All in for Change was formed as a result of the Ending Homelessness Together Plan (2018) which included recommendations to end homelessness in Scotland and involve lived experience in policy development.

We use easy language and a very informal working approach to bridge the gap between policy, planning, and action on the ground.

We are represented on the Scottish Government’s Homelessness Prevention Strategy Group (HPSG) where we are invited to present a report outlining our learning and knowledge from the ground.

We listen, explain, connect, persuade, guide, encourage, understand, reality-check, design.

• We meet every month to share ideas and swap notes on what is happening in our networks.
• What we see on the ground shapes our work and priorities.
• We consult on and contribute to high level decision making with the Scottish government, local councils and organizations across the UK.
• We sit on many groups and collectives helping to inform policy.
• We present at webinars, conferences and events.
• We lead our own peer research projects and national conversations

Our work is guided by what we call our 4 New Directions which are the recommendations from the Ending Homelessness Together Plans (2018, 2020) condensed into 4 clear, accessible messages.

Our 4 new directions are:

• People First – Taking a more person-centred approach to supporting the social, mental and physical wellbeing of individuals, giving people more choice and control
• At Home – Everyone has a right to settled, good quality, mainstream housing as quickly as possible
• No Wrong Door – Stronger coordinated working between different services, with clearer pathways for those most at risk and no-one being turned away
• Good Vibes – Focusing on people’s strengths and abilities, creating positive environments in our services and helping others to understand and be compassionate about people going through tough times

An evaluation was carried out in 2023 to explore the impact of All in for Change on individual Change Leads and the wider sector. The evaluation included survey data collected regularly throughout the programme, and qualitative interviews with Change Leads and external partners working in homelessness policy who had engaged with the Change Team.

Contributing to policy development and culture change

The Change Team has been directly involved in policy development in Scotland by working closely with Scottish Government and being involved in a range of working groups.

“It’s not a box ticking exercise. Every time we’re working on a new policy, the Change Team are part of that. It’s becoming embedded in a lot of our work.” (policy officer)

“Engaging with the Change Team has allowed me to help us understand the difference between active engagement with a particular demographic versus public engagement, which is a far more generic thing. And we’ve seen organisational change as a result.” (policy officer)

Both Change Leads and policy officers indicated that the Change Team has helped break down barriers and reduce the divide between people working in policy and people with lived and frontline experience.

Impact on Change Leads

The programme has also had a positive impact on individual Change Leads. Some Change Leads mentioned how being part of All in for Change has improved their confidence.

“People trust you and have faith in what you have to say is so important to me due to my past experiences, as at times in my life I never had trust or faith in myself, it’s a great feeling.” (Change Lead)

For Change Lead working in the sector, being part of the Team has given them the opportunity to advocate on behalf of the people they support and feel empowered to share their views.

“I felt the change team were a great sounding board for me and gave me the confidence to bring up new ideas at work.” (Change Lead)