Support is the code word - the residences are already there
16-02-2010

- There are plenty of challenges. One of the biggest is to organize the right type of accommodation and support in relation to helping the citizen to hold on to a dwelling.

These are the words by Helle Brade Kreipke, project leader for the implementing of the homeless plan Odense Municipality. Ordinarily she is chief consultant in the Social and Health Policy secretariat in the Municipality.

With approximately 208 homeless individuals (according to the census of the National Centre of Social Research in February 2009) Odense is one of the 8 municipalities participating in the homeless strategy of the government. Odense Municipality has received 27,6 million kroner for specific focus areas until 2012 and Odense contributes with another 12,1 million kroner.

Odense Municipality has committed itself to all four points in the homeless strategy of the government, and this means in figures:

• Diminishing by half the number of citizens living in the street from 34 to 17.
• A reduction of 62 per cent of young people staying in a reception centre which means 25 in 2010.
• A reduction of the number of people living in a shelter more than 120 days. The goal is 20 citizens in 2012 against 45 today.
• Finally the number of citizens without a housing offer after release from prison should be reduced from 10 to 4 which mean a reduction by 60 per cent.

Unique chance of method development

The Municipality looks upon its participation in the homeless strategy as a unique chance of both developing and implementing new and perhaps better methods to help exposed citizens out of homelessness.

Now is the chance of getting in common a good, solid methodical approach to the area, knowing very well that people are not identical. It is a unique chance of becoming better professionally equipped to the benefit of the users, says project leader Helle Brade Kreipke.

The increased action of the Municipality means an increase of the coworkers’ staff of what corresponds to 5 full-time project jobs. Certain already existing jobs will also be reorganized. In connection with this work money will be earmarked for a supplementary training of the coworkers.

During the next 3 years we shall yearly spend two million kroner on training and competency development of our coworkers. Those in charge of the implementation of the homeless strategy are of course those who work with he homeless, says Helle Brad Kreipke.

Focus areas must be on a long-term basis

Odense Municipality has defined five focus areas in order to help reaching the goals.

• Establishment of a reporting team
• A Coaching Centre for exposed young people
• A Project for competence development around a re-entry process from he temporary housing
• Establishment of social caretakers in exposed housing areas so that the citizens can keep their own residence.
• Strengthened focus in connection with leaving prison, hospital or a special treatment course

In order to carry out these efforts the involved coworkers have been organized in eight task groups. The groups are working on method descriptions and mandate for their own task groups. According to the plan they will be ready with the first draft to the National Board of Social Services and Rambøll (Danish management consulting firm).

One of the eight task groups is working on economy, subsidies and appropriations. This is a very important part of the strategy of the whole Municipality as it is the Municipality which is to guarantee that the efforts are long-term efforts, tells Helle Brade Kreipke. The extra money we receive for the homeless strategy cannot be expected in the future. Therefore it is the task of the groups to see to the focuses being started now can continue – also when the extra money is no longer available, she explains.

Better reporting must result in better offers

One of the new initiatives in the homeless strategy of Odense Municipality is the creation of a quite new working team in relation to reporting and plan. The team has to participate in securing that the reporting of the exposed citizens is carried out identically in all cases and that it makes sure that the citizen gets the right offer.

Today the reporting takes place in the different types of housing but in many different ways. So this can be harmonized. We can see that many have circled around in the system without having been properly informed, Helle Brade Kneipke recognizes.

There are enough residences

Odense Municipality is the only one of the eight participating municipalities which neither have nor planned to build any kind of new residences in connection with the homeless strategy. Housing shortage is not a problem in Odense Municipality, tells Helle Brade Kneipke.

- In Odense we actually really have many fine residences. But we must organize the residences with the right support in order that people can manage when they move into them.

Therefore the municipality has chosen to focus on housing support and social caretakers, which is one of the five focuses in their homeless strategy. They have already positive experiences with this method.

- This is something we do really well in Odense. Right now we are developing methods to document that it works, says Helle Brade Kreipke.  

Good results have been obtained by outgoing and networking action. Already today the municipality has a fine mesh cooperation between housing companies, outgoing coworkers, drop-in shelters, and the police. For this we also wish to develop a method in order to prove the value of what we do. Maybe we can also do something in a different way, and the method can explain this, thinks Helle Brade Kreipke.

 

FACTS
The Homeless strategy is a pool-financed programme supported by the government and the parties behind the SATS-pool. The primary purpose of the programme is to reduce homelessness in Denmark. 500 million kroner have been appropriated for the programme in the period of 2009-2012.

The eight participating municipalities are: Albertslund, Esbjerg, Frederiksberg, Høje-Taastrup, København, Odense, Randers and Århus.

The four primary goals for the government’s homeless strategy are:

• No citizens shall live a life in the street
• No young people ought to stay in a reception centre but should be offered other solutions
• Stay at a residence shelter should not exceed 3-4 months for citizens who are ready to move into their own residence with the necessary support
• Release from prison or discharge from available treatment option or hospital should imply a solution to the housing situation