FEANTSA Webinar series & Concept note
Meeting the needs of Roma in the homelessness sector
In December 2023, FEANTSA hosted a webinar series addressed to homelessness service providers working to support Roma communities to exit situations of homelessness and for improving access to adequate housing. Social workers, housing experts and anyone interested on the topic was welcome to join. There were three sessions:
· Marina Csikós - Roma history and discrimination against Roma in Europe: then and now
· Bernard Rorke - The European Roma Rights Centre – housing rights denied to Roma across Europe
· Florin Botonogu - Policy Center for Roma and Minorities Romania/ERGO member – results from ERGO survey on Roma housing 2023
Webinar II: 11 December: Exclusion factors and good practices I [Video link]
· Marianna Prontera, Cairde, Ireland - National Roma Infoline supporting Roma in homelessness
· Cristina de la Serna, Fundacion Secretariado Gitano – FSG Study: characteristics and circumstances of people living in slum and substandard housing settlements in Spain’
· Sabrina Ignazi, Caritas Ambrosiana, Milan, Italy - Apascial Mobile Unit by Roma Department of Caritas Ambrosiana
· Raluca Ioana Motei, Kirkens Bymisjon, Norway - Working with Roma destitute mobile EU citizens in Oslo.
Webinar III: 13 December: Exclusion factors and good practices II [Video link]
· Katarína Beňová, DOM.ov project in Eastern Slovakia - Innovative Financial and Legal Mechanisms – Better Housing for Socially/Space Oppressed Communities
· Kumar Vishwanathan, Life Together, The Czech Republic – Housing situation of Roma in the Czech Republic
Why and What?
Taking note of the high risk to homelessness among Roma, services in the homelessness sector have developed an increased awareness on the need to learn about the history of the largest ethnic minority in Europe. Meeting the needs of Roma in the homelessness sector has become a preoccupation among FEANTSA’s membership, organisations who support Roma experiencing homelessness both in the country of origin as well as in host countries.
With this webinar series we aimed to raise awareness on the housing exclusion and homelessness that Roma experience across Europe and the specific challenges faced by Roma experiencing homelessness. During the three online sessions we explored together with Roma and pro-Roma organisations what homelessness service providers need in order to develop a better understanding of these challenges and to better support Roma. Together we discussed what tools and measures should be developed and implemented within the homelessness sector in relation to ending Roma housing exclusion and homelessness.
Concept note
Following the three webinars, a concept note was written to summarise the main ideas and outcomes. Download it here [PDF].
