THE INTEGRATED CHAIN City APPROACH strategies against homelessness
The EUROCITIES Working Group on Homelessness - cities and participants:
Barcelona: Carmen Fortea-Busquets
Bergen:
Xavier Mayo Anne Turid Aandahl
Malmo:
Rolf L. Nilson
Newcastle:
Neil Munslow
Munich:
Angela Zeilinger
Oslo:
Tilde Hagen Knudtzon
Riga:
Morten Mjelve Solvita Rugovita Ilze Vigante
Rotterdam:
Christl van Gerven
Laura Hoekstra
Stockholm:
Nina Strรถm
Utrecht:
Martin Bluijs
Dick Reinking
Gerhard Eitel
Vienna:
Warsaw: Anna Jankowska-Bichta
Anna Markiewicz
EUROCITIES: Simon Guentner, Senior Policy Officer Social Affairs
This brochure was produced in November 2008
THE INTEGRATED CHAIN City APPROACH
strategies against homelessness
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_EUROCITIES Working Group on Homelessness (WGH) EUROCITIES
Working Group on Homelessness (WGH)
EUROCITIES is the network of major European cities. Founded in 1986, the network brings together the local governments of more than
The WGH (established in 2004) is chaired by the city of Vienna and currently has 12 members: Barcelona, Bergen, Malmo, Newcastle,
130 large cities in over 30 European countries. EUROCITIES provides a platform for its member cities to share knowledge and ideas,
Munich, Oslo, Riga, Rotterdam, Stockholm, Utrecht, Vienna and Warsaw. The WGH is open to all member cities of EUROCITIES.
to exchange experiences, to analyse common problems and develop innovative solutions, through a wide range of Forums, Working
Participation to the meetings (2 per year) is free of charge and newcomers are welcome.
Groups, projects, activities and events. EUROCITIES works along 3 strands of activities:
It pursues both strategic and operational objectives.
• Networking - Sharing and improving knowledge
Strategic objectives:
• Lobbying - Developing and influencing policies
• overall reduction of the number of homeless people
• Campaigning - Raising public awareness
• elimination of homelessness for families
• abolition of long-term homelessness (more than 2 years in transitory institutions)
The network is active across a wide range of policy areas which are addressed within six different thematic forums, in which different groups of cities participate.
Operational objectives:
• develop European quality principles for services for homeless people as well as for services to prevent homelessness and to sustain
Social Affairs Forum
• identify good practices on empowering homeless people
The EUROCITIES Social Affairs Forum (SAF) follows two objectives:
• point out policy recommendations based on ongoing comparison and analysis of cities’ strategies to prevent and tackle
• Support of exchanges of experience and know-how among cities working to tackle poverty and social exclusion, to eradicate all
• Strengthen the involvement of local authorities in the development and implementation of national and European social policies.
accommodation
homelessness
forms of discrimination and to improve the integration of migrants and asylum seekers. The purpose of the WGH is to share best practices on the means of reducing homelessness and the exclusion of vulnerable people from mainstream housing markets. The WGH has developed a tool for comparative analysis to identify the differences between the member Currently, eight Working Groups are in place to carry out the activities of the SAF:
cities in terms of scale of homelessness, the resources available in each member city to deal with this problem; and the strategic and
• WG Employment
legislative framework services are provided within. Gradually there has been a transition from identifying irreconcilable differences to the
• WG Health and Wellbeing
recognition of common areas of practice.
• WG Homelessness
• WG Housing
The WGH applies the definition of homelessness ETHOS (see appendix II) as developed by FEANTSA, the European Federation of National
• WG Inclusion through Education
Organisations working with the homeless. Building on this definition, the WGH set out to develop various models for comparison and
• WG Migration and Integration
classification that were used as working tools.
• WG Social Inclusion
• WG Urban Security.
INCLUSIVE CITIES FOR EUROPE In 2008, EUROCITIES started a 3-year partnership with the European Commission to improve the contribution of cities to the EU Social Inclusion Process. The programme “Inclusive Cities for Europe” includes numerous activities to raise the voice of cities in the Open Method of Coordination (by which Member States coordinate their social policies at European level) and supports EUROCITIES’ policy work on social affairs and related issues. It is co-financed by the European Community Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity - PROGRESS.
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0_Contents
1_Introduction: The Integrated Chain Approach
_EUROCITIES Working Group on Homelessness (WGH) � 4
The EUROCITIES Working Group on Homelessness (WGH) was established in 2004. It is chaired by the city of Vienna and currently has 12 members: Barcelona, Bergen, Malmo, Newcastle, Munich, Oslo, Riga, Rotterdam, Stockholm, Utrecht, Vienna and Warsaw. The WGH meets regularly to analyse policy and practice in preventing homelessness. This includes analysis of the interventions
1_Introduction: The Integrated Chain Approach (ICA) � 7
and services aimed at supporting people who have previously been homeless but are now in accommodation.
To better understand the overall situation in a city, the WGH carries out visits and systematic information exchanges to compare the effectiveness and transferability of strategies and
2_Aims: Independent Living � 11
3_Strategies: A roof is not enough � 12
well as measures for preventing homelessness and sustaining accommodation. In doing this
4_Measures: Diversified tools are critical � 13
5_Coordination: Providing space for exchange � 14
service provision. The WGH develops recommendations for services for homeless people, as we recognise that due to the differences between countries there may be inconsistencies in the terminology. However our focus is on the similarities, not the differences. Therefore, we use
6_Framework conditions � 15
7_Challenges and obstacles � 17
terms most acceptable to the majority of the group. The role of the city is to provide leadership, direction and coordination to enable all stakeholders to improve the outcomes for service users. We have sought to establish common principles rather than detailed joint procedures. This is because we seek to
8_Outlook � 19
serve clients who have similar needs in different legislative and financial contexts.
App. I_ ETHOS European Typology of Homelessness � 21
App. II_ Practical examples � 22
The WGH has developed a transferable strategic model for preventing homelessness, which we have called the “integrated chain”. The “integrated chain“ is a ’whole systems approach’ that refers to the city’s role in developing a range of commissioned services working together under
_Web links � 26
a common strategy that seeks to support homeless households (by which we mean single people couples or families) in their progress to the optimum level of independence and social inclusion. Within the “chain” there should be a range of services to meet the diverse needs of homeless people. The specifics of the “integrated chain” vary with local conditions, yet many of the measures which are put in place in the different cities are very similar.
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Within the “integrated chain” approach, the services should follow some guiding principles. In particular, they
SUPPORT FOR THE HOMELESS PERSONS
should demonstrate: • Respect for the service user
Independent housing (e.g. municipal flats)
• Strong evidence base for commissioning that includes aggregated citywide quantitative data and qualitative information from service users and front-line staff • Focus on reconciling accommodation, health and social needs
Permanent places
• Support for people to reach their optimum levels of independence • Client focused support plans that are shared between agencies to provide seamless services • Comprehensive responses to multiple needs including health care • The allocation of accommodation and support in relation to need
Places to live in supported accommodation (s.a.)
