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Description
Homeless people are excluded from the housing and economic spheres of society, but also from others - family ties often do not exist or are weak, social network is often reduced to communication with people in similar situations, they are excluded from political and cultural life of the community, etc. Although official data provided in the Ombudsman''s report for 2020 show that the Croatian Centers for Social Welfare registered 511 homeless people in 2020, the Croatian Network for Homeless People estimates that there are between 2,000 and 10,000 homeless people in Croatia. Humanitarian Association "Savao" agrees with these estimates. Volunteers of the association met with many people (mostly through the activity „Mobile soup kitchen“) who are completely out of the system and encounter difficulties while trying to include. These difficulties are related to the needs for psycho-social, medical, and legal support. Beside taking care of their existential needs, the volunteers of the association supported them in solving these problems. Still, there is a need for establishing of professionalized system of help and support. Through the project the volunteer work will be upgraded with the establishment of a mobile expert team. Thus, help and support for homeless people, their social inclusion and civic engagement will become more efficient. The work of the mobile team will be accompanied by actions of public awareness, mobilization of citizens and advocacy activities and encouraging cooperation with various stakeholders in the local and wider community. Activities will be multiplied in Sisak-Moslavina County, where earthquakes have left many people homeless, and there is a possibility of multiplication to other associations dealing with this area.
Summary of project results
In addition to the large disparity in official data and estimated number of homeless people in the Republic of Croatia the problem is also the fact that despite the provisions of the Social Welfare Act (Official Gazette 138/20) that local/regional self-government units are in charge of financing shelters/lodges and public kitchen, in 9 Croatian counties there is still no accommodation service for the homeless. Many homeless people from smaller areas and counties where there are no services for the homeless come to Zagreb in search of better opportunities, but even there they remain "on the street". Research conducted in 2016 showed that the main causes of homelessness cited by homeless people are job loss and long-term unemployment, insufficient help and support from society in unfavorable life situations, financial problems, impaired physical health, impaired family relationships and lack of family support in difficult life situations. This information indicates the complexity of the problem and the need for a systematic approach to the problem of homelessness. In addition to accommodation, food and the provision of basic living conditions necessary for "returning to society", it is also necessary to provide adequate psychosocial support, support in terms of training for work and employment, medical care , legal aid, etc. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that 23.3% of the Croatian population lives at risk of poverty and social exclusion, which is almost a quarter of population. Taking into account the growth due to the COVID-19 crisis, the damage caused by the earthquakes in Zagreb and Sisak-Moslavina County, the emigration of the working age population abroad and the aging population trend, it is to be expected that the number of the poor and socially excluded will grow even more and the number of citizens who actively participate in society will be fewer and fewer. That is why the previous work of the association was upgraded by establishing a professional mobile team that provides the necessary help and support, which also enables the re-active civic engagement of people who are now socially excluded and marginalized.
The mobile team provided service to 26 new users, of which two users are representatives of their families. A total of 51 beneficiaries were empowered, of which 5 ar families. The action of the mobile team contributed to the empowerment and social inclusion of the homeless and persons at risk of homelessness. The project provided free legal, medical and psychological help and support depending on beneficiary needs. The work of the professional mobile team also included communication with a number of institutions (centers for social welfare, health institutions, potential employers, police, homeless shelters and other providers of services for the homeless, etc.) in order to provide systematic support to the homeless and people at risk of homelessness. The support was provided for beneficiaries during job search as well as in performing daily activities (eg escorting to state institutions and representation through power of attorney). Beneficiaries were supported in finding places to live (in the search for an apartment, accommodation in a pensioner''s home), personal documents are obtained, basic and health insurance are obtained, the right to social assistance is exercised, assistance is provided in the realization of other financial payments, the supply of necessary medicines, mediation in obtaining doctor''s appointment, etc. Also beneficiaries had daily available telephone psychological, legal and medical support, support at the Central Station on Tuesdays and Fridays, and visits at places of residence or at another location.
Users were informed about their rights, their ideas and thoughts were collected on more efficient organization of the care system and access to different services, and the mentioned ideas were presented to different stakeholders in the system through 6 documents. 500 information leaflets were created and distributed to users.
The project also worked on raising public awareness of the problems of the homeless and mobilizing citizens and developing volunteerism in the field of work with the homeless. 3 actions were organized inviting citizens to help the homeless with donations and volunteering. 23 new volunteers joined the work of the association, and total of 50 volunteers were involved in project activities.
Through the supervision workshops, 6 new volunteers were empowered in addition to the 10 who had already participated in the supervision workshops. Planned workshops were held, including 7 educational and supervisory workshops, education on strategic planning, education on financial planning, financial sustainability and communication with donors, education on good management and leadership skills training, and education on volunteer management and volunteer processes.
Many homeless and socially vulnerable individuals were provided with free legal, psychological and medical help and support that they otherwise would not have been able to financially afford, thus improving their financial situation, psychological well-being and physical health, and reducing their sense of isolation.
Also, the public is more aware of the problems of the homeless, citizens are more engaged in helping the socially vulnerable. 50 new volunteers were included in the work with the homeless.
The association communicated and exchanged experiences with other civil society organizations that work with homeless and socially excluded citizens, primarily with the Red Cross in Glina, so such an exchange of experiences will enable other organizations to apply this model in their work. Also, future cooperation has been agreed with the Red Cross in Glina, since HU "Savao" plans to launch a rehabilitation center project for the homeless in that area.