Scottish Rural & Islands Housing Conference 2018

This year’s RIHAF Conference will be in Aberdeenshire and is a must attend for rural housing association leaders and board members, as well as anyone with an interest in rural housing issues, including staff and committee members from housing providers. Hosted by Osprey Housing, Grampian Housing Association and Castlehill Housing Association, they will be discussing the key role of rural housing associations in sustaining communities, providing care and support for residents and employment opportunities for young people.

Demographic studies suggest more pressures on our rural communities as we see a shift to an older population mix, with scarce opportunities for young people in both work and affordable housing.

Workshops at the event will explore the need for regeneration and investment in new ways of using technology to support communities and tenants.

The conference will be a chance to reflect on the investment that is needed to shape investment post 2021 in new housing, maintaining and improving existing housing as well as ensuring the wider community investment in support for tenants.

Highlights of the conference will include: a debate on what a future rural housing agenda should look like: learning lessons from New Zealand to deliver innovation in care and support for older people; building on best practice using technology to ensure warm homes, support and care; and hearing from community housing trusts on their work to support small communities.