rooms
boarding
Number of places to live for a specific target group
alcohol abuse
young people
drug abuse
local NGO
NGO (e.g. church)
municipality
• Strategic framework that relates funding to performance • Strong performance management of agencies’ contribution to meeting strategic objectives • The development of a consensus to legitimise strategic leadership and communication of agreed aims • Continual improvement of the quality of services and the buildings they are provided from. The diagram below is a model of the “integrated chain” which shows how all services in the city contribute towards promoting independence. This serves as both a scoping and directional tool. Implicit in the model is the aim of improving integration and
Night shelters
mental health problems
women
coordination. The red arrow marks the «integrated chain» to demonstrate the overall goal of integrated services working together to support people at risk of homelessness to the highest possible level of independence. Crisis and emergency centres Each colour and line represents a level of support services and each box
emergency provider
beds
NGO (e.g. Caritas)
Medical care NGO
represents a service facility. The blue line at the bottom of the slide represents all services that are not tied to accommodation. The blue line above represents emergency accommodation. Red and orange refer to different kinds of shelters,
Day centres and streetwork
the green line to supported accommodation in flats. The yellow line represents
NGO (e.g. Salvation Army)
Local NGO
permanent places for people who require ongoing support or care. Total places to live
Central intake homeless services
Support to avoid homelessness (e.g. prevention of eviction)
municipality
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2_ Aims: Independent living Some of the cities have been operating integrated programmes for over ten years. Whilst
The main goal of all members of the WGH is to reduce homelessness in their city. Usually, aims are set at city
overall the approach has been successful, experience shows that this work is not an exact
level, in consultation with providers and other relevant groups. In some cases, they are supported by quantita-
science and calculated risks need to be taken and evaluated. We must also have the courage
tive targets. The following examples give examples of cities’ objectives:
to end programmes which have met their objectives. Utrecht, for example invested heavily in supporting 600 drug addicts to stop rough sleeping. This programme which began in 2000 has reduced the numbers to around 35 and services have been reduced accordingly. There are savings to be made across Europe by cities learning from each other’s successes and failures. Over the last few years, the member cities of the WGH put considerable energy into improving coordination between relevant stakeholders in healthcare, housing and the labour market. They have worked towards securing the necessary amount of affordable accommodation and appropriate support for homeless people. It is crucial to understand and acknowledge the individual needs of homeless people and to arrange services in an integrated and coordinated way. This requires joint working between the public and NGO services. They have to cooperate positively and understand their role within the system and how this contributes to the individual’s long term wellbeing.
Barcelona
This brochure gives an overview of the main components of the integrated chain approach and points to important issues which should be considered when developing a local strategy against homelessness. The members of the WGH understand that not all cities will have sufficient resources to adopt all aspects of the model. However, they may apply the general principles and use the model to prioritise on where to focus limited resources, and in doing so to secure best value from those resources.
In Barcelona, the objective of the Municipal Care for the Homeless Programme is to improve the situation for homeless people, assuring comprehensive, quality care that will guarantee that they have customised paths to integrate into society. These paths will facilitate access for homeless people to resources and services, enabling them to become independent. To this end, the aim is to establish a network of public and NGO agencies working together to support homeless people to independence.
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2_ Aims: Independent living Some of the cities have been operating integrated programmes for over ten years. Whilst overall
The main goal of all members of the WGH is to reduce homelessness in their city. Usually, aims are set at city
the approach has been successful, experience shows that this work is not an exact science and
level, in consultation with providers and other relevant groups. In some cases, they are supported by quantita-
calculated risks need to be taken and evaluated. There must also be the courage to end pro-
tive targets. The following examples give examples of cities’ objectives:
grammes which have met their objectives. Utrecht, for example invested heavily in supporting 600 drug addicts to stop rough sleeping. This programme which began in 2000 has reduced the numbers to around 35 and services have been reduced accordingly. There are savings to be made across Europe by cities learning from each other’s successes and failures. Over the last years, the member cities of the WGH put considerable energy into improving coordination between relevant stakeholders in healthcare, housing and labour market. They worked towards securing a necessary amount of affordable accommodation and appropriate support for homeless people. It is crucial to understand and acknowledge the individual needs of homeless people and to arrange services in an integrated and coordinated way. This requires joint working of public and NGO services. They have to cooperate positively and understand their role within the system and how this contributes to the individual’s long term
Bergen
wellbeing.
Munich In Bergen, the local strategy
The city of Munich pursues the following main aims in combating
focuses on a “housing first”
homelessness:
policy
accommodation” and “Avoid homelessness by securing long-term housing”. All
people
in
which have
homeless
the
housing
takes
priority
over
emergency
same
temporary forms of housing such as emergency accommodation, bed and breakfast and
opportunities to acquire normal
welfare facilities are geared towards these goals, both in terms of their furnishings
housing as everybody else and,
and the social support provided. The city has also taken successful measures to
if necessary, be given support to
ensure that fewer homeless people live on the streets.
live independently. Homeless people are given individually adapted
designed support
to
and live
independently in their own accommodation. The city aims to offer homeless people decent permanent accommodation in normal residential areas. In line with the national strategy against homelessness, a further aim is to reduce the number of petitions for eviction and the number of actual evictions. Nobody should have to spend time in temporary accommodation when released from prison or when leaving an institution. Furthermore, nobody is to be offered overnight accommodation without a quality agreement, and nobody is to reside in temporary accommodation for more than three months.
“Permanent
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2_ Aims: Independent living Some of the cities have been operating integrated programmes for over ten years. Whilst overall
The main goal of all members of the WGH is to reduce homelessness in their city. Usually, aims are set at city
the approach has been successful, experience shows that this work is not an exact science and
level, in consultation with providers and other relevant groups. In some cases, they are supported by quantita-
calculated risks need to be taken and evaluated. There must also be the courage to end pro-
tive targets. The following examples give examples of cities’ objectives:
grammes which have met their objectives. Utrecht, for example invested heavily in supporting 600 drug addicts to stop rough sleeping. This programme which began in 2000 has reduced the numbers to around 35 and services have been reduced accordingly. There are savings to be made across Europe by cities learning from each other’s successes and failures. Over the last years, the member cities of the WGH put considerable energy into improving coordination between relevant stakeholders in healthcare, housing and labour market. They worked towards securing a necessary amount of affordable accommodation and appropriate support for homeless people. It is crucial to understand and acknowledge the individual needs of homeless people and to arrange services in an integrated and coordinated way. This requires joint working of public and NGO services. They have to cooperate positively and understand their role within the system and how this contributes to the individual’s long term
Newcastle
wellbeing.
Oslo In Newcastle, the main aims are to prevent homelessness wherever possible and
The city of Oslo seeks to support every
to support people to sustain themselves in the community. Specific objectives
individual to master their own life by
are to reduce rough sleeping, to reduce the use of B&B, to reduce the common
acquiring control and social skills to live
causes of homelessness, to reduce repeat homelessness, to reduce the use of
independently. As part of that strategy,
inappropriate temporary accommodation and to reduce evictions. Further goals
the city decided to reduce the use of
are to improve the strategic infrastructure and to increase the number of positive
private hostels to a minimum. Furthermore
move-ons from supported housing.
their use must be temporary and based on quality agreement contracts. In line with
the
national
strategy
against
homelessness, a further aim is to reduce the number of requests for eviction, as well as the number of actual evictions. Another objective is to reduce the time in temporary housing to no more than three months and to have permanent housing available for people leaving institutions.
Riga
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2_ Aims: Independent living Some of the cities have been operating integrated programmes for over ten years. Whilst overall
The main goal of all members of the WGH is to reduce homelessness in their city. Usually, aims are set at city
the approach has been successful, experience shows that this work is not an exact science and
level, in consultation with providers and other relevant groups. In some cases, they are supported by quantita-
calculated risks need to be taken and evaluated. There must also be the courage to end pro-
tive targets. The following examples give examples of cities’ objectives:
grammes which have met their objectives. Utrecht, for example invested heavily in supporting 600 drug addicts to stop rough sleeping. This programme which began in 2000 has reduced the numbers to around 35 and services have been reduced accordingly. There are savings to be made across Europe by cities learning from each other’s successes and failures. Over the last years, the member cities of the WGH put considerable energy into improving coordination between relevant stakeholders in healthcare, housing and labour market. They worked towards securing a necessary amount of affordable accommodation and appropriate support for homeless people. It is crucial to understand and acknowledge the individual needs of homeless people and to arrange services in an integrated and coordinated way. This requires joint working of public and NGO services. They have to cooperate positively and understand their role within the system and how this contributes to the individual’s long term wellbeing.
