchester.

As part of her research at MMU, Dr Sarah Fox conducted various interviews with women from the North West who experienced problematic substance use and co-occuring domestic abuse. Sarah wrote their stories into pen portraits and will be sharing these stories with us, whilst also discussing substance use in women more generally, and the complexities that are associated with it. In addition to her research at MMU, Dr Sarah Fox is a trustee and active volunteer for Emmeline's pantry, a local Manchester women's food, clothes and baby bank, and strong advocate of gender equality.

Just how can we tackle rough sleeping in Manchester? We have Molly Bishop, a passionate National Housing Federation Young Leader, to provide a glimpse into the unique solutions that Manchester has to offer through her work with Stockport Homes and the ‘A Bed Every Night’ programme. Come to understand the complexity of homelessness as a system and just how we can end it.