Section SOCIETY
TOPIC

EDRA
Housing and Work Program for the homeless with the distinctive title "REFORM-LIFE"

K.S.D.E.O. "HEADQUARTERS" trying to contribute to combating the problem of homelessness, which in recent years has reached unprecedented proportions for Greek society, implemented, in cooperation with the Municipality of Peristeri, the program "Housing and Work for the Homeless" with the distinctive title "REFORM-LIFE" and project code SE-7, which lasted from November 2018 to August 2021.

The Plan, which resulted from the partnership of the Municipality of Peristeri (Eligible Body) with K.S.D.E.O. "EDRA" (Administrative Agency of the Plan), concerned the support of groups of the population of the Municipality of Peristeri and by extension the wider arc of western Attica, which were deprived of housing due to socio-economic conditions.

The general objective of the program was to contribute to the elimination of the phenomenon of homelessness, while the specific objectives are defined as follows:

  • The immediate transition of people living in a state of lack of housing to independent forms of living, through the provision of housing and social care services.
  • The mobilization for their reintegration into the social fabric through the provision of counseling and work reintegration services.
  • Compulsory inclusion of at least 20% of all adult beneficiaries, able to work, in work subsidized by the program
  • The further development of inter-agency synergy to tackle homelessness.

The specific Plan aimed at the immediate and smooth reintegration of 36 beneficiaries (30 adults and 6 minor children) from 26 households (21 individuals, 2 four-member families and 3 single-parent families), who lived in the Municipality of Peristeri and neighboring municipalities ( Ilio, Aegaleo, Agios Anargyros, Chaidario and Phylis) and came from the following groups:

Families and individuals, who had been registered by the social service of the Municipality of Peristeri and/or neighboring municipalities (Ilio, Aigaleo, Agioi Anargyroi, Chaidariou, Phylis) as homeless, living on the street or in inappropriate accommodation (mobile homes, cars, improvised constructions, shacks, shacks, containers, in temporary buildings for habitation based on the existing legislation), Families and individuals, who were accommodated in Hostels for the Transitional Hospitality of the Homeless or Dormitories.

The "Housing and Work for the Homeless" Program ran from November 2018 to August 2021.

The reintegration of individuals was achieved through comprehensive and personalized plans, which smoothly led those benefiting from homelessness into independent housing solutions, through the provision of housing and social care services. In addition, through a network of labor mobilization, information and labor counseling services, the labor reintegration of the beneficiaries was achieved, with the aim of reconnecting them with the labor market, their independence and full autonomy.

The two Special Objectives of the plan (Housing and Work) were interrelated and absolutely committed to the final goal of the plan, that is, the complete autonomy of the beneficiaries. It is obvious that the first objective, that of providing housing and social care, could not operate independently and be effective, as it would constitute a measure of temporary relief to the homeless with a specific end date. On the contrary, the specific project, through the synergy of the two pillars of actions, which served the specific objectives, offered a real possibility of restart to individuals and families, who wished to claim once again the basic quality of life and a place in the social fabric.

The partnership of the Municipality of Peristeri (Eligible Entity) with K.S.D.E.O. "HEADQUARTERS" (Managing Agency of the Scheme) carried out actions, which ensured the beneficiaries:

  1. Housing
  2. Essentials coverage
  3. Integration into the labor market
  4. Psychosocial support
  5. Consulting (labor, legal, financial management, health education and nutrition)
  6. Interface with competent Services, with the aim, among others:
  • Registration at the OAED
  • The utilization of training and integration programs at work
  • The provision of counseling services by the employment counselors of the Employment Promotion Centers of the OAED
  • The provision of health education and nutrition services in collaboration with the relevant municipal or public local health services or Community Centers
  • The receipt of social benefits in cooperation especially with the competent Municipal Services (Social Solidarity Income, disability or child benefits, Social Invoices, free medical care for the uninsured)
  • Enrollment of minors in compulsory education
  • Carrying out educational/cultural activities.

In addition, during the duration of the Program, the following actions were implemented with the aim of supporting and mobilizing the beneficiaries:

Group work counseling session with a KPA OAED work counselor

Within the framework of the Housing and Work Program for the Homeless "METARYTHMI-ZO" and in collaboration with the OAED KPA2 of Peristeri, a group work counseling session was held on 10/12/2019 with a work counselor of the KPA OAED.

The group session had the following structure:

  1. Familiarity Exercise
  2. Expectations they have from the group session with KPA OAED
  3. What do you know about OAED?
  4. Ways to search for a job
  5. Presentation of the OAED and its role.
  6. Procedure for registering with the OAED and/or setting up a meeting with an employment advisor.
  7. Exercise: My career goal
  8. Curriculum vitae

Voluntary action

Within the framework of the Housing and Work Program for the Homeless "METARYTHMI-ZO" and in collaboration with the Municipality of Peristeri, a voluntary action was planned, so that the beneficiaries mobilized and took action with the aim of their reintegration into the social fabric.