Stockholm In Riga, the goal is to prevent homelessness. The main city’s tasks are to
Since 1999, the city of Stockholm has a
increase opportunities for people to find affordable accommodation and
“roof over the head guarantee”, which
to provide timely housing advice. Research is carried out about the causes
guarantees to provide everyone in need
of homelessness, and street work projects are developed. Persons at risk of
of a shelter a bed before midnight.
homelessness are provided with support and help, including housing
Another aim is to increase the use of
benefit.
permanent apartments for homeless people, instead of shelters and temporary places. Stockholm has based its policy on an “integrated chain” model for homeless people. This chain is flexible and contains many
different
alternatives
to
suit
individuals’ needs. But housing itself cannot solve the problem of homelessness, so
work
training,
substance
abuse
treatment and other services are provided for the homeless people who cannot find employment.
Utrecht
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2_ Aims: Independent living Some of the cities have been operating integrated programmes for over ten years. Whilst overall
The main goal of all members of the WGH is to reduce homelessness in their city. Usually, aims are set at
the approach has been successful, experience shows that this work is not an exact science and
city level, in consultation with providers and other relevant groups. In some cases, they are supported by
calculated risks need to be taken and evaluated. There must also be the courage to end pro-
quantitative targets. The following examples showcase cities’ objectives:
grammes which have met their objectives. Utrecht, for example invested heavily in supporting 600 drug addicts to stop rough sleeping. This programme which began in 2000 has reduced the numbers to around 35 and services have been reduced accordingly. There are savings to be made across Europe by cities learning from each other’s successes and failures. Over the last years, the member cities of the WGH put considerable energy into improving coordination between relevant stakeholders in healthcare, housing and labour market. They worked towards securing a necessary amount of affordable accommodation and appropriate support for homeless people. It is crucial to understand and acknowledge the individual needs of homeless people and to arrange services in an integrated and coordinated way. This requires joint working of public and NGO services. They have to cooperate positively and understand their role within the system and how this contributes to the individual’s long term wellbeing.
Vienna In Utrecht, the National Strategic Plan for Social Relief from 2006 was a breakthrough in integral
A key objective of the social policy in Vienna is to
care for the 1250 people who are literally homeless, or live in hostels, and the 3200 people at risk
improve opportunities for citizens with disabilities,
of homelessness. The aim of this plan, which covers the four largest cities in the Netherlands, is
older people, homeless people, families and children
to improve the living conditions and health of people at risk of homelessness.
in financial and social crisis situations. A further
The Strategic Plan has been followed by a city partnership, expanding the coalition of the city
important aim is to provide a range of accommodation
with Agis, the regional care agency for the AWBZ [National Act on Exceptional Medical Expenses],
to meet all individuals’ needs. Overall, the policy is
the care and shelter services, police, criminal justice system and social housing companies.
characterised by three central ideas:
The joint aim of this partnership is to provide all homeless people with a personal pathway to
• Prevention and early intervention:
independence. In order to reach this, the following investments were agreed upon:
Homelessness is a social problem, beyond the
• An improved gateway (Broad Central Access) to integrated services including care,
absence of accommodation, with far-reaching
housing, finance/income, day activities, including a client tracking system to monitor
consequences. A wider public can be educated and
access, stabilisation and effects of the pathways on health, personal and social functioning,
engaged by improving the understanding of the
• Strengthening of programmes to prevent homelessness,
• More residential housing, day activities and other programmes for reintegration and community support,
specific problems of homeless people. • Working together: In cooperation with the clients, special attention is paid to empowerment and strengthening their
• More differentiated, small scale residential housing facilities,
capacities for self-help and to see them as partners. The clients play an active part in developing their own support
• Strengthening of client participation and empowerment programmes.
plans
Three subprogrammes were launched on the themes access, prevention and rehabilitation. The city of Utrecht is responsible
• Long term sustainability: Further support is provided to help the person
for the plan, the finances are jointly managed with the care agency and health care insurance agencies. The programme is
maintain his/her independence. The evaluation of the support and care
overseen by a steering committee which is made up of city representatives, care agency, care providers, housing company,
provision is necessary to develop customer oriented provision and to ensure
police and justice system. The committee develops and monitors the implementation of the plan.
high quality services.
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3_Strategies: A roof is not enough
4_Measures: Diversified tools are crucial A well-developed system of integrated services working together to intervene early is most likely to succeed in preventing
more than the lack of accommodation. Many different needs have to be considered in any strategy against homelessness. Support
homelessness. Whilst the causes of homelessness are manifold and local conditions will always have to be considered, the-
has to be targeted and tailored to the individual needs and circumstances. As these needs vary within and between cities, the
re are common aspects of homelessness which can best be tackled by a strategic coordinated approach that includes:
local approaches will differ, but the common theme is that multidimensional responses are most effective for achieving long term
• Professional support and advice for people who are at risk of becoming homeless
success. Below are some examples of successful city strategies against homelessness.
• Temporary accommodation for homeless persons that is geared towards supporting people to independent
Barcelona
Homelessness is a complex phenomenon. To be effective, strategies must recognise that the causes of homelessness are generally
living and (re)integration into the mainstream housing market.
• Transitory accommodation with support that helps prepare people for independence.
• Specialised long-term accommodation for people who cannot live independently
• Professional social support to prevent and terminate homelessness is crucial to help people back into independent living
• Identifying the powers and resources available to the city to support change
The following basic model shows the main categories of services and measures available for the work with homeless people.
Bergen The city of Barcelona has established a specific
Bergen’s
model for assisting homeless people which
people can cope by themselves in their own
is jointly funded by local agencies and the
accommodation with follow-up support.
regional government. It encompasses street
For some people with more complicated
assistance services, accommodation resources, day
problems, it is also necessary to provide
centres and specific care. The approach is based on
support in addition to accommodation. For a
cooperation with a broad range of social actors
very small number of homeless people there
based on pacts and agreements.
is a need for protected housing, something
experience
shows
that
most
which the city has not yet developed. Support is personalised according to the individual’s needs.
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3_Strategies: A roof is not enough
4_Measures: Diversified tools are crucial
Homelessness is a complex phenomenon. To be effective, strategies must recognise that the causes of homelessness are generally
A well-developed system of integrated services working together to intervene early is most likely to succeed in preventing
more than the lack of accommodation. Many different needs have to be considered in any strategy against homelessness. Support
homelessness. Whilst the causes of homelessness are manifold and local conditions will always have to be considered, the-
has to be targeted and tailored to the individual needs and circumstances. As these needs vary within and between cities, the
re are common aspects of homelessness which can best be tackled by a strategic coordinated approach that includes:
local approaches will differ but the common theme is that multidimensional responses are most effective to achieving long term
• Professional support and advice for people who are at risk of becoming homeless
success. Below are some examples of successful city strategies against homelessness.
• Temporary accommodation for homeless persons that is geared towards supporting people to independent living and (re)integration into the mainstream housing market.
• Transitory accommodation with support that helps prepare people for independence.
• Specialised long-term accommodation for people who cannot live independently
• Professional social support to prevent and terminate homelessness is crucial to help people back into independent living
• Identifying the powers and resources available to the city to support change
The following basic model shows the main categories of services and measures available for the work with homeless people.
The city of Munich has a widely differentiated
Stockholm’s homelessness strategy is based on a range of housing and
system of support for homeless people which
support work within an integrated and coordinated ”chain”. The chain
is geared towards the various different target
contains shelters, low-threshold institutions, specialist and general
groups and largely financed by the city. These
supported accommodation, permanent places, and training flats etc. Over
services are partly provided by independent
the last few years, the city has started to provide more permanent places to
welfare groups (NGOs) and partly by the city.
improve the chain. Stockholm also focuses on the prevention of evictions.
