Mark Baillie
@markbaillie89.bsky.social
All musings here are my own... Head of Policy and Programmes at Homeless Connect
Reposted by Mark Baillie
Homelessness Awareness Week is only a few days away!
Make sure to have a look at our programme outlining all the events taking place during the week: homelessconnect.org/events/
#HAW25 #SeeThePerson
Make sure to have a look at our programme outlining all the events taking place during the week: homelessconnect.org/events/
#HAW25 #SeeThePerson
November 28, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Homelessness Awareness Week is only a few days away!
Make sure to have a look at our programme outlining all the events taking place during the week: homelessconnect.org/events/
#HAW25 #SeeThePerson
Make sure to have a look at our programme outlining all the events taking place during the week: homelessconnect.org/events/
#HAW25 #SeeThePerson
Reposted by Mark Baillie
A staggering 4,730 children in Northern Ireland are living in temporary accommodation - a 121% rise since 2019. Childhood homelessness harms health, wellbeing, and education. Please #SeeThePerson and support efforts to help children and families facing homelessness. #HAW25
November 21, 2025 at 10:13 AM
A staggering 4,730 children in Northern Ireland are living in temporary accommodation - a 121% rise since 2019. Childhood homelessness harms health, wellbeing, and education. Please #SeeThePerson and support efforts to help children and families facing homelessness. #HAW25
Reposted by Mark Baillie
Homelessness is more than numbers or labels. This Homelessness Awareness Week (1–7 Dec), let’s #SeeThePerson behind every statistic - real people with hopes, challenges, and potential.
November 20, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Homelessness is more than numbers or labels. This Homelessness Awareness Week (1–7 Dec), let’s #SeeThePerson behind every statistic - real people with hopes, challenges, and potential.
Reposted by Mark Baillie
Homeless Connect in person course on 18 November, (Belfast) is 'Effective Conversations to Reduce Alcohol and Drug Related harm'. This course will increase staff confidence in managing alcohol and/or drug related situations safely. Fee:£135 (member); £165 (non-member)
Book today bit.ly/47m4c4V
Book today bit.ly/47m4c4V
October 24, 2025 at 7:58 AM
Homeless Connect in person course on 18 November, (Belfast) is 'Effective Conversations to Reduce Alcohol and Drug Related harm'. This course will increase staff confidence in managing alcohol and/or drug related situations safely. Fee:£135 (member); £165 (non-member)
Book today bit.ly/47m4c4V
Book today bit.ly/47m4c4V
Reposted by Mark Baillie
In CT Brief, Nicola McCrudden, CEO of Homeless Connect, explores what’s driving Northern Ireland’s homelessness crisis –
and how prevention and collaboration can build a better system. Read here: www.campbelltickell.com/ctbrief/issu...
and how prevention and collaboration can build a better system. Read here: www.campbelltickell.com/ctbrief/issu...
Homelessness in NI - CTB 80
The latest insights from Campbell Tickell's CTB80: Nicola McCrudden of Homeless Connect explores the pressures, prevention and pathways forward.
www.campbelltickell.com
October 17, 2025 at 8:39 AM
In CT Brief, Nicola McCrudden, CEO of Homeless Connect, explores what’s driving Northern Ireland’s homelessness crisis –
and how prevention and collaboration can build a better system. Read here: www.campbelltickell.com/ctbrief/issu...
and how prevention and collaboration can build a better system. Read here: www.campbelltickell.com/ctbrief/issu...
Reposted by Mark Baillie
On 25 Sept, join our free webinar to learn how your charity, school, or community group can access surplus food through FareShare.
Support your services, cut costs, and help feed vulnerable people across NI.
Register here 👉 homelessconnect.org/event/feedin...
Support your services, cut costs, and help feed vulnerable people across NI.
Register here 👉 homelessconnect.org/event/feedin...
August 28, 2025 at 10:21 AM
On 25 Sept, join our free webinar to learn how your charity, school, or community group can access surplus food through FareShare.
Support your services, cut costs, and help feed vulnerable people across NI.
Register here 👉 homelessconnect.org/event/feedin...
Support your services, cut costs, and help feed vulnerable people across NI.
Register here 👉 homelessconnect.org/event/feedin...
Reposted by Mark Baillie
Urgent need for additional funding for social housing provision as NI homelessness numbers continue to spiral upwards - viewdigital.org/urgent-need-...
Urgent need for additional funding for social housing provision as NI homelessness numbers continue to spiral upwards - VIEWdigital
The Department for Communities released the latest edition of its Housing Bulletin for April to June 2025 today. The statistics show that the number of households with homelessness status in Northern ...
viewdigital.org
August 21, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Urgent need for additional funding for social housing provision as NI homelessness numbers continue to spiral upwards - viewdigital.org/urgent-need-...
Reposted by Mark Baillie
The housing crisis in NI is worsening, with over 32,000 households now facing homelessness, up 136% in the last decade. Without urgent funding for social housing, more families will be left behind.
