SFHA Annual Conference Speaker Interview: Tom Norris
Ahead of our Annual Conference, taking place on 14 and 15 June at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow, we asked our speakers what they'll be discussing during their session. Tom Norris, Managing Director at Places for People shared his thoughts with us on the stigma that surrounds poverty and how we can address it.
What are you discussing at the conference and why is this an important issue?
Places for People Scotland creates places to live, places to work and places to relax and enjoy. We do what we do so that people and communities can be proud of where they live. Sometimes however, despite our best efforts, the stigma of social housing can rear its ugly head.
I’ll be speaking about the role of organisations like Places for People Scotland in building not only homes but understanding what social housing is and is not, changing the misconceptions and ensuring that people across Scotland have access to quality, affordable and sustainable housing. What are housing associations like us doing to end the stigma of social housing, and what more can be done in the months and years ahead? And, most importantly of all, how do our customers feel about it?
How can we achieve the Scottish Government’s vision of a fairer Scotland as we continue to recover from the pandemic?
Ultimately, it will come down to how successfully we can work together, as housing providers, developers, government – both national and local – to help people at the sharp end who we know will be most adversely affected. Whether it’s through help and advice about rent arrears which we offer to our customers, or working in partnership, at national and local government level, to find innovative solutions to capital investment, it will take all of us to ensure that people are supported.
Places for People Scotland is committed to ensuring that those who need it, have a safe place to call home, and the support of communities and networks around them, to not only survive, but thrive.
Do you think stigma still surrounds poverty in Scotland and what immediate actions can we take to address it?
There is vast research which shows how negative and discriminatory attitudes towards people living in poverty are continuing to scar the lives of people across Scotland.
Often, people living in poverty are depicted as undeserving of support, or somehow to blame for their situation. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
This stigma plays a massive role in preventing communities, and Scotland as a whole, from becoming a more fair and equal society.
Ultimately, the key to tackling stigma is to involve people with experience of poverty in the process. At Places for People Scotland, we work closely with our customers, communities and partners to raise awareness of local issues, build understanding and compassion, and address them promptly.
SFHA Annual Conference
14 and 15 June 2022, Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow
Tom will be speaking during the closing plenary session 'Is stigma holding tenants back?' on Wednesday 15 June.