The most important aid programmes for
The responsibility for prevention from eviction lies with the 14 districts in
citizens suffering from acute homelessness
the city and some have already produced good results, for example through
are
for
cooperation with private landlords. The good practice is now spread out to
Housing and Migration/Welfare Department
the whole city. Over the last few years the number of training apartments
in a central organisational unit called Central
has increased. This is an important part of the chain and is often the last step
Homeless Aid (ZEW).
before full independence. To succeed in living independently, wherever in
provided
by
the
Department
the chain, people need individually tailored support. Stockholm recognizes The ZEW is responsible for both immediate accommodation and for procuring
the need for further improvement in the coordination of support for people
permanent housing, or arranging for appropriate facilities to be provided by
with mental health problems which is provided by the social welfare service
independent welfare organisations. Every homeless household receives economic
and the county council responsible for health care.
assistance, counselling, general social support and help in finding work.
Stockholm
Munich
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3_Strategies: A roof is not enough
4_Measures: Diversified tools are crucial
Homelessness is a complex phenomenon. To be effective, strategies must recognise that the causes of homelessness are generally
A well-developed system of integrated services working together to intervene early is most likely to succeed in preventing
more than the lack of accommodation. Many different needs have to be considered in any strategy against homelessness. Support
homelessness. Whilst the causes of homelessness are manifold and local conditions will always have to be considered, the-
has to be targeted and tailored to the individual needs and circumstances. As these needs vary within and between cities, the
re are common aspects of homelessness which can best be tackled by a strategic coordinated approach that includes:
local approaches will differ but the common theme is that multidimensional responses are most effective to achieving long term
• Professional support and advice for people who are at risk of becoming homeless
success. Below are some examples of successful city strategies against homelessness.
• Temporary accommodation for homeless persons that is geared towards supporting people to independent living and (re)integration into the mainstream housing market.
• Transitory accommodation with support that helps prepare people for independence.
• Specialised long-term accommodation for people who cannot live independently
• Professional social support to prevent and terminate homelessness is crucial to help people back into independent living
• Identifying the powers and resources available to the city to support change
The following basic model shows the main categories of services and measures available for the work with homeless people.
The social care system in Warsaw is focused on providing accommodation and support which
promotes
human
dignity
and
independence. Support for homeless people is implemented in Warsaw by 18 district Social Care Centres and NGOs which are managing night shelters, hostels, canteens, medical and sanitary aid points. The Social Care Centres provide individual support for homeless people particularly concerning families, housing and employment. A basic condition for support is that the client engages with an integration programme. In The main aim of Vienna’s strategy is the prevention of eviction. A system of day centres, street work, counselling and
the Social Care Centre, the homeless person can also receive housing advice.
care is in place to help homeless people in acute need. Temporary facilities are available to prepare homeless people for independence, aiming at integration in the mainstream housing market within a maximum of two years. A range of
Warsaw particularly focuses on programmes, provided by NGOs, aimed at homeless women
accommodation for homeless people has been created including low-threshold accommodation for people with multiple
and mothers with children. The city facilitates training for support providers to ensure that
problems who cannot live independently. Vienna has also commissioned permanent housing for older former homeless
support is geared towards improving skills in conducting effective actions for the benefit of
people.
the group of people in need.
Warsaw
Vienna
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3_Strategies: A roof is not enough
4_Measures: Diversified tools are crucial
Homelessness is a complex phenomenon. To be effective, strategies must recognise that the causes of homelessness are generally
A well-developed system of integrated services working together to intervene early is most likely to succeed in preventing
more than the lack of accommodation. Many different needs have to be considered in any strategy against homelessness. Support
homelessness. Whilst the causes of homelessness are manifold and local conditions will always have to be considered,
has to be targeted and tailored to the individual needs and circumstances. As these needs vary within and between cities, the
there are common aspects of homelessness which can best be tackled by a strategic coordinated approach that includes:
local approaches will differ but the common theme is that multidimensional responses are most effective to achieving long term
• Professional support and advice for people who are at risk of becoming homeless
success. Below are some examples of successful city strategies against homelessness.
• Temporary accommodation for homeless persons that is geared towards supporting people to independent living and (re)integration into the mainstream housing market
• Transitory accommodation with support that helps prepare people for independence
• Specialised long-term accommodation for people who cannot live independently
• Professional social support to prevent and terminate homelessness is crucial to help people back into independent living
• Identifying the powers and resources available to the city to support change.
The following basic model shows the main categories of services and measures available for the work with homeless people.
Offers for homeless people
Offers for non-homeless people
Temporary programmes to accommodate homeless people
Support to prevent homelessness
Accompanying support programmes
Programmes to safeguard sustainable accommodation
Auxiliary programmes
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5_Coordination: Providing space for exchange
6_Framework conditions
In all cities, a broad range of stakeholders are working to end homelessness, including various city departments,
There is recognition amongst the members of the EUROCITIES WGH that the prevention of homelessness is a primary aim. Allied
NGO service providers, public and private landlords, churches and self-help organisations. The success of a strategy
to this is an understanding that homelessness is not simply resolved by increasing the supply of accommodation. To be successful,
is invariably dependent upon the city’s ability to get all to work together in a respectful, efficient and effective
cities need to address the causes of homelessness and repeat homelessness and monitor the effectiveness of interventions.
way. To this end, most cities hold regular meetings with all relevant organisations. Such meetings can create a constructive atmosphere between sometimes competing organisations, promoting trust and transparency and an
Since the 1980s, many cities started to create new partnerships to prevent and fight homelessness. They adopted a more holistic
understanding of common goals. They can help to solve conflicts and questions around competencies and resources.
approach and placed more emphasis on detecting the causes of homelessness with the aim of developing policies and practices
They can also help to develop partnerships and solutions which individual agencies wouldn’t be able to do alone.
to support social inclusion. These strategies are embedded in political, legislative and financial frameworks that are set not only at
In many cities, boards with an advisory function have been established which have significant and positive
local, but also at regional, national and European level.
influence in developing the local policy agenda. In each country, there is a specific distribution of responsibilities and competencies concerning social issues between the feUtrecht, for example, promotes an integrated approach and shared responsibility between all agencies.
deral/national, regional and local level. It is important to understand the specific roles and interdependencies so that effective
Ambitions, expectations and actions are articulated in policies such as “Towards a Healthier Utrecht”. In this strategy
strategies and partnerships can be developed. The following examples show how cooperation between the different public levels
paper, the city and the Health Care Office present the joint aims and funding of a range of provisions. It describes
is organised in some EU Member States.
the situation of socially vulnerable people in the city, the bottlenecks that must be dealt with in the short-term and governance structure within which the parties work. Another example from Utrecht is the action plan “Care on the Streets”. It is overseen by the Steering Committee on Community Mental Health which consists of representatives of the city administration, various institutes, providers of social and health care, local police and other bodies. In Austria, important parts of the legal framework for housing Until a few years ago, the support for disadvantaged groups in Oslo was characterised by too many
are provided at the federal level, such as the law on rent ceilings
competing agencies and a lack of strategic direction. Today, the responsibility is delegated to the
(related to housing standards), the Board of Arbitration to check
Social Services Department in the local authority, thus giving the clients the opportunity to present
rental fees, and federal rent allowances. Also, the courts are under
themselves at one single place to get the support they need for their housing problems. The local
legal obligation to inform municipal services about probable
authority can then provide the necessary services and support itself or procure them from agencies
evictions. Those competences which do not lie at the national level
that specialise in designing and providing support. For people whose needs are not met by the
are usually shared between the regional and the local level. Because
housing market or who cannot find a house or flat, there are municipal dwellings available. Home
the city of Vienna is also a province of Austria, several responsibilities
ownership is promoted and support is provided to find accommodation in the private market. For
are assigned to the city, including loans and grants for houses,
those people who cannot master or maintain an independent housing situation, individual support
municipal housing and services to prevent evictions.
plans are developed based on her or his specific needs. Vienna has a long tradition of socially oriented housing programmes that dates from the 1920s. Today, the housing In Newcastle, a Homelessness Prevention network of over 50 agencies has been established. The purpose of the network is to
department of the Vienna City Administration “Wiener Wohnen“ administers approx. 220,000 flats and is the biggest
advise agencies, whose core business is not homelessness, how they can contribute to the prevention of homelessness. This is
landlord in Austria. This stock is complemented by around 200,000 subsidised rented flats, mostly built by non-profit housing
done through the provision of information, training conferences and, where there is a strong overlap of roles, the development of
developers, and by subsidised owner-occupied flats.
joint protocols, e.g. the Prevention from Eviction and Repeat Homelessness Protocol.