Full statement from Homeless Connect: bit.ly/41iUnm9
Full statement from Homeless Connect: bit.ly/41iUnm9
August 21, 2025 at 10:28 AM
The housing crisis in NI is worsening, with over 32,000 households now facing homelessness, up 136% in the last decade. Without urgent funding for social housing, more families will be left behind.
Full statement from Homeless Connect: bit.ly/41iUnm9
Full statement from Homeless Connect: bit.ly/41iUnm9
Reposted by Mark Baillie
🚨 The NI Homelessness Conference 2025 tackles some of the biggest issues facing our sector:
⚕️Overdose Prevention Facilities
🏡Housing allocations reform
🧔♀️Violence against women & girls
📦Migration & homelessness in Europe
Book tickets @HomelessConnect
9 Oct | Belfast | homelessconnect.org
⚕️Overdose Prevention Facilities
🏡Housing allocations reform
🧔♀️Violence against women & girls
📦Migration & homelessness in Europe
Book tickets @HomelessConnect
9 Oct | Belfast | homelessconnect.org
August 5, 2025 at 8:59 AM
🚨 The NI Homelessness Conference 2025 tackles some of the biggest issues facing our sector:
⚕️Overdose Prevention Facilities
🏡Housing allocations reform
🧔♀️Violence against women & girls
📦Migration & homelessness in Europe
Book tickets @HomelessConnect
9 Oct | Belfast | homelessconnect.org
⚕️Overdose Prevention Facilities
🏡Housing allocations reform
🧔♀️Violence against women & girls
📦Migration & homelessness in Europe
Book tickets @HomelessConnect
9 Oct | Belfast | homelessconnect.org
Reposted by Mark Baillie
Fantastic and often ground breaking work. Thank you Depaul staff both past and present 👏
Congratulations to our member organisation Depaul on the event held at Belfast City Hall to mark their 20th anniversary of operation in NI. Former staff member and current Belfast Lord Mayor @micky-murray.bsky.social gave a powerful tribute to the great work of Depaul at the event.
May 22, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Fantastic and often ground breaking work. Thank you Depaul staff both past and present 👏
Reposted by Mark Baillie
Our Head of Policy and Programmes @markbaillie89.bsky.social took a visit to the Crossfire Trust this afternoon. It was fantastic to meet the team and hear about the compassionate support they provide in Darkley in Armagh.
You can find out more about the Trust here- www.crossfiretrust.net
You can find out more about the Trust here- www.crossfiretrust.net
May 9, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Our Head of Policy and Programmes @markbaillie89.bsky.social took a visit to the Crossfire Trust this afternoon. It was fantastic to meet the team and hear about the compassionate support they provide in Darkley in Armagh.
You can find out more about the Trust here- www.crossfiretrust.net
You can find out more about the Trust here- www.crossfiretrust.net
Reposted by Mark Baillie
Homeless Connect is made up of over forty member organisations across NI. These organisations are of different shapes and sizes but are all united by the same goal- ending homelessness here.
Join us on the journey to end homelessness.
homelessconnect.org/membership/
Join us on the journey to end homelessness.
homelessconnect.org/membership/
May 6, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Homeless Connect is made up of over forty member organisations across NI. These organisations are of different shapes and sizes but are all united by the same goal- ending homelessness here.
Join us on the journey to end homelessness.
homelessconnect.org/membership/
Join us on the journey to end homelessness.
homelessconnect.org/membership/
Reposted by Mark Baillie
We have submitted our response to Ciara Ferugson MLA's consultation on unfair letting agent fees. You can read what we had to say here- homelessconnect.org/unfair-letti...
May 1, 2025 at 3:05 PM
We have submitted our response to Ciara Ferugson MLA's consultation on unfair letting agent fees. You can read what we had to say here- homelessconnect.org/unfair-letti...
Reposted by Mark Baillie
Last week the Housing Executive published the latest 'Performance of the Rental Market in NI' report produced by Ulster University. The report contains a wide range of insights into the increasing affordability challenges facing many renters in NI 1/4 🧵
www.nihe.gov.uk/search/redir...
www.nihe.gov.uk/search/redir...
April 15, 2025 at 8:16 AM
Last week the Housing Executive published the latest 'Performance of the Rental Market in NI' report produced by Ulster University. The report contains a wide range of insights into the increasing affordability challenges facing many renters in NI 1/4 🧵
www.nihe.gov.uk/search/redir...
www.nihe.gov.uk/search/redir...
Reposted by Mark Baillie
Last week the NI Frontline Network held a networking event for floating support staff working in greater Belfast. We had participants at different stages of their career coming together to share their experiences and learn more about how they can best support folks they are working to support.
April 3, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Last week the NI Frontline Network held a networking event for floating support staff working in greater Belfast. We had participants at different stages of their career coming together to share their experiences and learn more about how they can best support folks they are working to support.
Reposted by Mark Baillie
NI Audit Office report on #homelessness is very helpful with startling facts that might come as a surprise to some. Reducing hotel/B&B use is a must for obvious reasons and rebalancing budgets to focus on prevention and co-ordinated support is the way forward, along with social housing building.
