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Description
In the Dolnośląskie voivodship, 2 844 people are affected by homelessness (Ministry of Family, Labour, and Social Policy, 2019). In 2021, we took over the only homeless shelter in the county of Głogów, the Żukowice shelter. Apart from homelessness, the main problems of the residents are lack of skills and competencies, and little activity in the community. At our shelter, approximately 80% of residents are aged over 40, and the percentage of people over 60 is as high as 33%. Some people have a chance of overcoming homelessness following a concerted effort. This requires a psychological therapy and specialist counseling service to be set up. This project aims to expand the scope and forms of support for people in homelessness crisis and prompt them to be active in the community. We will provide shelter residents with psychological counseling (475 hours), community counseling (285 hours) and legal and financial advice (190 hours). This will be in the form of permanent shifts of specialists in an office which we will refurbish at the beginning of the project. We will encourage project participants to do voluntary work, making and delivering meals to people in need and at risk at social exclusion due to age, disability, lack of independence, or poverty (training on cooking, providing meals for 30 people in need for 40 days). 25 people in homelessness crisis at the Żukowice shelter will participate. The project will improve their self-esteem, independence, sense of agency, and ability for a balanced and objective assessment of one’s situation.