Austria
the direction for the public mental health system in the longer term. This is supplemented by a description of the
Germany
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5_Coordination: Providing space for exchange
6_Framework conditions
In all cities, a broad range of stakeholders is involved in working to end homelessness, including various city
There is recognition amongst the members of the EUROCITIES WGH that the prevention of homelessness is a primary aim. Allied
departments, NGO service providers, public and private landlords, churches and self-help organisations. The suc-
to this is an understanding that homelessness is not simply resolved by increasing the supply of accommodation. To be successful,
cess of a strategy is invariably dependent upon the city’s ability to get all to work together in a respectful,
cities need to address the causes of homelessness and repeat homelessness and monitor the effectiveness of interventions.
efficient and effective way. To this end, most cities hold regular meetings with all relevant organisations. Such meetings can create a constructive atmosphere between sometimes competing organisations, promoting trust
Since the 1980s, many cities started to create new partnerships to prevent and fight homelessness. They adopted a more holistic
and transparency and an understanding of common goals. They can help to solve conflicts and questions around
approach and placed more emphasis on detecting the causes of homelessness with the aim of developing policies and practices
competencies and resources. They can also help to develop partnerships and solutions which individual agencies
to support social inclusion. These strategies are embedded in political, legislative and financial frameworks that are set not only at
wouldn’t be able to do alone. In many cities, boards with an advisory function have been established which have
local, but also at regional, national and European level.
significant and positive influence in developing the local policy agenda. In each country, there is a specific distribution of responsibilities and competencies concerning social issues between the feUtrecht, for example, promotes an integrated approach and shared responsibility between all agencies. Ambi-
deral/national, regional and local level. It is important to understand the specific roles and interdependencies so that effective
tions, expectations and actions are articulated in policies such as “Towards a Healthier Utrecht”. In this strategy
strategies and partnerships can be developed. The following examples show how cooperation between the different public levels
paper, the city and the Health Care Office present the joint aims and funding of a range of provisions. It describes
is organised in some EU Member States.
the situation of socially vulnerable people in the city, the bottlenecks that must be dealt with in the short term and
Latvia
The Federal Republic of Germany has 16 federal states which
The social legislation in Latvia gives responsibility to municipalities for ensuring night asylum for the
hold certain legislative powers, and the responsibility for the
homeless, for providing social services and financial support, and for providing support in solving
development and implementation of socio-political measures
housing issues. The State secures the allocation and payment of benefits to designated groups, and
and concepts to avoid and eliminate homelessness is delegated
finances institutions to care for people with mental problems and the blind. Day-care centres for
to the states. Each state tackles the problem in a different way.
persons with mental illnesses receive national co-funding for the first three years.
Since 1996, the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia has had a state programme with the aim of “avoiding homelessness and
The combination of low income and comparatively high payments
providing housing on a lasting basis”, supporting city projects
for rent and public utilities resulted in high demand for affordable
and financing academic studies. By contrast, the state of
municipality tenement flats. Many persons renting apartments in
Bavaria simply gives recommendations as to how the problem of
formerly state-owned houses are at risk of becoming homeless, as they
homelessness might be dealt with. The cities and administrative
are not in the position to acquire a dwelling on the housing market.
districts in Bavaria determine the strategies and measures to
In the current housing market situation, families with children, retired
combat homelessness themselves.
people, and disabled persons are most vulnerable. The State’s housing policy led to a rise of homelessness in Latvia for various reasons: The
The Civil Code and the Social Code of the Federal Republic provide support for the avoidance of homelessness. Courts
payment rate for living space was brought closer to market prices, but
dealing with rent arrears must inform local authorities when they receive notice of evictions; according to the Social
many citizens have an income which is too low to purchase flats without
Code, debts arising from rent arrears can be converted to loans. The Local Government Code obliges local authorities
help from the state. At the same time, the state has delegated the
to house homeless people. In Bavaria, the standards for the furnishing of emergency housing facilities and for social
responsibility to realise housing policy in their territories to the
counselling and aid are assigned to the local administrative districts.
municipalities, but did not provide the necessary resources.
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5_Coordination: Providing space for exchange
6_Framework conditions
In all cities, a broad range of stakeholders is involved in working to end homelessness, including various city
There is recognition amongst the members of the EUROCITIES WGH that the prevention of homelessness is a primary aim. Allied
departments, NGO service providers, public and private landlords, churches and self-help organisations. The suc-
to this is an understanding that homelessness is not simply resolved by increasing the supply of accommodation. To be successful,
cess of a strategy is invariably dependent upon the city’s ability to get all to work together in a respectful,
cities need to address the causes of homelessness and repeat homelessness and monitor the effectiveness of interventions.
efficient and effective way. To this end, most cities hold regular meetings with all relevant organisations. Such meetings can create a constructive atmosphere between sometimes competing organisations, promoting trust
Since the 1980s, many cities started to create new partnerships to prevent and fight homelessness. They adopted a more holistic
and transparency and an understanding of common goals. They can help to solve conflicts and questions around
approach and placed more emphasis on detecting the causes of homelessness with the aim of developing policies and practices
competencies and resources. They can also help to develop partnerships and solutions which individual agencies
to support social inclusion. These strategies are embedded in political, legislative and financial frameworks that are set not only at
wouldn’t be able to do alone. In many cities, boards with an advisory function have been established which have
local, but also at regional, national and European level.
significant and positive influence in developing the local policy agenda. In each country, there is a specific distribution of responsibilities and competencies concerning social issues between the feUtrecht, for example, promotes an integrated approach and shared responsibility between all agencies. Ambi-
deral/national, regional and local level. It is important to understand the specific roles and interdependencies so that effective
tions, expectations and actions are articulated in policies such as “Towards a Healthier Utrecht”. In this strategy
strategies and partnerships can be developed. The following examples show how cooperation between the different public levels
paper, the city and the Health Care Office present the joint aims and funding of a range of provisions. It describes
is organised in some EU Member States.
the situation of socially vulnerable people in the city, the bottlenecks that must be dealt with in the short term and
In the Netherlands, the responsibility regarding homelessness is decentralised to the municipalities.
In Norway, the provision of social services is organised in a
The 43 ‘core municipalities’ receive two budgets from the central government: A combined budget
decentralised way. The state is responsible for policy-making,
for shelter and drug addiction services, and a budget covering expenditures on shelters for battered
education of personnel and legislation. The overall responsibility for
women. An interdepartmental study of the shelter and support services to socially vulnerable people
development and provision of health and social services lies with
(2005) concluded that homeless people were staying in the facilities for too long. More government
the municipalities. This is regulated by the Social Services Act. The
funding has now been allocated. The Dutch cabinet and the four major cities (Amsterdam, Rotterdam,
municipalities are obliged to provide housing for people who
The Hague and Utrecht) have developed a plan (2006 – 2010) to improve the living conditions of
are unable to find housing on the market. This includes specially
people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. This plan is strengthening the existing
adapted housing, supported housing and protection facilities
collective approach and provides an extra impetus and new instruments to tackling homelessness.
for those who need them because of age or disabilities or for other reasons. They also have the duty to provide temporary
Central to the Plan is individualised care based on seamless cooperation, mutual trust and a solution-
accommodation for those who are unable to do so themselves.
orientated work attitude. The aim is to solve the problems in an effective and pragmatic way without losing sight of reality and feasibility. The individualised treatment will be shaped by creating a phased
The national authorities have launched a national strategy to prevent and combat homelessness,
programme for each person. Personal targets are defined for the areas of housing, care, income and
including clearly defined goals. The municipalities are responsible for achieving these goals by
daily occupation. This phased programme is mandatory for each client. The city itself supplies effective
designing methods for implementation. Many of the institutions for individuals with mental
identification and initiation of shelter and care, an adequate level of support, collective healthcare
illnesses have been decentralised and replaced by accommodation in the local communities as
insurance and comprehensive debt-assistance projects; the housing corporations provide adequate
a conscious part of the integration policy. There are, however, huge challenges concerning the
housing; the care agencies are responsible for care in the volumes and specifications which have been
housing situation of people with these problems, and local authorities have to provide individually
agreed with the city. The care assessment takes place uniformly and fits within the AWBZ [National Act
designed accommodation for them. The same approach is applied to help drug abusers who in
on Exceptional Medical Expenses] agreements.
many cases are temporarily homeless and in a weak position in the housing market.
