Housing Options Scotland are delighted to have been shortlisted for the inaugural Marion Gibbs Award for Equality in Housing at this years CIH Scotland Housing awards, for our appropriately named “Equality in Housing” podcast, made in partnership with the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence.

Marion was a tireless campaigner for equality, diversity and inclusion in housing in Scotland and it’s an honour to have been shortlisted for an award bearing her name.

A huge thank you to CIH Scotland and the panel for recognising our work, and good luck to the other shortlisted projects.

Equality in Housing is a podcast, co-produced by Pedro Cameron, Head of Engagement at Housing Options Scotland, and Dr Gareth Young, Knowledge Exchange and Impact Fellow at the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE).

The podcast seeks to address all aspects of disadvantage in the Scottish Housing Sector and beyond. This includes all protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010, and also some other disadvantaged groups not covered by that but who face individual challenges. It looks at how those accessing housing can be affected, but also the impact on the workforce.

The podcast shines a light on examples of best practice, gaps in evidence and the links between lived experience, frontline workers, the third sector and research, data and academia. It aims to make issues around EDI, and the solutions to these, accessible to those working in the housing, third, and academic sectors.

Guests have included Rohini Sharma Joshi OBE and Charlie McMillan, CEO of SCLD, and it has covered topics around LGBTQ+ issues, older people, ethnic minorities, trauma and veterans. Future episodes include guests from Scottish Refugee Council, and Who Cares? Scotland.

The podcast is scheduled to have its first live event in November, hosting a live recording to an audience of up to 300 at SCVO’s The Gathering.

You can listen to the podcast here: