The EPOCH Practice Expert Committee convened for the first time on 3rd May.

It was an opportunity for members to discuss the collective goals of the group and finalize the Open Call to select 12 inspiring practices. These practices will be promoted within the EPOCH Practice framework to members of the European Platform and a wider audience of stakeholders involved in combatting homelessness.

The Expert Committee comprises professionals with a diverse range of experiences and expertise.

Here is a brief presentation of the Experts: 

Pascal De Decker 

Pascal is a sociologist and urban planner. He is emeritus professor at the departement of architecture KULeuven and was a member of the Feantsa working group on housing. He was also reporter for the Observatory.

Sarah Coupechoux 

Sarah has a background in law and currently works at the Abbé Pierre Foundation (France) as the Head of the European mission.

Martinho Dias 

Martinho Dias has been a Peer Educator at CRESCER (NGO) since 2017, the year when he began working with outreach teams in the city of Lisbon (Portugal). In this role, he works directly with individuals experiencing homelessness and using drugs.

Gyorgy Sumeghy

Gyorgy is currently the Associate Director at Habitat For Humanity, leading the "Policy and Advocacy" division in Europe and the Middle East.

Birthe Polvson 

Since 1998, Birthe has been a political and professional consultant in the area of ​​homelessness at local and national levels in Denmark, where she has worked to implement homelessness strategies, including as a project manager for Housing First Europe.

She is a member of the board of "Project Udenfor" and a member of the executive committee of the International Federation of Socialworkers - IFSW. She is now a private consultant since her retirement in 2020.