|
The European End Street Homelessness Campaign update on COVID-19
Because of the unprecedented global health crisis of COVID-19, providing homes and support for people is more urgent than ever.
The European End Street Homelessness Campaign Team is in regular contact with our partners. We are hearing about extraordinary community efforts to find housing and provide food and support within a matter of a few days.
In other areas, organisations working to end street homelessness are faced with a new reality – one in which strict social distancing and isolation measures mean homeless services cannot exist in their traditional sense. Services that provide fundamental assistance are having to dramatically reorganise – and in some cases close – to limit the dangers of unnecessary infection.
We are building our understanding of how society is responding to the crisis across Europe. In some cases people experiencing homelessness are being fined for breaking lockdown regulations, while others have been evicted from their accommodation despite a range of measures in force to prevent this. Nevertheless, even in these most difficult of times we are seeing inspirational action, communities mobilising and a strong commitment to supporting each other.
|
|
|
|
Just some of the incredible work already happening across our network of European End Street Homelessness Campaign cities, includes:
- the repurposing of buildings in London and Torbay to provide accommodation during the crisis;
- in Brussels, the campaign is calling for active COVID-19 testing of homeless people – sign their Call for Action, asking for protection of the homeless public, a proactive and systematic screening policy, and keeping people in housing;
- in Brighton, government funding has enabled vacant hotels to be used to provide isolated spaces for people to stay;
- staff and volunteers in Barcelona are using video technology to maintain regular support with service users; and
- in Bratislava, NGO Stopa, are using the mobile application Here WeGo to help locate high-risk vulnerable people on the streets and to organise support activities.
|
|
At World Habitat we are committed to sharing experiences and good practice. Do you have a story to tell?
- How is your organisation or local area responding to the COVID-19 crisis?
- Are you developing emerging practice as you respond to the unfolding crisis?
If so, we want to hear from you! Please get in touch with Programme Officer, Celeste, at celeste.sangster@world-habitat.org or give us a call on +44 (0)1530 510444.
|
|
|
|
If you’re working in homelessness at this extremely challenging time, have a look at our free COVID-19 resource list, which collates key guidance and support from around the world. We’re including relevant information in several formats and languages, to make accessing material as easy for you as possible, including:
|
|
One of the strengths of the European End Street Homelessness Campaign is the peer support and sense of unity that the cities involved share. Even though we’ve had to postpone our Annual Gathering of Cities, which was set to take place in Barcelona this month, we will be bringing campaign representatives together in a virtual meeting at the end of April, to continue to stay connected and support one another during this extremely challenging and uncertain time.
On that note, we want to thank the remarkable networks of individuals and organisations who are working incredibly hard to keep those who are experiencing homelessness as safe as possible. It’s your commitment and resilience that will make a huge difference during this unprecedented time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Image credits: Luke Flegg (2019), Gideon Mendel (2017).
|
|
|
|
|
