From Streets to Homes: Unveiling Oxford's Housing First Success Through Collaborative Research

“I was pleased as punch because it’s my place. It’s my home.” - Housing First Service User 

Background

In 2021/22, Oxford City Council implemented a Housing First programme to help address the homelessness of some of the most disadvantaged people in our community. Housing First is an internationally recognised and evidence-based housing intervention that has demonstrated success in supporting individuals with complex and multifaceted needs to obtain and maintain stable housing. Unlike traditional forms of support, Housing First service users are not required to address non-housing needs, such as drug or alcohol misuse, before being offered independent housing. Housing First also involves the provision of comprehensive and long-term support to help people sustain their tenancy. 

Through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Local Authority Short Placement Award for Research Collaboration (LA SPARC), Jonathan Taylor had the opportunity to spend time embedded with Oxford City Council studying their implementation of Housing First. 

What is the NIHR LA SPARC?

The NIHR LA SPARC is a fellowship and short-term placement scheme that aims to support local authorities, local authority-commissioned services, and non-profit organisations (like charities) in becoming more research-active. The aim is to co-create research that is more meaningful and better connected with practice. At the same time, the scheme also serves to enhance the careers of the awardees. 

Applicants can be:  

• Academy members (pre-doctoral, masters students, PhD or early carer post-doctoral researchers) in the NIHR infrastructure or an NIHR School who would like to take a short placement in a Local Authority setting.  
• Individuals based in a local authority setting who would like to take a short placement in a part of the NIHR. 
  

The NIHR LA SPARC scheme is designed to facilitate project co-production and enhance partnerships. For example, applicants are encouraged to think about what to contribute or offer to the placement host and how they can work together in the future.  

During placement, awardees are given funding which they can flexibly use to support their salaries, cover for travel, accommodation and subsistence during the placement. The funding can also be allocated towards short training courses and support production of media materials such as infographics, videos etc. 

Overall, such initiatives help to bridge the gap between academic work and the real-world contexts where services are delivered to communities.

Dr Jonathan Taylor’s Research Project

Dr Taylor, a researcher based at (the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Population Health) supported by the NIHR Applied Health Research Centre, co-produced a study examining how Oxford City Council delivers its Housing First programme. The goal was to develop a better understanding of the key components and processes involved in providing this supportive housing solution at the local level.

Through his LA SPARC placement, Jonathan Taylor directly worked with Oxford City Council staff, service providers, individuals with lived experience of homelessness and members of the Oxford Lived Experience Advisory Forum. This allowed him to identify strengths, challenges, and areas for potential improvement in Oxford’s City Council Housing First programme.  

He was able to conduct an in-depth qualitative analysis which was later made into a nine-minute video documentary.

The Key Findings 

• Comprehensive support provided to prospective Housing First beneficiaries before they transitioned into independent housing was a key component to the project’s success.  
• There are opportunities for enhanced collaboration among the various stakeholders involved in delivering Housing First services. Strengthening communication and aligning practices between Oxford City Council, housing providers, support services, and people experiencing homelessness could further enhance the programme’s delivery and effectiveness.
  

Impacts of the Placement 

“My LA SPARC placement has involved consulting with staff employed by Oxford City Council, service providers, as well as people with experience of homelessness. This project has enabled me to develop a better understanding of local decision making and service delivery as it relates to people affected by homelessness.”  
– Dr Taylor

Beyond the specific insights into Oxford's Housing First Programme, Jonathan Taylor’s LA SPARC placement had broader impacts:   

• It allowed him to build stronger relationships with the city council staff, homeless service providers, and those with lived experiences. These connections can facilitate future research collaborations addressing the complex issue of homelessness. 
• The video documentary produced during the placement provides a powerful visual complement to the research findings which can serve as an educational tool, raising awareness about the realities and challenges of delivering supportive housing solutions like Housing First. 
• The placement enabled Dr Taylor to conduct a richer examination into Oxford's Housing First practices. The skills gained will support future grant applications.
  

As communities nationwide grapple with addressing homelessness, studies like this add to the evidence base that informs more effective interventions and policy decisions.  

Embedded research placements play a vital role in grounding academic work in the real-world contexts where it can have the greatest impact.