• 20231004_105201 - Alex Smith

    Alex Smith

    Homeless Link

    alex.smith@homelesslink.org.uk

    Country: UK

    Languages: English

    Alex has worked with Homeless Link since 2019, leading on the Housing First England project. Alex Supports Housing First teams across the UK through training, good practice guidance and communities of practice, as well as working across research, policy and campaigns to advocate for the scaling up of Housing First in England. Alex completed the Train the Trainer Housing First training in 2019/2020 and has since developed and delivered training for Housing First practitioners and managers. Alex has a particular interest in fidelity to the Housing First principles, having developed the Staying on Track fidelity assurance framework in 2024.

  • Teammiddag Housing First Nederland

    Anke Jansen

    Housing First Nederland

    anke@housingfirstnederland.nl

    Country: Netherlands

    Languages: DutchEnglish

    Anke Jansen is Co-founder of Housing First Nederland and has a carrier in consultancy, healthcare and human rights. The last 15 years, she started several Housing First projects and developed herself as an expert in ending homelessness on both national and local level with the principles of Housing First. She loves to make impact to create a human world for all.

  • 1 - Emeline Legrain

    Emeline Legrain

    Observatoire wallon du sans abrisme - SPW IAS

    emeline.legrain@spw.wallonie.be

    Country: Belgium

    Languages: French

    I've been involved for over ten years in the fight against homelessness and the support of people in very precarious situations, and I'm currently Housing First referent at the Observatoire Wallon du Sans-Abrisme (in the French part of Belgium). In this role, I analyse programmes, organise training and take part in the identification of homeless people, in order to guarantee priority access to housing with appropriate support. As a former coordinator of the Housing First programme in Namur and a nurse at Relais Santé, I have always placed trust, individual skills and a holistic approach to support at the heart of my work. I also contribute to publications and training courses aimed at improving professional practices in the social sector.

  • Evoto

    Alena Vachnová

    Nadacia DEDO/ Foundation DEDO

    vachnova@nadaciadedo.sk

    Country: Slovakia

    Languages: EnglishSlovak

    Alena works to end homelessness in Eastern Slovakia by promoting affordable rental housing and integrated social, health, and employment services. She initiated the Housing First Programme for Families in Košice in 2020, now expanding to Prešov. As a strategic leader at the DEDO Foundation, she advocates for systemic change, shifting from managing to ending homelessness. Alena has trained professionals, policymakers, and service providers on evidence-based approaches to homelessness. With a background in law and social work, she holds a Master of Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School. Her goal is to ensure that housing is recognised as a human right in Slovakia.

  • NicolasBERUT - Nicolas BERUT

    Nicolas Berut

    Metropole de Lyon

    nberut@grandlyon.com

    Country: France

    Languages: French

    For the last thirty years or so, Nicolas has been working more specifically on issues of local social development and housing policies. His research focuses on the emergence of fundamental rights in social work practices. He has spent a large part of his career in the field of social policy on accommodation and housing. Today, he is involved in rolling out the Housing First model in France and piloting the Metropole of Lyon's Housing First policy.

  • 18160463_445661455766508_8423700000227196928_n(1) - Gustaf Henriksson

    Gustaf Henriksson

    City of Gothenburg

    gustafhson@gmail.com

    Country: Sweden

    Languages: EnglishSwedish

    With 20 years of experience working with the homeless, the last ten of which were in Housing First, I focus my training on changing the way people think about homelessness and the work around it. I also have extensive experience in leading the daily work within a Housing First organisation. My focus in my work is on seeing the healthy in people and conveying hope that change is possible.

  • Åsa

    Åsa Bäckström

    Stockholm city mission

    asa.backstrom@stadsmissionen.se

    Country: Sweden

    Languages: EnglishSwedish

    I am a sociologist and have worked with social work and homelessness for almost 20 years in various sectors. Now I work as a development manager at Stockholm City Mission. I went to cohort 4 and since then have trained in housing first for Sweden's city missions, mainly for municipalities in the start-up phase but also in other forms. Housing first because it works!

  • 032_Mitarbeiterinnenportraits__Liebentritt_06. Oktober 2020 - Marlene

    Marlene Panzenböck

    Neunerhaus - Hilfe für obdachlose Menschen

    Country: Austria

    Languages: EnglishGermanSpanish

    Marlene is a project manager and team leader at neunerhaus Housing First in Vienna and a lecturer for Housing First at the Vienna University of Applied Sciences. Marlene previously worked as a social worker with young refugees and in the education sector.

  • Sarah Edwards

    Sarah Edwards

    Crisis

    Country: UK

    Languages: English

    I am currently a Team Leader of a London-Wide Housing First Service (Crisis UK). I have over 10 years experience working in the homelessness sector, predominately in Housing First Services. I'm a keen advocate for systems change and sharing learning and best practice.