MSP for the Highlands & Islands Emma Roddick has recently been named as a Centre for Homelessness Impact ‘End it With Evidence’ Ambassador.
The UK-based charity champions evidence-led change by better collection and use of data on homelessness.
Speaking in the recent online Impact Forum run by the charity, Ms Roddick shared her own experience with homelessness, highlighting the importance of the organisation’s work in providing accurate data and information on homelessness and breaking down stigma.
She said:
“I am absolutely delighted to be onboard with Centre for Homelessness Impact, an organisation that is passionate about seeing real change.
“Having been homeless myself in the past, housing and homelessness are issues I care about deeply and I have first-hand experience of the stigma and misunderstanding surrounding them.
“I also see it every day through my work as an MSP.
“Homelessness in my region, the Highlands & Islands, often presents differently from what you might find in the Central Belt.
“People know there isn’t housing available in their community and that they cannot afford to compete with absentee landlords making large offers on homes in tourist hotspots, so many will stay in overcrowded situations and not even register as homeless – it’s very hard to measure the extent of this hidden homelessness.
“We need all the data we can get on these unique challenges if we stand a chance of understanding the context of hidden, rural, and island homelessness.
“So, I’m excited about the work Centre for Homelessness Impact is doing and look forward to shouting about it and getting involved in every way I can.”
