Housing LIN resumes networking events this month – join us for HAPPI Hour

Five months ago, as Covid-19 took hold, we had no other choice but to postpone our high-profile annual conference and reception in Manchester with 2 days to go. We were extremely disappointed but all our safety was and remains paramount.

We also had to suspend our regional meetings and roundtables this summer. Instead, we have partnered with other organisations on a range of free, virtual events as part of our business continuity plans (BCP).  For example, the 3Rs conference with Foundations and ADASS as summarised in this post-event report. This enabled more Housing LIN members to participate than would normally be the case if we were to hold a conference in a venue. We had over 900 people registered. We now want to build on this and extend our virtual events net.

As set out in our BCP, we stated that we would explore establishing our own digital platform so that we can resume our popular meetings this year, and also look to offer online training. Over the last few months, we have worked hard to develop a virtual presence, testing the technology out with some of you when launching our most recent products, such as the new extra care housing resources. These have again been well received and we now look forward to rolling out them out under our new brand, the Housing LIN's HAPPI Hour.

From mid-September onwards we will be hosting a series of free, hour+ long HAPPI Hours. They will draw on our learning and improvement activities and share with you, policy and funding developments, latest research findings and innovative practice, and thought-leadership. The first suite of these, this month, will focus on:

• Homelessness under Covid-19: finding a permanent solution (on 10 September)
• HAPPI days: what makes and award-winning scheme? (on 17 September)
• Supported housing: transforming the housing choices for people with complex needs (on 24 September)

For more details, register your attendance by visiting the event’s page for each and sign up to a HAPPI Hour of your choice. And if you want to be kept notified of similar online activities or topics of interest, check the information you supplied when you first registered with the Housing LIN. You can review and update your entry here. Future HAPPI Hours will include topics such as intergenerational living, technology, health and planning matters, and collaborative ways of living, interspersed with work undertaken by our consultancy team.

Lastly, for sponsors of the Housing LIN, we also a premium HAPPI Hour offer. If you would like to find out more about this, email us at info@housinglin.org.uk, stating 'Premium HAPPI Hour' in the header.

We very much look forward to welcoming you to join us at our forthcoming HAPPI Hours and making these a great success. Drinks not included!

Stay networked with the Housing LIN for the latest in housing and care matters.