Matt Downie MBE
Chief Executive , Crisis
Matt has worked at Crisis since 2014. In 2019 he was awarded an MBE for services to tackling homelessness and in 2022 became Chief Executive. Prior to Crisis Matt worked at Action for Children.
Chief Executive , Crisis
Matt has worked at Crisis since 2014. In 2019 he was awarded an MBE for services to tackling homelessness and in 2022 became Chief Executive. Prior to Crisis Matt worked at Action for Children.
In April last year, Crisis turned 50. While this milestone is usually an achievement for an organ...
It is time to repeal the Vagrancy Act, yes. But if the answer was ever about whether to criminalise people, then we have been asking the wrong question. If we can see our way past labelling, grouping, dismissing, damning, pointlessly prosecuting and fining people, perhaps we can start answering the right question. What help and support do people need to realise their potential, and how quickly can we get it to everyone that needs it?
This week saw the start of an exciting new piece of work to identify how we can improve homelessness prevention in Scotland so that as few people as possible ever become homeless.
The Prevention Review Group met yesterday, our third meeting since we started our work in November. As discussions have unfolded, some initial recommendations have emerged as to how we see homelessness prevention developing in Scotland.
Over the last few months, we have seen a phenomenal effort from national and local government and homelessness charities to help thousands of people sleeping on our streets, and in overcrowded accommodation, into emergency accommodation in the midst of this dangerous pandemic. Our work - both through our frontline services and with local homelessness organisations - has meant we have seen people who have never before accessed help to end their homelessness provided with a roof over their heads where they can safely self-isolate.
Today (5 July) Crisis, in collaboration with the National Police Chiefs' Council publish a unique...
MPs are voting this week on Government plans to introduce photo ID requirements for voting in gen...
It is World Homelessness Day, which is a good excuse to step back and look at whether we can lear...