Norway
Netherlands
Poland
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5_Coordination: Providing space for exchange
6_Framework conditions
In all cities, a broad range of stakeholders is involved in working to end homelessness, including various city
There is recognition amongst the members of the EUROCITIES WGH that the prevention of homelessness is a primary aim. Allied
departments, NGO service providers, public and private landlords, churches and self-help organisations. The suc-
to this is an understanding that homelessness is not simply resolved by increasing the supply of accommodation. To be successful,
cess of a strategy is invariably dependent upon the city’s ability to get all to work together in a respectful,
cities need to address the causes of homelessness and repeat homelessness and monitor the effectiveness of interventions.
efficient and effective way. To this end, most cities hold regular meetings with all relevant organisations. Such meetings can create a constructive atmosphere between sometimes competing organisations, promoting trust
Since the 1980s, many cities started to create new partnerships to prevent and fight homelessness. They adopted a more holistic
and transparency and an understanding of common goals. They can help to solve conflicts and questions around
approach and placed more emphasis on detecting the causes of homelessness with the aim of developing policies and practices
competencies and resources. They can also help to develop partnerships and solutions which individual agencies
to support social inclusion. These strategies are embedded in political, legislative and financial frameworks that are set not only at
wouldn’t be able to do alone. In many cities, boards with an advisory function have been established which have
local, but also at regional, national and European level.
significant and positive influence in developing the local policy agenda. In each country, there is a specific distribution of responsibilities and competencies concerning social issues between the feUtrecht, for example, promotes an integrated approach and shared responsibility between all agencies. Ambi-
deral/national, regional and local level. It is important to understand the specific roles and interdependencies so that effective
tions, expectations and actions are articulated in policies such as “Towards a Healthier Utrecht”. In this strategy
strategies and partnerships can be developed. The following examples show how cooperation between the different public levels
paper, the city and the Health Care Office present the joint aims and funding of a range of provisions. It describes
is organised in some EU Member States.
the situation of socially vulnerable people in the city, the bottlenecks that must be dealt with in the short term and
Spain
Warsaw functions as a borough (gmina) on the rights of the county (poviat). The most important
The various public authorities in Spain have a duty to strive for public policies that encourage social cohesion and
tasks of the city to tackle social problems are: family assistance, assistance for the disabled, the homeless,
which ensure a system of public and state-subsidised private services that is suited to the country’s economic and
alcohol, drug and HIV/AIDS virus infection prevention, and actions for the benefit of the Polish community
social indicators. They are also responsible for promoting preventive policies and ensuring the quality of the services
abroad. The social care centres of the city of Warsaw grant financial assistance in form of target benefits and
provided.
other benefits of social care. The shelters, medical care and special advisory services are organised by nongovernmental organisations. The role of the city administration is mainly to give organisational and
The Spanish Government delegates exclusive authority in the field of
financial support for the existing and new services for the homeless in such a way that a comprehensive
social services to the various autonomous regions. Moreover, local
social care system is established.
governments have their own areas of competence in terms of basic social services; for Barcelona this is laid down in the Social Services Act of Catalonia. This act stipulates that town councils shall receive funding from the autonomous government (the Generalitat) in order to fulfil their obligations. Barcelona City Council receives 66% of the costs of such services from the autonomous government. As far as assistance for the homeless is concerned, each town is responsible for implementing the social resources and services it deems necessary in order to address these circumstances.
Sweden
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5_Coordination: Providing space for exchange
6_Framework conditions
In all cities, a broad range of stakeholders is involved in working to end homelessness, including various city
There is recognition amongst the members of the EUROCITIES WGH that the prevention of homelessness is a primary aim. Allied
departments, NGO service providers, public and private landlords, churches and self-help organisations. The suc-
to this is an understanding that homelessness is not simply resolved by increasing the supply of accommodation. To be successful,
cess of a strategy is invariably dependent upon the city’s ability to get all to work together in a respectful,
cities need to address the causes of homelessness and repeat homelessness and monitor the effectiveness of interventions.
efficient and effective way. To this end, most cities hold regular meetings with all relevant organisations. Such meetings can create a constructive atmosphere between sometimes competing organisations, promoting trust
Since the 1980s, many cities started to create new partnerships to prevent and fight homelessness. They adopted a more holistic
and transparency and an understanding of common goals. They can help to solve conflicts and questions around
approach and placed more emphasis on detecting the causes of homelessness with the aim of developing policies and practices
competencies and resources. They can also help to develop partnerships and solutions which individual agencies
to support social inclusion. These strategies are embedded in political, legislative and financial frameworks that are set not only at
wouldn’t be able to do alone. In many cities, boards with an advisory function have been established which have
local, but also at regional, national and European level.
significant and positive influence in developing the local policy agenda. In each country, there is a specific distribution of responsibilities and competences concerning social issues between the Utrecht, for example, promotes an integrated approach and shared responsibility between all agencies. Ambi-
federal/national, regional and local level. It is important to understand the specific roles and interdependencies so that effective
tions, expectations and actions are articulated in policies such as “Towards a Healthier Utrecht”. In this strategy
strategies and partnerships can be developed. The following examples show how cooperation between the different public levels
paper, the city and the Health Care Office present the joint aims and funding of a range of provisions. It describes
is organised in some EU Member States.
the situation of socially vulnerable people in the city, the bottlenecks that must be dealt with in the short term and
United Kingdom
In Sweden, the responsibility for supporting homeless persons lies mainly with the
Within the UK, following devolution in 2000, different legislation on
290 municipalities in the country. Each municipality develops its own programmes
homelessness applies to England, Scotland and Wales. Homeless services are
and carries out the practical work. Even the 18 county councils (being responsible
mainly funded by central government grants that are administered by the local
for health care) play a part too, working with homeless with mental and/or physical
authority. When housing benefit was deregulated in 1987, homeless provision
problems, and addiction care/treatment. Most cities give allowance to non-
tripled. In 2002, the system changed from an unlimited funding pot (Housing
governmental organisations working locally with homelessness. There is some
Benefit) to a fixed pot (Supporting People) that was spent in line with strategic
cooperation between the municipalities and the county councils, for instance the
priorities, value for money and quality standards. The introduction of the
outreach work among homeless people. In January 2007 the Swedish government
Homelessness Act 2002 in England required local councils to develop
presented the first National Strategy against homelessness.
homelessness strategies, aimed at identifying and reducing the causes of homelessness. This puts the main emphasis on prevention. The funding system also changed from a ‘laissez faire’ approach based on full occupancy to a commissioning system based on meeting identified strategic needs. These changes, along with statutory targets to reduce homelessness, rough sleeping and B&B use, have led to a new approach. At its best this is characterised by finding solutions to the root causes of homelessness. At its worst it’s criticised for re-labelling homeless people. Nationally, the approach has been highly successful and reduced homelessness by over a 1/3. All council’s have refreshed their strategies in 2008.
