The Institute of Global Homelessness (IGH) launched the first Vanguard Cities cohort in 2017 with key global strategic partners to begin pioneering work in 13 Vanguard Cities across 6 continents. Each city made a commitment to significantly reduce or end homelessness in reflection of their local context. The initiative is designed to support and uplift local expertise and innovation while reaping the benefits of both community and global exchange. IGH has expanded our offering to communities by creating the Vanguard Network, a global knowledge exchange on homeless programs, policy, and research. In the Vanguard Program, IGH leverages the foundation of its work — supporting leadership, exchanging knowledge, creating a global infrastructure, and advocating for change — to make a meaningful impact on homelessness in cities across the globe.
Vanguard Program: Ways to Engage in the Global Movement to End Homelessness
Vanguard Cohort
In the program, IGH works with communities on their strategy, measurement, and program implementation—and in doing so, helps them make quantitative and qualitative steps toward their reduction goals. Through its global network of homeless experts, IGH provides targeted technical assistance to address the challenges of ending homelessness in each city. IGH is expanding the Vanguard Program to work with new cities, regions, and countries who are leading on their homelessness strategies and programs. This Vanguard partnership further elevates each cities’ work by supporting plans to end homelessness, engaging stakeholders in coalition building, and sharing their work with an international network of stakeholders and researchers.
Vanguard Network
The Vanguard Network brings together homelessness practitioners, government leaders, people of lived experience and researchers to exchange knowledge and evidence in an international community of practice. If you lead a homeless organization, work for a city, regional, or national government, or represent a collaborative group working on homelessness, we invite you to join the network. Members will attend meetings bridging research to practice including policy round table discussions, cohort calls, and technical sessions. They will also be invited to engage United Nations advocacy campaigns and contribute to IGH events and publications. More information on the Network and how to join can be found on the Vanguard Network website.
Vanguard Program Overview
Vanguard Program Expression of Interest Form
Vanguard Partners
Vanguard Cities: International Comparative Study
Heriot-Watt’s Institute for Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research (I-SPHERE) and GISS Bremen, have produced an Evaluation of the Institute of Global Homelessness ‘A Place to Call Home’ initiative which works with Vanguard Cities across the globe to set targets and support them in their efforts to end street homelessness.
Funded by the Oak Foundation this international comparative study explores the approaches of the first 13 vanguard cities in their efforts to tackle street homelessness.
The research found both successes and systematic failures and established a set of recommendations on what works and what does not in addressing street homelessness.
Access the Report: English—Español
Map of Vanguard Partners
