Strategy for Homeless People
03-07-2009

The Welfare Ministry and the Strategy for Homeless People

The first part of the final strategy for homeless people was presented by the minister of Welfare on the 30^th of January 2009 – we’ll have to wait until August for the last part before the strategy can be implemented. This strategy may work.

On the 30^th of January, Karen Jespersen, the minister of welfare presented the final strategy for a reduction of the number of homeless people in Denmark. It concerns the strategy presented in the summer of 2007 by the minister of welfare at that time, Eva Kjær. Now it has found its final form.

Since 2007 minor changes have taken place. The formulations seem less sharp and categorical. But the four points which already from the beginning formed the backbone of the strategy are, however, still there. They are now named:

1)      Fewer rough sleepers.
2)      Better solutions for young people than a place in a day shelter.
3)      Maximum a period of 3-4 months for people who are ready to move to their own  residence with support accommodations.
4)      Secure residence by discharge from treatment and release from prison.

I would have preferred the goals to be more operational meaning that they were clear and measurable. The four points could have had a common headline which stated that the political ambition was to abolish homelessness beyond the minimum and the acute, which unfortunately cannot be avoided.  Furthermore the plan should have contained time limits concerning when to reach the goals. It is difficult for me to understand how the rather brief description of the plan should be able to form the background of the activities to be implemented. Others have had the same opinion of not understanding exactly what was going to happen.

At the presentation Rambøll Management and the SFI (The Danish National Centre for Social Research) gave an account of the know-how used as the background of the strategy and the way the strategy is going to be implemented. They will follow the progress and provide knowledge when needed. In addition the plan itself was presented.

The 9 municipalities which have been chosen to make a special effort concerning homelessness are at the moment working on local homeless strategies or have done so already. When these have been politically adopted around March this year, the municipalities and the government will negotiate about what kind of financing the single elements will release. These negotiations are expected to be finished immediately after the summer holidays. Then the work can start.

The 9 chosen municipalities are: Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Århus, Odense Esbjerg, Randers, Albertslund and Høje Tåstrup.

So it will last six months before we shall have a more precise knowledge of what is going to happen. But the strategy in itself represents an interesting new way of thinking and could very well lead to something positive.

 

Preben Brandt

 

The article in French