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7_Challenges and obstacles The template below provides information about the different responsibilities at national, regional and local level. It is used by the
The social, political and economic context within which homelessness occurs varies substantially
EUROCITIES WGH to analyse and compare the framework conditions of the work in every city and to identify the various relations
across countries and between individual cities. Whilst there is a broad agreement about the need for
between public authorities.
an integrated approach, the different conditions can lead to obstacles in the implementation. In the following section, some of these issues are presented, distinguishing between policy related, target group related and financial obstacles. However, it must be said that these issues do not occur in all
CITIES FRAMEWORK CONDITIONS REGARDING
cities to the same extent.
Social housing and homeless integration Policy related obstacles A lack of central control, coordination of policies and services can cause problems for the
FEDERAL e.g. National laws of fee limitation or Federal rent allowances
implementation of an integrated approach to fighting homelessness. Sometimes, there is no culture of tackling social problems through a strategic approach and no (or only limited) innovative attitude among policymakers and service providers. The disregard of prevention must also be mentioned, as well as the inflexibility of regulations in services, accommodation etc. There may be no integrated, multidisciplinary approach for clients with a so-called dual diagnosis (i.e. both mental and addiction issues). Those at the ‘bottom of the chain’ are often thought not to fit into a chain model. As a result, an integrated chain approach may not be developed at all. Also, there might be a lack of decent accommodation for high need groups and difficult access for homeless
REGIONAL e.g. Loans and grants or Regional housing allowances
people to other aspects of society (e.g. labour market). A precondition for successful social inclusion is that the relevant stakeholders are in a position to cooperate with the social policy institutions and organisations. In order to make this cooperation possible, conditions must be created by public institutions and NGOs that meet the needs of their target groups. Regulations, such as restrictions to have men and women (couples) living together,
REGIONAL AND LOCAL MEASURES e.g. Deposit / guarantee for deposit
restrictions to keep pets and restrictions to drink alcohol in the accommodation, often constitute major obstacles to successful integration, as they deter people from calling on institutional support. Whilst information exchange is important, at the same time, privacy and the protection of clients’ personal integrity have to be safeguarded.
LOCAL e.g. Municipal housing or Prevention of evictions or Motivation, advice and guidance (Purpose: Assist individuals to find a solution to their housing problem)
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8_Outlook Target-group related issues There are various reasons for the loss of accommodation, the most frequent are changes in economic conditions (e.g. job loss, divorce, heavy indebtedness). Psycho-social problems – increasingly among younger people – are a further contributing factor towards homelessness. Due to the limited opportunities of city administrations to influence mainstream social trends, local support measures can only be seen as a supplement to national social policies. Deficits at national or regional level can only be corrected to a very limited extent. Evictions are
In view of the current housing crisis, rising prices for daily goods such as energy and food, and manifestation of severe poverty, the fight against homelessness is an ongoing challenge in all major European cities. It is at the local level where the problems of homelessness and social exclusion are most acute and visible. To further assist cities in developing and improving effective measures, the EUROCITIES Working Group on Homelessness has set itself the following goals:
policies and services for homeless people, and to build a widely accessible database for the
increasing, so there are new homeless people coming to the night shelters every night. Young people, sometimes from non-European countries, with drug problems etc, also come to the night shelters, a place where their problems might even get bigger. Stronger emphasis on the preventive work with young people to reduce
dissemination and promotion of good practices.
social care centres to establish sustained contact with the homeless people. Good results have been achieved with projects in which municipal outreach workers are working in the shelters (mostly operated by NGO’s) alongside shelter staff. So far, the local experts have gained a great deal of good experiences from this. It is crucial that city administrations are able to demonstrate the needs of specific groups and to commission and then monitor services to meet these needs.
2_ To refine and review the “integrated chain approach” as a strategic infrastructure for services to operate within and to monitor what difference the adoption of the model makes through analysis
the risk of drug abuse and criminality is needed. Also, gender-specific issues and needs must be better understood and respective accommodation and services developed. Finally, it is often difficult for shelters and
1_ To continue monitoring and documenting the development and implementation of new
of comparative performance data.
3_ To fill the gap between the local level and the national and European level in the field of social inclusion policies. Cities have a wealth of experience in terms of innovative policies and practices to contribute to the EU Social Inclusion and Social Protection Process. They are the level of government closest to other key actors at the local level, and to those people experiencing homelessness and social exclusion. They have a responsibility to provide public services, and to adapt those services to the needs of homeless people. Cities are an essential partners for national governments for the development of a more coordinated, integrated and strategic approach to combating homelessness and social exclusion.
Financial problems Cities hold a responsibility for the wellbeing of their citizens. Cities keep attracting people from surrounding and also far away regions, and amongst the homeless people there is a considerable number of people from the outside, for which no information regarding their needs, illnesses and demands is available, and who demand support from at times already overstretched service providers. From the perspective of city administrations, the main financial obstacle is that often there is not enough money to provide all the services needed and to develop projects to find new approaches. There is a need to ensure sufficient funding and that the system is as flexible as possible, in order to meet new demands/trends among the target groups, and to design new programmes for those who can’t manage to make use of the existing programmes. It is important to ensure that funding follows evidence of need.
The WGH will continue to work towards identifying strategic interventions to facilitate the prevention of homelessness and the reintegration of homeless people. We will continue to develop the strategic framework and good practice and to measure the effectiveness of strategies by their impact on service users. This can provide positive practical examples for cities and national and European level policy makers. The experiences described in this brochure show that coordination of policies and activities at strategic level increases effectiveness and efficiency. However, legislative and governance related challenges remain. The positive examples from cities with a strong culture of providing integrated services provides evidence which can help partner cities to overcome these obstacles.
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Appendix I_ETHOS European Typology of Homelessness
ROOFLESS
HOUSELESS
OPERATIONAL
LIVING
GENERIC
CATEGORY
SITUATION
DESCRIPTION
1_ People living rough
1.1_ Public space or external space
living in the streets or public spaces, without a shelter that can be defined as living quarters
2_ People in emergency accommodation
2.1_ N ight shelter
People with no usual place of residence who make use of overnight shelter, low threshold shelter
3 _ People in accommodation for the homeless
3.1 _Homeless hostel
Where the period of stay is intended to be shortterm
3.2 _ Temporary accommodation 3.3_ Transitional supported accommodation
Source: www.feantsa.org
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Appendix II_Practical examples
Trading Places and the ACE project (Newcastle City Council) Trading Places was developed by the city’s Drugs Intervention Team who commissioned a local NGO to provide volunteering and employment opportunities for people who have experienced chronic drug problems and homelessness. The clients, who have been through a drug rehabilitation programme, initially work as volunteers at a day centre for homeless and excluded people, providing advice and support to other people with similar problems. Over 40 people have been through the programme and 10 of these have gone on to permanent employment, mainly working in the housing and drug prevention sector. Not only do they
City homeless care network (Barcelona)
provide an added value to the night centre by providing an empathetic service but they are also a sign of hope and inspiration for other service users.
The Barcelona city homeless care network is part of the Citizen Agreement for an Inclusive Barcelona. The city has an extensive track record for caring for this group, and the social network and local administrations show
Trading Places gave inspiration for the development of the Adults Facing Chronic Exclusion (ACE) team. The team
great willingness to work together. Accordingly, a quick consensus was reached as to what the network’s purpose
provides outreach services to engage the most chronically excluded homeless people. It is made up of four people all of
should be and what plan it should embark on for the medium- and short-term. The network meets at least twice
whom have been homeless before and experienced chronic exclusion themselves. They have been successful in engaging
a year and working groups can be established in order to address issues or priority areas for action.
with some of the most chronically excluded people in the city, securing accommodation and then on-going support. They played a major role in reducing rough sleeping as evidenced by the official count in 2008 that found a total of two
Working as a group on reflection and action has made it possible to :
rough sleepers.
