Presentation given by Freek Spinnewi

1. Homelessness
The added value of transnational
cooperation for local authorities

2. EU context
 EU social inclusion strategy 2000-2005
 Homelessness
 2000: homelessness as a common objective
 2005: homelessness as a key priority for EPSCO Council
 Local authorities
 2000: mobilising local authorities in their areas of competence is common
objective
 2005: call for integrated and coordinated strategies at local level in Joint
Social Inclusion Report
 2005: call for stronger involvement of local authorities by EPSCO Council
 (Other EU strategies)
 Health
 Sustainable development
 Regional policy
 …

3. EU Context
 EPSCO Council priorities
 the prevention of child poverty;
 supporting the caring capacity of families;
 promoting the equality of men and women and
reconciling work and family life;
 the improvement of social services;
 the development of new approaches to the integration
of ethnic minorities and immigrants
 Treatment of the phenomenon of homelessness

4. EU Context
 Streamlined strategy for social inclusion and social protection (2006
– 2010)
 Aim
 A decisive impact on the eradication of poverty and social exclusion
 Challenge
 Bridging the gap between objective setting and policy implementation
 Focus
 Extreme forms of poverty
 Targeted
 Means
 Mutual learning (*)
 Knowledge
 Expertise
 Common challenges (°)
 Priority setting
 Involvement of stakeholders
 Experts (*)
 Lobbyists (°)

5. FEANTSA
 Who?
 Only European organisation exclusively working on
issue of homelessness
 Voluntary sector
 What we do?
 Mutual learning>
 Transnational exchanges
 Research
 Lobbying
 Impact assessment EU policies >
 Influencing EU policies
 Facilitating rather than leading

6. FEANTSA’s role in EU
 EU Strategy Social Inclusion 2000-2005
 Process focused
 Awareness raising
 Increasing involvement of NGOs
 NAPs focused
 Joint Report
 Peer reviews
 …
 Streamlined Strategy 2006 - …
 Content focused
 Homelessness (EPSCO Council priorities)
 Stakeholder focused
 Common priorities of all actors involved in the fight against
homelessness

7. Local authorities
 Key players in fight against homelessness
 Following decentralisation of responsibilities
 Effective
 Funding and policy framework
 Not effective with limited/no funding
 No/limited funding and/or no policy framework
 Local level most effective level for
 Mapping of homelessness
 Implementation of homelessness policies
 Evaluation of impact of homelessness policies
 New roles of local authorities
 Financers of fight against homelessness
 Subcontracting/ Tendering
 Innovators of homelessness policies
 Defenders of the cause of homelessness

8. Role of Local Authorities in EU
 Organisations of local authorities in the EU
 for lobbying purposes rather than transnational exchanges
 Often initiated by politicians
 Organised on the basis of key features of local authority rather than
thematic interest
 Big – small
 Urban – rural
 Industrial – tourist
 Opportunities for local authorities in OMC
 Mutual learning rather than lobbying
 Civil service
 Organise experts around themes
 Focused
 Social inclusion
 Demand for stronger involvement of local authorities
 EPSCO priorities (homelessness)

9. Transnational exchanges
 Why does it work?
 Demand for information
 Homelessness strategies are being developed, revised, …
 New / changing responsibilities amongst actors
 Rapid changes in the profile of homelessness
 Complexity of homelessness
 Supply of information
 Similar trends – different policy approaches
 Successful policies addressing (aspects of) homelessness exists across Europe
 Why is it supported by the EU?
 Learning potential is very high
 Balanced mutual learning
 No teacher – pupil relation
 Direct impact of learning on policy development
 Recognition of knowledge and expertise as basis for effective homelessness
policies
 Importance of ideology ↓

10. Forum: origin
 Why?
 Focus on mutual learning
 Expertise and knowledge present amongst many different
actors
 Homeless NGOs; policy makers; Researchers; …
 Focus on delivery
 Many different actors are involved in the prevention and
reduction of homelessness
 NGOs; policy makers; housing associations; health institutions;
…
 FEANTSA wants to maximise the impact of its
work by involving all relevant stakeholders in the
European Forum Against Homelessness

11. Forum: Structure
Public Forum
•Local authorities
•Ministries
FEANTSA
Thematic Forum
Knowledge Forum
•Health
•Research
•Housing
•Stats
•Employment

12. Forum: activities
 Mutual learning about homelessness
 Means:
 Conferences
 Seminars
 Electronic exchanges
 …
 Content
 Issues of common concern for the different Fora
 Increase involvement in EU policy-making
 Maximise positive impact/minimize negative impact of EU policies on
the reduction of homelessness and housing exclusion
 How?
 Capacity building seminars
 Analysis of EU policies
 …

13. Forum: role of FEANTSA
 Promote and facilitate and coordinate mutual learning and
involvement in EU
 Why FEANTSA?
 Substantial experience with transnational work in homelessness
 Large amount of information already available
 Research
 Transnational exchanges
 Stable structure in place
 Office
 Expert groups…
 Tools available
 Website
 Contacts
 (Funding)…
 Involvement of other stakeholders is priority

14. Local authorities’ Forum
Who?
 Champions of homelessness
 EU member states
 (+EFTA and Accession States)
 Representativeness
 Geographical coverage
 Small and large
 Civil service
 Experts on homelessness and/or related areas
 Leading group
 Min 10 cities

15. Local authorities’ Forum
How?
 Gradual enlargement
 FEANTSA as (initial) driving force
 Promotion
 Proposal (2006)
 for structure
 for content
 Development through events
 Seminar Brussels May 2006
 Seminar London February 2007
 FEANTSA events (Wroclaw; Zaragoza,…)
 …
 Develop Local Authorities Forum before developing
links with other Fora

16. Local authorities’ Forum
What?
 Mutual learning
 Content
 Themes of common concern
 e.g. decentralisation, use of public space,…
 Means
 Peer review
 Staff exchanges
 News/information bulletin …
 Involvement in EU
 Content
 Analysis of impact of EU policies (relevant to local authorities)
 e.g. Public procurement, funding possibilities,…
 Means
 Publications
 Study visits to EU institutions …

17. Local authorities’ Forum
Costs?
 Costs
 Depends on activities
 Effective coordination requires staff resources
 Initial phase – limited costs
 Minimum 100.000€
 Funding
 Fees for involvement in Forum
 Subscription
 Conference fees …
 EU funding - is unlikely!!
 Structural Funds? (Interreg)
 Other sources?

18. Conclusion
 Local authorities should be involved in
transnational cooperation on homelessness
 EU context is right
 Commitment of FEANTSA
 Interest from local authorities
 Transnational cooperation works
 Interested to be involved contact
 Liz.Gosme@feantsa.org
Freek.Spinnewijn@feantsa.org

19.  Thank you for listening