This action took place on Friday 20/9/2019 during the solidarity concert of the Municipality of Peristeri. The beneficiaries of the Program participated by collecting food to support the Social Grocery of the Municipality of Peristeri.

Participation in an educational/cultural activity

On 22/11/2019, a visit was made to the Acropolis Museum and, after the beneficiaries toured the Museum's exhibition spaces, they enjoyed their coffee in the cafeteria, on the museum's roof.

The organizations that contribute to the implementation of the program and that are considered to be helpful in the effort to reintegrate the beneficiaries into the social fabric, are:

  • The Social Services of the Municipalities
  • The Community Centers
  • The Health Centers
  • The Health Center of Peristeri
  • The Mental Health Center of Peristeri
  • The Social Societies, Social Grocers and Social Pharmacies
  • The Social Services of Public Hospitals
  • The Social Homeless Hostels
  • The Employment Promotion Centers of the OAED
  • Private sector businesses.

It is observed that the homeless, who live on the street for a long time, face problems, such as their victimization, the loss of sociability and, finally, their social inactivity. To address the extreme consequences of homelessness, the program's social workers:

  • They applied a specific intervention methodology, based on specific techniques-tools with a personalized approach according to the formal/informal qualifications and the needs to be covered by each beneficiary, in order to achieve the empowerment, enlivenment and mobilization of the target group, which faced integration problems in the labor market.
  • They implemented Individual Counseling Support and prepared an Individual Action Plan on a case-by-case basis. The counseling process covered the objectives of the program, as it empowered each beneficiary individually and led to their gradual reconnection with the social fabric, as well as their reconnection with the labor market.
  • They undertook periodic evaluations of the target group for the psychological assessment, support and social empowerment of the beneficiary.
  • They undertook the supportive, counseling or therapeutic process, individual or group of the beneficiaries, which was deemed necessary during the evaluation.
  • They implemented Counseling for emotional support in family matters.
  • They advised on the need for additional medical, psychotherapeutic interventions and rehabilitation methods.
  • They mediated and directed the beneficiaries to the social services appropriate for them, as well as other agencies (social grocery stores, social clinics, various services, etc.).
  • They provided job counseling.

As each of the homeless individuals had different needs and preferences, the package of services and benefits provided to them was based on an individualized social reintegration plan. This personalized approach was a necessary process to achieve the goals of the program. Through the contact of the beneficiaries with the scientific staff, their needs and problems were diagnosed, they were empowered and helped in their efforts to reintegrate into the social fabric. In addition, they were connected with education, social care and health services, as their long-term exposure to street conditions had created a multitude of health problems.

Through labor counseling and reintegration into the labor market, the following emerged:

  • Cooperation with the local Employment Promotion Centers of the OAED to provide counseling services,
  • Information on the rights and obligations of the beneficiaries of the project at work,
  • Information about the possibilities of finding legal work and following education/training programs,
  • Job search, which meets the needs of each beneficiary,
  • Assisting the beneficiaries in order to have access to the labor market (e.g. writing a CV, providing advice on accounting, tax, legal issues, etc.),
  • Special individual and group counseling for preparation for joining the labor market,
  • Informing the local community and seeking cooperation with employers,
  • Support and mediation between employee and employer.

The place of action of the "Housing and Work for the Homeless" Program was mainly the Municipality of Peristeri and its neighboring Municipalities, and, more specifically, the Municipalities of Ilion, Aigaleo, Agioi Anargyroi, Chaidari and Fili.

Through the "Housing and Work for the Homeless" Program, a total of 26 residences were leased throughout the urban fabric of Attica, the rent of which was covered for 18 months exclusively by the Managing Agency K.S.D.E.O. HEADQUARTERS, through funding from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.

In this way, in total, 36 beneficiaries were housed (30 adults and six minor children). It is important to mention that, to date, the percentage of 85% keeps the house, which was rented out through the Program and now pays its rent from its own resources.

In addition, through the Program, 7 beneficiaries joined work in the private sector, while, through labor mobilization, information and professional counseling, 11 beneficiaries joined the labor market, either in the private or in the public sector.

The benefit for the Agency K.S.D.E.O. EDRA was primarily the consolidation of cooperation with the Municipality of Peristeri, resulting in the undertaking of two more "Housing and Work for the Homeless" Programs, which are ongoing. In addition, due to the successful implementation of the Program and the cooperation with the Municipality of Peristeri, there was a synergy and implementation of the Program with another inter-municipal scheme, and, more specifically, with the Municipalities of Ilion, Agios Anargyro and Petroupoli.

In addition, the Agency K.S.D.E.O. EDRA, with this specific program as a springboard, participates as a member of the Greek network for the right to housing and housing, while it has consolidated its cooperation with other organizations that deal with the phenomenon of homelessness in Greece.