Ending Homelessness Awards 3rd Edition 2021

MEET THE WINNERS

The Ending Homelessness Awards 3rd edition ceremony was held on 21 June 2021, as part of the high-level conference Combatting Homelessness - A Priority for our Social Europe, organised by the Portuguese EU Presidency in Lisbon, Portugal. The awards aim to identify, promote and celebrate three projects that have made the most inspiring use of European funds (European Social Fund (ESF), the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD), and/or the European Regional Development Fund) to tackle homelessness. We hope the awards will inspire more and better take-up of the European funds for tackling homelessness and contribute to building a post-2020 framework that really delivers on the commitment to leave no one behind by striving to end homelessness. To this end, we have produced promotional material for each of the winning projects including the Ending Homelessness Awards 2021 handbook and videos, which are forthcoming, by which you can learn more about the winning projects and their use of EU funds to fight homelessness.

FEANTSA Award Winners Handbook 2021

Gold prize winner: Housing First for the Moravian-Silesian Region

Run by: Romodrom o.p.s. and Nová možnost, z.ú.
Location: Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic
Timeframe: 2019-2022
Grant: EUR 66 904 ESF
Contact person: Eva Nedomová, evanedomova@romodrom.cz

The Romodrom’s Housing First for the Moravian-Silesian Region project addresses homelessness and housing deprivation of people of Roma origin who are socially excluded or at risk of social exclusion. The project is set up to help people who need the most support, i.e. people in severe housing need. The target group includes households (individuals, couples, and families) that do not have housing or are at immediate risk of losing their homes. The project includes several activities, such as finding apartments, contacting private homeowners, establishing cooperation with owners, addressing the target group, finding and selecting clients, establishing a confidential relationship with clients, moving assistance and complex support after moving. The project applies the principles of the Housing First model and connects the non-profit sector and the private sector, which is unique in the Czech Republic. 21 households have been successfully supported by the project so far.

Housing First for the Moravian-Silesian Region in the media.

Silver prize winner: É Uma Mesa

Run by: Crescer Na Maior, Associação de Intervenção Comunitária
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Timeframe: 2020-ongoing
Grant: EUR 134 335.42 ESF
Contact person: Florencia Salvia, florenciasalvia@crescer.org

The É UMA MESA project aims to improve the quality of life of vulnerable groups, namely people experiencing homelessness, through an innovative employment response. É UMA MESA is a restaurant in Bairro Padre Cruz, a neighbourhood in Lisbon, with a menu designed by a well-known Portuguese Chef, where the service is carried out by the beneficiaries of the project, with due professional support. Whilst the project has a social integration objective, it also boosts a socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhood and promotes its economy. The project É UMA MESA has the capacity to support 75 people per year.

É uma mesa in the media.

Bronze prize Winner: Housing First Trieste

Run by: Fondazione Diocesana Caritas Trieste Onlus
Location: Trieste, Italy
Timeframe: 2019-2021
Grant: EUR 362,861.75 FEAD + ESF
Contact person: Marco Aliotta, marcoaliotta@caritastrieste.it

The Housing First Trieste project promotes the implementation of Housing First in Trieste, spreading the methodology within the municipal social service, based on the first three-year trial that Fondazione Caritas had carried out. The introduction of the Housing First model in the reception system for homeless people has been very positively received by the municipal social workers who have seen its effectiveness directly. Another important element was the support of the fio.PSD Network Housing First Italia in the training of teams, the evaluation tools made available and the analysis on the progress of the projects. The increased involvement of beneficiaries in the implementation of the project was an important innovative factor that improved local community work and has fostered individuals’ sense of belonging. The project successfully accompanied 30 people in their transition into apartments.

Housing First Trieste in the media.

Using European Funds to Tackle Homelessness

Local, regional and national authorities have primary responsibility for funding measures to address homelessness. However, EU funds can play a transformative role by acting as a lever for the improvement of policies and services. The Awards were launched in 2017 with the first edition focusing on the European Social Fund (ESF). The 2018 Awards focused on the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD). This year the Awards reflect the use of the ESF, the FEAD and the European Regional Development Fund.

2020, the year in which FEANTSA launched its Ending Homelessness Awards 3rd Edition, was a milestone year as it was the last of the 2014 - 2020 financial framework. As Member States and the European Commission gear up to the 2021 - 2027 funding period, there is a fresh chance to put the relevant EU funds to work to improve the way homelessness is addressed in Europe.

Find out more about how EU funds can be used in the fight against homelessness:

European Commission, Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion: Funding
European Commission, European Social Fund Plus
EU Regional Policy webpage: here you can access programming documents, managing authority contact details and project examples

The Ending Homelessness Awards: present and past

The winning projects have been selected by an independent jury of experts representing stakeholders from civil society, EU institutions and national/regional Managing Authorities. They will be promoted at EU-level, including in a dedicated Handbook on Ending Homelessness and accompanying video which will be published on the day of the awards and in the week following. You can find the Handbooks and videos from past years' awards below:

We hope the awards will inspire more and better take-up of the European funds for tackling homelessness and contribute to building a post-2020 framework that really delivers on the commitment to leave no one behind by striving to end homelessness.