Homeless in Europe Do Not Necessarily Reflect the Views of FEANTSA
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The Magazine of FEANTSA - The European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless AISBL omeless in Europe H Autumn 2011 Tried and Tested: Social Innovation as a Means for Making Better Progress on Homelessness Editorial by Suzannah Young Tried and Tested: Social Innovation as a Means for IN THIS ISSUE 2 Editorial Making Better Progress on Homelessness 5 The European Commission, Social Innovation and Social Inclusion: An Interview with Agnès Hubert, Adviser at the European Commission The process of designing and implementing new is increasing awareness that traditional approaches Bureau of European Policy products, services and models that meet social do not provide long-term solutions to homeless- ness. Testing innovative ideas which could meet Advisers (BEPA) needs more effectively than alternatives and create new social partnerships is known as “social innova- homeless people’s needs better should identify 8 Homelessness and Social tion”. Such practices have long existed. However, more effective and sustainable ways of ending Innovation: Making Room the idea of having a social innovation “field” is a homelessness in Europe. This is already happening to Share Insights and new concept in Europe. Promoting a social innova- in some contexts. Clearing a Path Towards tion agenda means supporting innovative practices More Impactful Innovation that are proven to have met a particular social need The following articles give an overview of social and seeking ways to implement successful, small- innovation and experimentation as they are under- Connor Friesen and Louise scale initiatives on a larger scale (“scaling up”). A stood in and outside Europe, and focus specifically Pulford basic distinction between social and other innova- on how these tools can be used to address home- 11 Social Innovation: Mirror of tion is that production is driven by social impera- lessness. the Power or Real Change? tives rather than economic and financial ones. A Stefano Galliani European social innovation agenda can provide a The European Commission has committed to framework for introducing this difference. new approaches to public service provision, and 14 Researchers Against Poverty promotes social innovation. Many of the Europe Hélène Giacobino Social innovation can come from many places – 2020 objectives include social innovation impera- individuals, groups, NGOs; national, European and tives. Agnès Hubert, Policy Adviser at the Commis- 16 HACT – A Catalyst for international economic and financial markets and sion’s Bureau of European Policy Advisers (BEPA), Change in the UK Housing governments, for example. It can happen in diverse answered our questions about the Commission’s Sector for Over 50 Years fields, such as fair trade, urban farming, restora- position and future objectives regarding social Andrew van Doorn tive justice, housing and homelessness. It involves innovation and its policy implications. Part of the consulting all stakeholders, including non-typical Commission’s role is supporting social innovation 19 Housing First Europe: partners like the initiators of “grass-roots” projects projects and finding better ways to measure the Testing a Social Innovation and users of social services, and using their input as social value of initiatives. Ms Hubert stressed that in Tackling Homelessness a basis for policy-making. social innovation should not replace public services Dr. Volker Busch-Geertsema but that it can be effective in a participatory process, Any consultation must involve the existing social and supports a systemic change towards addressing 22 What Is Housing First? NGO sector in order to benefit from its expertise. social issues through targeted policies. Nan Roman Established social service providers are experts 24 An Original French about the needs they seek to meet, and have insight As it has undertaken to mainstream social innova- Experimentation With The into the limitations of existing approaches. tion, the European Commission has launched a European Social Innovation pilot which provides a US “Housing First” Model Indeed, so we can recognize the strengths and network for social entrepreneurs and the public- A. Régnier, V. Girard, C. weaknesses of new approaches, it is important and third sectors to exchange expertise on social Laval, P. Estecahandy that the move towards innovation be backed up by innovation. The Social Innovation eXchange (SIX), 27 Working with Future sufficient testing of new ideas, so-called “evidence- along with its recent endeavour, Social Innovation Residents: The Igloo based policy development” or “social experimen- Europe (SIE), aims to develop a productive space for exchange and learning in order to develop innova- Approach tation”. This ensures that all aspects of ideas are adequately assessed. The robustness of evidence tive solutions to challenges. SIX Project Developer Patrick Kamoun about innovative approaches’ success will deter- Connor Friesen and Louise Pulford, Head of SIX, tell 29 The HOPE in Stations mine their credibility. the social innovation “story”, explaining SIE’s role, project - Homeless People in and note its relevance to homelessness – touching European Train Stations Finally, homelessness is an area where there are on Housing First approaches and social enterprise Katharina Triebner and real possibilities for social innovation. The need for and giving examples of what SIE has done so far to innovation in the homeless sector is also crucial - promote social innovation with regard to homeless- Sylvie Le Bars homelessness exists across the EU, even in states ness. 32 Regaining Control: Dutch with highly-developed welfare systems, and there Experiences With Family Group Conferencing For Homeless People Lineke Joanknecht and Mariëtte Dirkzwager 35 Taking New Social Practices On Board – Football: Thoughts On A New Take On The Future ... Benoît Danneau Letters TO the Editor We would like to give you the chance to comment on any of the articles which have appeared in this issue. If you would like to share your ideas, thoughts and feedback, please send an email to the editor, [email protected]. The articles in Homeless in Europe do not necessarily reflect the views of FEANTSA. Extracts from this publication can be 2 Homeless in Europe quoted as long as the sources are acknowledged. Of course, it is necessary to test social innovation roots level can enable small ideas to become nation- projects and not to jump head first into “doing ally and even internationally sustainable solutions. social innovation” without being mindful of its risks. Stefano Galliani, FEANTSA AC Member for Italy and One innovation that is currently being tested is the Coordinator of the Housing Community for Home- “Housing First” approach to homelessness. Homeless less People at the Nuovo Albergo Popolare, Bergamo, services in Europe are largely dominated by what is warns against forgetting the person-centred and termed the “staircase of transition”, informed by a community-centred approach to assisting or housing notion that re-housing requires staged transition homeless people, and implementing a socially innova- through different residential services. Volker Busch- tive idea without testing it adequately and without Geertsema, Researcher as GISS and Coordinator of trying to understand the life trajectories of the people the European Observatory on Homelessness, shows involved. He outlines programmes in Italy which that a critique of this approach has developed recently respect and involve the individual and lead to greater and presents a project funded by the European health in the community. Commission PROGRESS programme that will evaluate and promote mutual exchange on the “Housing With this in mind, we see that the credibility of First” approach. This approach is about empowering socially innovative programmes can be enhanced homeless people to sustain their tenancy, promoting when they undergo evaluation and testing. This stable living conditions, and preventing repeat home- is known as “social experimentation”. J-PAL, a lessness. The project, Housing First Europe, will test network of researchers using “Randomised Evalua- and evaluate Housing First projects in five European tions” to answer questions on poverty alleviation, is cities, leading to greater clarity on the potential and a consultant for the Commission on social experimen- limits of the approach, as well as the key elements of tation. Hélène Giacobino, J-PAL Director, describes Housing First projects. J-PAL’s work and gives a detailed explanation of social experimentation. Measuring approaches’ effective- “Housing First” originated in the United States. Nan ness helps policy makers chose wisely and spend Roman, President and CEO of the USA National Alli- funds usefully. Being able to prove policies’ effec- ance to End Homelessness, presents the Housing First tiveness can even be necessary to sustain funding – principle as it is perceived in the USA – Housing First useful during a crisis. Ms Giacobino notes how similar providers focus on helping individuals and families methods have been used for decades in medicine and move into permanent housing as quickly as possible, calls for the same level of professionalism when evalu- based on the premise that social service needs can ating social policy. best be addressed after they move in to their new home – and its innovative qualities, such as being An example of social experimentation in the field of “consumer-driven”. She also describes the positive homelessness