Conference Workshops 2023

Our 2023 workshops

Morning sessions

Workshop 1 – Advice is good for your health

The co-location of advice services with health services is slowly developing in the UK. Health justice partnerships, as they are often known, take on a variety of forms. The development of these services recognises the positive impact that timely advice has for people’s health outcomes and on health inequalities more broadly.

The workshop will discuss how organisations supporting people with health related issues can develop and connect with advice services and experiences of working in health settings.

This workshop is aimed at organisations delivering advice and/or supporting people with health issues, existing health justice partnerships, researchers and those involved in health commissioning.

Session panel:

Dr. Jennifer Sigafoos - Reader in Law and Director of Charity and Policy Unit, University of Liverpool
Carol Johnson Eyre - Chief Executive, Citizens Advice Wirral
Laura Arrowsmith - Senior Policy Officer for Health Justice Partnerships, Maternity Action
Melissa Hatch - Business Development Strategic Lead for Health, Citizens Advice
Dr. Sarah Beardon - Senior Research and Policy Fellow, UCL

Workshop 2 – Housing advice and collaboration

At a time when the housing sector is in crisis, coupled with the impact of the cost of living crisis, the demand for housing advice is at an all-time high. This workshop will explore new ways of working collaboratively, including a new pilot project in Liverpool centred around reducing the escalation of housing issues through court and tribunal processes.

This workshop will be of interest to those who provide housing advice, registered social landlords, and local authority staff looking to support residents needing housing advice, and those already facing court procedures.

Session leads:

Dr. James Organ - Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Liverpool
Dave Ascough - Manager, Support Through Court Merseyside
Janet Coe - Director and Solicitor, Merseyside Law Centre
Paul Harris - Operations Manager, Crisis

Workshop 3 – Advice reduces food poverty

In this workshop you will hear from foodbanks and food pantries about the steps they are taking to use free legal advice to help reduce poverty and build community resilience.

A range of foodbanks and food pantries will talk about their journeys to providing free legal advice in their setting. Some key questions covered will be why deliver advice in these settings initially focussed on alleviating food poverty, what advice should be provided, what are the challenges and ideas for overcoming them?

For advice organisations, those with an interest in food banks or pantries, and those looking to tackle the challenge of food poverty and the sustainability of food banks.

Session leads:

Professor Lydia Hayes - Professor of Labour Rights, University of Liverpool
Denise Bentley - CEO, First Love Foundation
Dr. Naomi Maynard - Director, Feeding Liverpool
Lee Collins - Food Pantry Coordinator, St. Andrew's Community Network
Sarah Woolley - General Secretary, Bakers and Allied Food Workers Union

Afternoon sessions

Workshop 1 – The changing welfare system and health inequalities

This workshop will explore changes to the welfare system, its health impact and the role of free legal advice. In advance of a potential change to government, this could be a critical juncture for welfare benefits policy and an ideal time to campaign for change. This workshop will be a chance to discuss how to bring about positive change, locally and nationally, to the welfare system and for the people it affects.

For advice practitioner organisations, researchers, local policy makers, and anyone with an interest in thinking about the future of the welfare system.

Session leads:

Dr. Sophie Wickham - Wellcome Trust Research Fellow, University of Liverpool
Clare Mahoney - Senior Programme Manager, Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group
Dr. Kate Anderson - Research Associate, University of York
Katherine Abba - Research Associate in Public Health Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool
Dr. Rachel Loopstra - Senior Lecturer in Public Health Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool

Workshop 2 – Advice Networks – the power of collaboration

With contributions from a range of advice networks from across the country, the workshop will discuss their challenges and benefits, and explore key questions like how to refer between organisations, how you develop a community of practice, and how to engage a wide range of advice and support organisations to support access to justice for clients?

For advice practitioner organisations who are already involved or thinking of setting up a local advice network, local policy makers, researchers and others interested in the power of collaboration.

Session leads:

Martha de la Roche - Partnerships Director, Network for Justice
Janet Grauberg - Leadership and Strategy Consultant
Louise Devonish - Advice Services Manager for Regional Advice Networks, Welsh Government
Martin Jungnitz - Independent Chair, Liverpool Access to Advice Network
Sarah Nason - Senior Lecturer in Law, Bangor University

Workshop 3 – What difference does advice make? Working with universities and other researchers to measure impact

Free legal advice has a positive impact on health inequalities, poverty and other aspects of people’s lives. How do you measure this impact? How do you tell the story of what giving someone advice achieves? Who can you work with to capture this information?

Universities and other researchers are important resources for those looking to collect and harness the data available – to change policies, develop services, and influence the funding and delivery of advice. This workshop will look at working in collaboration with researchers to measure the impact of advice.

For advice practitioner organisations, academics, researchers, public health and local policy makers, this workshop can provide examples of ways to work together to harness data to show the impact and value of advice.

Session leads:

Juliet Uraz - Senior Research Analyst, Policy in Practice and London School of Economics
Professor Ben Barr - Professor in Applied Public Health Research, University of Liverpool
Claire Stern - Deputy Chief Executive, Central England Law Centre
Emma Bates - Director of Positive Action on Poverty and Partnerships, Central England Law Centre
Dr. Tara Mulqueen - Associate Professor, University of Warwick

Our 2023 workshops

Morning sessions

Workshop 1 – Advice is good for your health

Session panel:

Dr. Jennifer Sigafoos - Reader in Law and Director of Charity and Policy Unit, University of Liverpool

Carol Johnson Eyre - Chief Executive, Citizens Advice Wirral

Laura Arrowsmith - Senior Policy Officer for Health Justice Partnerships, Maternity Action

Melissa Hatch - Business Development Strategic Lead for Health, Citizens Advice

Dr. Sarah Beardon - Senior Research and Policy Fellow, UCL

Afternoon sessions

Workshop 1 – The changing welfare system and health inequalities

Session leads:

Dr. Sophie Wickham - Wellcome Trust Research Fellow, University of Liverpool

Clare Mahoney - Senior Programme Manager, Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group

Dr. Kate Anderson - Research Associate, University of York

Katherine Abba - Research Associate in Public Health Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool

Dr. Rachel Loopstra - Senior Lecturer in Public Health Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool