Planet homeless_proefschrift_vDEF:Opmaak 1 20-03-15 10:26 Pagina 1 nienke boesveldt nienke boesveldt planet homeless planet homeless governance arrangements governance arrangements in amsterdam, copenhagen, in amsterdam, copenhagen, and glasgow and glasgow p Nowadays, homelessness is predominantly a local responsibility. The policy challenges that local l a authorities face in dealing with this issue are complex or, according to some commentators, can n even be described as “wicked”. Until recently, local authorities have had limited success in e t addressing homelessness for reasons including a lack of information and fragmentation of services, h to name but two. In a new attempt to face up to these challenges, several northern European o metropolises have published similar strategic approaches to ending homelessness. m By studying their policy, structure and management style, this volume focuses on the impacts and e l outcomes of these new governance arrangements on the quality of service provision. By comparing e and evaluating the different approaches in governance, the author provides deeper insight into s s exactly which elements of administrative and political approaches, or which governance arrange - ments, are most effective in this respect and how social results can be improved in general. In this way this study makes an important contribution to the academic debate on the optimum n i organization of governance arrangements. This volume also provides a critical perspective on e n current decentralising trends and contains a plea for a corporate, instrumental approach towards k e governance arrangements on homelessness. The author concludes that the social relief sector should b function as a trampoline, not as a last resort. o e s Nienke Boesveldt (1976) is a project manager for the municipality of Amsterdam with responsibility v e l for homelessness programmes. She undertook her thesis at Vu University Amsterdam in the d Department of Public Administration and Political Science. She is a member of HABITACT – the t European exchange forum on local homelessness strategies. 15.039 - 19.03.2015 - Rug 13,47 mm Planet Homeless Members of the reading committee: prof. dr. Isobel Andersson prof. dr. Guy B. Peters prof. dr. Willem Trommel dr. Sam Tsemberis prof. dr. Arnoud Verhoeff The commercial edition of this book is published by Eleven International Publishing. ISBN 978-94-6236-540-7 ISBN 978-94-6274-318-2 (E-book) © 2015 Nienke F. Boesveldt | Eleven International Publishing www.nienkeboesveldt.com Cover art: www.frida-kole.nl Published, sold and distributed by Eleven International Publishing P.O. Box 85576 2508 CG The Hague The Netherlands Tel.: +31 70 33 070 33 Fax: +31 70 33 070 30 e-mail: [email protected] www.elevenpub.com Sold and distributed in USA and Canada International Specialized Book Services 920 NE 58th Avenue, Suite 300 Portland, OR 97213-3786, USA Tel.: 1-800-944-6190 (toll-free) Fax: +1-503-280-8832 [email protected] www.isbs.com Eleven International Publishing is an imprint of Boom uitgevers Den Haag. This publication is protected by international copyright law. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photo- copying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Printed in The Netherlands VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT Planet Homeless Governance Arrangements in Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Glasgow ACADEMISCH PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad Doctor aan de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, op gezag van de rector magnificus prof.dr. F.A. van der Duyn Schouten, in het openbaar te verdedigen ten overstaan van de promotiecommissie van de Faculteit der Sociale Wetenschappen op vrijdag 24 april 2015 om 11.45 uur in de aula van de universiteit, De Boelelaan 1105 door Nienke Fredrika Boesveldt geboren te Hilversum promotor: prof.dr. J.C.J. Boutellier copromotor: dr. A.J.G.M. van Montfort They have a long history of serving their own communities separate from homelessness. Now, part of that argument is where do homeless people come from? They do not come from the planet homeless. Statutory Respondent, Glasgow Sometimes I feel Under the bridge downtown Like I don't have a partner Is where I drew some blood Sometimes I feel Under the bridge " Like my only friend I could not get enough Is the city I live in Under the bridge " The city of Angels Forgot about my love Lonely as I am Under the bridge " Together we cry I gave my life away (…) ‘Under The Bridge’- Red Hot Chili Peppers Preface The Homeless. America's foremost analyst of social problems, Christopher Jenks, in 1995 explored how widespread homelessness was at that time, how this had happened, and what could be done about it. Twenty years later I am happy to contribute to this line of work and the works of many dedicated researchers since then. With this PhD thesis I shine a rather unusual light from a specific research angle on the governance of homelessness. And it appears governance can surprise us. Differences and similarities have taken on new meanings for me as a result of this study. I could never have foreseen how convincing the evidence would be. What I had conjectured before the start of my work actually turned out to be even more accurate than I expected. After having been in the same policy area of homelessness for about seven years, I felt the urge to contribute in a different way. In a way that I felt suits me best: by taking a step back and getting the chance to reflect on what is actually happening. By appealing to my initial roots – those of a comparative social scientist. And by appealing to my initial drive, to speak for the voiceless. With this study I intend to contribute to the knowledge and thinking of several different audiences: within governance, amongst my colleagues in administrations dealing with a complex social issue such as homelessness; and politicians driven to make a difference according to their own best beliefs. I also strive to enable service users and partners of authorities to interpret the constellations they are participating in, so that ultimately they can reach the best outputs and outcomes for individual clients and society. My supervisors have been able to support me in producing a PhD-thesis in which I have constantly had to find a balance between science, policy practice and life. I am grateful for the patience, wisdom, structure and understanding I have experienced in my working relationships with Hans and André. Hans had successfully encountered a comparable challenge before working with me, in embarking on a PhD whilst being employed as a bureaucrat. Inspirationally, Hans continues to combine the role of professor with managing a renowned social sciences research institute. André’s support has been indispensable to me, firstly, because of his teaching skills, his theoretical background of governance and his research experience in administration (for which reason he was also acquainted with my daily practice). But, secondly, and to me at least as important, are the practical experiences he has had with homelessness through being a volunteer worker at the Rotterdam “Pauluskerk” during his student days and through his personal involvement in providing care for foster children. The city of Amsterdam was courageous enough to give me this opportunity. ‘We must allow this!’ my then director of the Department of Housing and Social Support responded to my initial plans. And I have felt that this support for the realisation of my plans has continued throughout the past four years. For this reason I owe much gratitude to Suze Duinkerke, Francien Anker and Walter Kamp (who will perform as my paranymph). More recently Hetty Vlug and Ronald Venderbosch have come on the scene to offer their supportive interest towards my academic endeavours. And to Jolanda Meijering for recognising what was there. All who worked with me in my policy job have had a similar interested and stimulating stance towards this project, and I would like to thank them all for this. Special mention in this respect should be made to the Epidemiological Department of the Municipal Health Service, and within this more specifically to Arnoud Verhoeff and Steve Lauriks. I had a similar positive vii PREFACE experience with the other two cities I studied, where a special thanks should go to the people who gave such an immediate and positive response to my plans and helped me to feel perfectly comfortable outside my comfort zone: Steen Bo Pedersen and Gary Quinn. I don’t think that I would have felt as confident as I was about embarking on this project without the professional experience and support I got in the Habitact network, in which special thanks are owed to Liz Gosmé and Feantsa. Professionals providing services and being dependent on governance interventions have been open and honest with me about their experiences within their particular context. They have displayed an awareness that increased knowledge about the complexities in the area of homelessness and various forms of street life, but also institutionalised homelessness, and this can only help to make things better. I have to say that professional encounters with the care sector have had an almost soothing effect on recollections of my past. This is also why I am personally most grateful for the support of service users for this study. I have been trusted by them to understand their point of view. I regarded it as important to give equal weight to this perspective in the governance discourse as to those of all other interested parties. I am aware that the effectiveness of governance arrangements is most relevant to the individual clients it concerns.