Forming a core part of its work going forward, CaCHE said the key aim of its plan is to have meaningful and engaging conversations about housing and diversity in the broadest sense, using its platform to share people’s real stories and experiences of housing and home.

A spokesperson said: “As we begin this work, we are very openly saying we don’t have all the answers. We don’t have all the right people to take on the work, and we don’t have a full understanding of precisely what issues exist, and how we might be able to build an ongoing research agenda that addresses these key challenges facing policy, practice and communities.

“We want this to be a chance to build and deepen relationships, to bring together new networks of people who do have the power and ability (whether this be through knowledge, lived experiences or resources to fund and support research) to do this work well. We want to broaden our relationships. We want to encourage our academics, and future generations, to think about the diversity of their work and teaching.

“So, to begin the work, we are opening up to anyone who wants to contribute. Working with existing partners but also trying to reach out wider to run a story-telling series. These can be blogs, videos, Q&A interviews; whatever people feel comfortable doing. We want to get the conversation going, encouraging people to respond to others, build on discussions and keep sharing positive experiences in housing, but also (where people feel comfortable and able) to share stories of what is wrong within the housing system.

“We want to use our platform to share these stories, to begin the debate within CaCHE (and housing studies in the UK more broadly) and to ensure that we can embed EDI work throughout all of our work, starting today.

“We are doing our own learning internally and with other partners, such as the Housing Studies Association. But we want to emphasise we are listening. We know we might get things wrong, and while we are making all efforts to handle this work sensitively, we will change, adapt and develop as we continue to understand and improve.”

To contribute, or to discuss ideas, please contact Nadia Ayed (n.ayed@qmul.ac.uk) and Gareth Young (gareth.young@sheffield.ac.uk) in the first instance.