Welcome to our new website – it’s not only a new design but has our gorgeous new logo and colours too! The content has been thoroughly updated so do explore:

• new pages for each country where homeshare programmes operate, some of them in two languages (Germany, Austria, France)
• an expanded FAQ section
• more information for practitioners in the Network section
• an expanded Resources section
• the ability to translate any page into any language, with Google Translate embedded in the footer
• a Facebook link on every page.

Warmest thanks go to our web designers Michael and Jack from Archetype Design who have been simply brilliant partners to work with.

Please send us your updates, news, photos, case studies, documents and insights for other members of the Network. Together we can make the website a really great resource for everyone.

Our friends at HANZA recently met Ken Wyatt, the Minister for Aged Care in Australia, to make the case for homesharing to be recognised as a ‘proper’ service for older people and people living with disabilities. Currently homesharing is not listed as a service in personal care plans and because it’s not listed, it isn’t available for people to purchase. The challenge was not only to get homesharing listed but also how to put a price on a service that isn’t being delivered by the hour. The meeting in Canberra covered the barriers to getting homesharing included on that list.

Ken Wyatt is very keen on services where “people look out for one another” and so was delighted to receive the delegation which included representatives from Victoria and New South Wales. The Minister’s closing remarks highlighted the importance of keeping the discussion going and  the group will re-convene in the New Year 2018 to review progress.

We have invited Beris Campbell to prepare a report on influencing policy that could be shared with other members of the HI Network.

Solidarios, our hosts in Madrid, have now posted up the presentations given at the congress in May 2017. Follow this link to find them:

www.hiworldcongressmadrid2017.org/en/materials/download-congress-materials/

The website also includes the photo gallery – a wonderful album that really captures the flavour of the event.

Solidarios has now also analysed the delegates’ feedback forms. We’re delighted to see that participants enjoyed the congress so much that most are now planning to attend the Brussels congress in 2019!

Homesharing has recently had some brilliant coverage on the BBC. A 20-minute radio programme on the BBC’s World Service did a very informative piece on the homeshare concept. It featured Typhaine de Penfentenyo of ensemble2générations and some of her successful matches as well as our Director, Elizabeth Mills. You can listen here: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04nmxv8#play

The story was then picked up in the BBC online magazine: One solution to two big social problems. See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-38399246

The BBC’s World Service reached a global audience of 348 million people in 2016 – let’s hope many of them were tuned in!