Our CEO @nicolamccrudden.bsky.social McCrudden was on UTV Live tonight with responding to the @niauditoffice.bsky.social report on homelessness in NI. You can watch the full piece at the link here- www.itv.com/news/utv/202...
March 25, 2025 at 8:08 PM
NI Audit Office report on #homelessness is very helpful with startling facts that might come as a surprise to some. Reducing hotel/B&B use is a must for obvious reasons and rebalancing budgets to focus on prevention and co-ordinated support is the way forward, along with social housing building.
Reposted by Mark Baillie
Our Head of Policy and Programmes @markbaillie89.bsky.social was on BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme this morning responding to the @niauditoffice.bsky.social report on homelessness in NI. You can listen to the full interview here- www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... starting at 1:36:40
March 25, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Our Head of Policy and Programmes @markbaillie89.bsky.social was on BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme this morning responding to the @niauditoffice.bsky.social report on homelessness in NI. You can listen to the full interview here- www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... starting at 1:36:40
Reposted by Mark Baillie
Our CEO @nicolamccrudden.bsky.social is quoted today on @irishtimes.com and on BBC News NI responding to the publication of the @niauditoffice.bsky.social report on homelessness in NI. See links below:
BBC News NI: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Irish Times: www.irishtimes.com/.../norths-h...
BBC News NI: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Irish Times: www.irishtimes.com/.../norths-h...
March 25, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Our CEO @nicolamccrudden.bsky.social is quoted today on @irishtimes.com and on BBC News NI responding to the publication of the @niauditoffice.bsky.social report on homelessness in NI. See links below:
BBC News NI: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Irish Times: www.irishtimes.com/.../norths-h...
BBC News NI: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Irish Times: www.irishtimes.com/.../norths-h...
Reposted by Mark Baillie
Our Head of Policy @markbaillie89.bsky.social was in the @belfasttelegraph.co.uk yesterday commenting on the budgetary constraints facing the Department for Communities in 2025/6 when it comes to building new social homes
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/norther...
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/norther...
NI social housing plans at risk as budget limits new builds
Plans to build 5,850 new social homes in Northern Ireland by 2027 could be at risk, as budget constraints could see fewer than 1,000 started in the next financial year.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
March 18, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Our Head of Policy @markbaillie89.bsky.social was in the @belfasttelegraph.co.uk yesterday commenting on the budgetary constraints facing the Department for Communities in 2025/6 when it comes to building new social homes
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/norther...
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/norther...
Reposted by Mark Baillie
Our Head of Policy @markbaillie89.bsky.social is in a piece by @grainnecuffe.bsky.social in @insidehousing.bsky.social commenting on the need for investment in #socialhousing to meet the target set out in the programme for government #homelessness
www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/housing...
www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/housing...
March 4, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Our Head of Policy @markbaillie89.bsky.social is in a piece by @grainnecuffe.bsky.social in @insidehousing.bsky.social commenting on the need for investment in #socialhousing to meet the target set out in the programme for government #homelessness
www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/housing...
www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/housing...
Reposted by Mark Baillie
Yesterday the NI Executive published its Programme for Government up to May 2027. You can read our response to what it includes on our website: homelessconnect.org/homeless-con...
March 4, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Yesterday the NI Executive published its Programme for Government up to May 2027. You can read our response to what it includes on our website: homelessconnect.org/homeless-con...
Reposted by Mark Baillie
Our CEO @nicolamccrudden.bsky.social in @belfastlive.co.uk warning about the impact of the coming rise in employer national insurance contributions on the homelessness sector here #homelessness #nics #vcs
There are fears extra costs could impact much-needed services in the coming months
NI charities facing 'major challenges' as homeless figures rise
www.belfastlive.co.uk
February 28, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Our CEO @nicolamccrudden.bsky.social in @belfastlive.co.uk warning about the impact of the coming rise in employer national insurance contributions on the homelessness sector here #homelessness #nics #vcs
Reposted by Mark Baillie
This afternoon #apghomelessness met at the Assembly. The group heard from three Health Inclusion nurses working for the Belfast, South-Eastern and Western Trust on their work supporting people experiencing homelessness. You can read a write up of the meeting here homelessconnect.org/health-inclu...
February 25, 2025 at 4:19 PM
This afternoon #apghomelessness met at the Assembly. The group heard from three Health Inclusion nurses working for the Belfast, South-Eastern and Western Trust on their work supporting people experiencing homelessness. You can read a write up of the meeting here homelessconnect.org/health-inclu...
Reposted by Mark Baillie
Really positive response from participants to the Northern Ireland Frontline Network's accredited training sessions on substance use in a homeless setting.
Thanks to @ascertni.bsky.social for leading the sessions!
Thanks to @ascertni.bsky.social for leading the sessions!
February 21, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Really positive response from participants to the Northern Ireland Frontline Network's accredited training sessions on substance use in a homeless setting.
Thanks to @ascertni.bsky.social for leading the sessions!
Thanks to @ascertni.bsky.social for leading the sessions!