Shifting Mindsets From the Staircase Model to Housing

Shifting Mindsets From the Staircase Model to Housing First POLAND ENDING HOMELESSNESS IS POSSIBLE!

Where are we? v 38 million nation in a deep housing crisis v 30, 000 -40, 000 homeless people v …but according to an extremely narrow definition v 20% rough sleeping v 80% men v 55% in homelessness for 5 years or longer v Nearly 900 institutions (mostly 24 hrs hostels) v 25, 000 beds v 80% public or finaced by public authorities v 1, 500 flats in protected/supported ENDING HOMELESSNESS IS POSSIBLE! housing stock with ca 6, 000 people living

First Housing First v 2 ESF funded projects; started in 2019/2020 v …but then COVID happened v St. Brother Albert’s Aid Society – 30 flats v Polish National Federation v Municipalities of Gdańsk, Warsaw & Wrocław v AEIPS (Portugal) v Cooperation Fund Foundation – 20 flats v Housing First Poland Foundation v Municipality of Warsaw ENDING HOMELESSNESS IS POSSIBLE!

How did we get there? v 2014 -2016 HF advocacy/research project v 04. 2017 ESF Transnational Platform – Brussels v NGOs met MAs v need for transnational projects in PL expressed v follow-up: feeding info on HF to the MA v 05. 2018 Rights Based Work & ESF – Warsaw v collective effort by ESF TNI, FEANTSA, PL Federation & PL Human Rights Ombudsman v 120 participants; 12 speed dating tables v MA presented the call for projects v 06 -08. 2018 call for projects announced ENDINGwere HOMELESSNESS v …negotiations looooong. IS POSSIBLE!

Lessons learned & obstacles met v COVID – a threat… and a chance v ESF – a chance… and a threat v limited duration with no guarantee of continuity v lack of flexibilty v HF – not a piece of cake, but still worth it v transnational learning v Shifting mindsets in the NGOs will probably not be as difficult as expected (in most cases) v reactions to HF moderate to enthusiastic v waiting for results v Authorities & general public are the most challenging minds to change. IS POSSIBLE! ENDING HOMELESSNESS

Tools v Meet & talk v NGOs v local authorities v government v Allies v Publishing v Strategic approach (DI) v Public relations? v RESEARCH!!! ENDING HOMELESSNESS IS POSSIBLE!

Research v External research team (Federation) v Does participation in the programme solve homelessness? v housing sustainability v health improvement (substance abuse / harm reduct. ) v social & economic reintegration v Cost-efficiency v compared to institutional support v costs outside social assistance system v Ex-ante & ex-post interviews comparison v short quarterly interviews supported by public social assistance data collection v Fidelity v finding our place on the ICM-ACT spectrum ENDING HOMELESSNESS IS POSSIBLE!

Where do we go from here? v Rights based approach (HBR) v Inclusive definition of homelessness (ETHOS) v Deinstitutionalisation policy 2030/2040 v thank you European Commission! v …but impossible to reach without substantial improvement of the general housing situation in PL v Changing local connection rules v affecting neither support services nor access to housing v Promoting outreach services and peersupport v Evidence based policy making v Interdepartmental coordination ENDING of HOMELESSNESS IS POSSIBLE! v Destigmatisation homelessness

Thank you for your attention www. bezdomnosc. pl biuro@bezdomnosc. pl ENDING HOMELESSNESS IS POSSIBLE!