More information
Description
There are approximately 30000 people in homelessness crisis in Poland, and approximately 25000 people are in facilities (Ministry of Family, Labour, and Social Policy, 2019). According to a 2020 Supreme Audit Office (NIK) report, measures taken by government authorities, local government authorities, and CSOs do not form a coherent and effective system that makes people in homelessness crisis live independently. New solutions need to be found, including residential solutions, while reductions are needed to the shelter system, which is not very effective, and expensive. We aim to develop innovative solutions to make people in homelessness crisis independent, incorporating the new social policy trend – deinstitutionalization. We will analyze the current tools and working methods at the Shelter and the needs of the people in homelessness crisis. We will create an expert panel to make recommendations regarding transition from the Shelter to a modular residence system and draw up the strategic and operational objectives of the new program. When the Shelter team is working, residents will be constantly consulted on the program. Experts on a second panel will make recommendations on implementation and dissemination. During study visits, we make use of know-how of the Finland Y-Foundation and the Bread Community Association. Local government officials will also participate in the visits (15 people in total). We will organize training for the team, using the motivational dialog method (five workshops and three supervisory meetings) and a workshop on the methodology of the Housing First program. Residents and personnel of the Zielona Góra Shelter (ten persons), experts, and representatives of institutions and organizations fighting homelessness will participate-40 people in total. In the project, an all-embracing and long-term program will be created to move people in homelessness crisis to deinstitutionalized housing and personnel will be trained to run the program.
Summary of project results
The project responds to the problem of exclusion of people in crisis of homelessness. In Poland, there are about 30,000 people living in a crisis of homelessness, about 25,000 are in institutions and the average length of stay there is up to 6 years (Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy, 2019). In Lubuskie alone, there are 822 people living in a homelessness crisis, 25% of them in Zielona Góra. This is a socially excluded group, stereotyped, marginalised and treated objectively and almost invisibly by institutions. The actions of governmental and local authorities and non-governmental organisations do not constitute a coherent and effective system that would lead homeless people to independence (NIK Report, 2020). This is not encouraged by the charity model, which is based on bottom-up initiatives involving the creation of shelters. Indeed, one of the most important factors for homeless people to become independent is to have a flat or house. However, in 2018, for example, out of 30,000 homeless people, only 1,044 people received support in the form of a dwelling, and only 474 people (20 of them in the Lubuskie Voivodeship) received support from municipalities in the form of a sheltered flat (MLSP, 2018).
As part of the project, the Project Promoter developed an ongoing service for people at risk of homelessness living in shelters, providing them with comprehensive housing services. A transition plan from shelter support to housing solutions was developed and implemented. The solutions were developed in a participatory way, with the active and subjective participation of the residents of the shelter and training flats - from planning to implementation of the solution. The process consisted of several stages - a diagnosis (analysis of tools and working methods in the shelter and the needs of people in crisis of homelessness), workshops with residents and shelter staff, 2 expert panels, national and international study visits (including a partner from Finland), a final conference.
The project succeeded in implementing a new, comprehensive and long-term solution to support people experiencing homelessness, while reducing the inefficient and costly institutional system. People at risk of homelessness have been provided with the conditions for a dignified and independent life with full subjectivity, which includes their voluntary and full participation in the process of change. Through the activities planned in the project, it was possible to go through a comprehensive process of learning, exchange of experiences, creation of a participatory programme and finally - implementation. However, the most important result of the project is the closure of the hostel in December 2023 and the start of the support in the new formula of the training hostel.