• Pool efforts in order to increase value for money and complementarity • Create synergies, dynamics for action and involvement among all players • Share and build upon knowledge, exchanging criteria for action
Central Welcome (Rotterdam)
• Lend value to all agents and encourage self-regulation as a group
The purpose of Central Welcome is to provide a central clearing system and registration of all the homeless in the
• Establish priority areas for action, as well as identifying the limits of all members
region of Rotterdam, and therefore promote the through-flow from the shelters to sustainable housing environments. All
• Emphasise the importance of the task, especially with respect to citizens, raise awareness about the homeless
homeless people can go to the Central Welcome office. They can access the Central Welcome directly, as well as with the
and extreme poverty.
help of a social worker from an NGO or a field worker. However:
• People younger than 23 are referred to a special project (to prevent them from becoming “real” homeless people)
Home follow-up (Bergen)
• Women who have fled from domestic violence are referred to special care (with secret units)
The home follow-up service (floating teams) has been developed through the project “The Homeless”. It is located in the
• Due to the Dutch state law (“Koppelingswet”), cities cannot shelter illegal people
social services department and assistance is given to people with alcohol/substance abuse problems and beyond.
• Rotterdam applies a “regional binding” concept: Only people who have a personal relation to the region of Rotterdam are helped with a plan and sustainable housing. Otherwise, people only temporarily have access
The main idea is that an interdisciplinary and individually tailored follow-up will contribute to the
to the shelters and they will be helped to return to the region of their origin.
tenant gaining improved living conditions as well as an independent living situation. The service does not demand a rehabilitation programme but focuses on improved living standards for tenants. Follow-
If matching the target group, they receive a Central Welcome pass. With that pass, they can
up will create availability to other services such as psychiatric services, community nursing, doctors,
use the night shelters. Together with a social worker from the night shelter, an individual
treatment, rehabilitation etc. The project was developed in collaboration between the City Council’s
support plan is put together with targets on different areas of life (housing, work, income, debts,
Department of Health & Care Services, the local government enterprise Bergen Housing & City
mental health, physical health, social network, etc). Every week, there is a two hour meeting of a
Renovation, the City Council’s Department for City Development and the State House Bank. The project
committee with mandated representatives of all the organisations involved. At the meeting, up
was finalised in December 2005 and from that time on was continued by the social service department.
to 20 of these plans are discussed and approved.
The experience with the floating follow-up services has shown that many homeless people with severe alcohol/drug
At the start of the Central Welcome in 2006, a covenant was
abuse problems manage to keep their tenancy contracts over time. A high proportion of these people had histories of
signed by the city of Rotterdam, and all the social care providers were
evictions. Since the project started, there have hardly been any evictions.
informed about how to work within the framework of the Central Welcome system. There is a special agreement on privacy, regarding
In 2008, a new project started for people who do not require close follow-up, but for various reasons
the exchange of information about clients between the care providers
cannot manage to acquire a house on the private market. In addition to this project, the local
themselves as well as between the care providers and the city of
government enterprise Bergen Housing & City Renovation and the Housing Department give support to
Rotterdam. The city of Rotterdam subsidises the NGOs that provide
people who are waiting for housing.
accommodation for homeless people.
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Women’s team at the unit for homeless people (Stockholm)
The NOIZ - nightshelter staffed by (former) homeless people (Utrecht)
The Social Service Administration’s Women’s Team based at the unit for homeless people works with homeless women
The NOIZ offers 24-hour shelter, nightshelter and rehabilitation through work in the NOIZ itself. The institution is part of
with a substance abuse problem or psychiatric illness, often in combination. Women are a minority among the homeless
a greater NGO for homelessness, the “Tussenvoorziening”. The target group are roof- and homeless people older than 18
in Stockholm (26%) . The team is financed by the Social Service Administration. It works with around 130 women/year
years. It offers thirty places for night shelter, twelve places for 24-hour shelter and twelve to eighteen 24-hour places for
and the staff of seven women includes six social workers.
the staff.
1
The team’s short-term goal is to create a good, trusting relationship with the women. With
The nightshelter guests are sleeping in dormitories. There is a special
that relationship as a base, an individual plan can be made together with each woman to get
dormitory for women and one for couples. The guests can use a big cosy
her into appropriate housing. The long-term goal is to provide a wide range of support – i.e.
common room and showers. There is a possibility for hot food and you
substance abuse treatment, psychiatric care, etc. – to make it possible to get into independent
can clean your clothes. A guest room, kitchen and a common living room
living arrangements. Because the team is part of the Social Service Administration, it is also
are also available. For the twenty-four hour guests, who are mostly the
required by law to investigate and suggest compulsory treatment if a woman is in danger of
staff, there is one room for two, one room for three, and 7 single rooms.
dying when continuing substance abuse, or if she has psychiatric illness that puts her life at risk.
Soon this will be changed to single rooms only. Meals are offered 5 days a week in a restaurant run by people with
The team has identified the different needs of homeless women and this has lead to the
mental health problems. Housing support is offered with the aim
development of new services for women. By including issues around motherhood into the work,
of streaming out to a “normal“ housing situation. During the day a
another team, which is working with homeless men, is slowly incorporating the homeless men’s
professional job coach is available. If required, social workers can help
role as fathers in their work, too.
the guests with their problems and find solutions. Internal problems are solved during a weekly guest meeting organised by the staff.
Social care houses – Long-term residential facilities for houseless people (Vienna)
Because the staff are (former) homeless people, they understand the guests and their situation well, so things are arranged in a friendly atmosphere. Guests are not asked for their ID for registration.
The social care houses programme was specifically developed for people, who - often because of long-term homelessness
The staff are proud that there is hardly any nuisance or aggression in the centre but there are however strict rules:
and other social difficulties (e.g. alcoholism) - are not able to live on their own without care. This type of accommodation
• No hard drugs
is an important and integrative component for formerly homeless people in Vienna. The programme aims to safeguard
• No alcohol
the dignity of older people and to provide them with decent and secure accommodation.
• No water pipes (bongs)
• No violence or threats
Two types of long-term accommodation for formerly houseless people have been developed
• No weapons
by private initiatives with financial support from the city administration. The first type partly
• No dealing or receiving drugs
self-administered permanent residential houses are the result of an initiative of affected
• The office, luggage store and kitchen are only accessible to the staff
individuals who were supported by socially concerned people. The houseless people demanded
• No men are allowed in the women’s rooms
a shared, almost independent type of accommodation supported by basic public funding.
• Racism is not tolerated
The second type of permanent residential houses represents the majority of permanent
• Smoking only in the living room
accommodations in this segment and will be further expanded in the coming years. With this
• Breakfast during the week: till 9.30, in the weekend till 10.30
offer, the Wiener Wohnungslosenhilfe enables people to lead an independent life again and also
• The kitchen is open during the week till 23.30 and in the weekend till 0.30
contributes to an efficient use of public funds.
• During the week you have to leave the building by 10.00 and in the weekend by 11.00.
The precondition for both target groups is that the people have sufficient abilities to cope with their daily life. The care service focuses especially on achieving and maintaining independence for the individuals and supports them to remain as long as possible in this type of accommodation. The residents live in furnished studio apartments, which are equipped with their own kitchenette, a toilet and a shower. This ensures that the residents have their own space and the opportunity to have some privacy. The room-concept also provides common rooms and a recreational space, which can be used for sharing meals or having a coffee in a canteen fashion and for other common activities. Floating support is provided if needed.
1
Counted at April 15th 2008
Guests breaking the rules get two warnings and are then excluded for a certain period of time.
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_Web links First report of the EUROCITIES’ Working Group on Homelessness www.eurocities.eu/uploads/load.php?file=Homelessness_final-AGOU.pdf Barcelona www.bcn.cat/serveissocials Bergen www.bergen.kommune.no Munich www.muenchen.de/Rathaus/soz/wohnenmigration/wohnungslosigkeit/102855/index.html Newcastle www.newcastle.gov.uk Oslo www.oslo.kommune.no
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