Study Visit on effective accommodation services for migrants experiencing homelessness
22 – 23 October 2024
Caritas Florence, Italy
On the 22nd and 23rd of October, FEANTSA members came together in Florence, hosted by the Italian members at fio.PSD and Caritas Florence, to discuss and exchange experiences on the intersection of migration policies and homelessness. The objectives of the visit were to discuss solutions for effective accommodation options for migrants, including asylum seekers and refugees experiencing homelessness, and identify the points where migration, asylum, and homelessness interact while mapping accommodation (and other) services provided by FEANTSA membership to people in exile.
Aims of the visit:
✔ Introduction to the Caritas Florence services.
✔ Facilitate exchange and mutual learning between FEANTSA members working in the migration area.
✔ Discuss with relevant stakeholders to form the basis of a FEANTSA position what effective solutions are there for accommodation for migrants (including asylum seekers and refugees) and the role of homelessness services in this area.
✔ Development of a community of practice and coordination on relevant issues concerning access to shelter/accommodation/housing for migrants experiencing homelessness, including with initiatives from the EU level.
The main areas of interest were the intersection between migration policies and homelessness, low threshold services for migrants’ accommodation, reception of asylum seekers, support with housing for people with international protection status, access to shelter for undocumented migrants, and housing first for migrants.
Participants:
Caritas Florence team: Marzio Mori, Alina Tamas, Eleonora Tamacoldi, Irene Caverni; Lucia Fiorillo, Osservatorio fio.PSD; Alessandro Pezzoni, Caritas Ambrosiana and FEANTSA AC member for Italy; Giulio Ciucci, Psyplus ETS, Rome; Mattia Esposito, Europe Consulting, Rome; Anna-Leena Myllylä, Sininauhasaatio (Blue Ribbon Foundation), Finland; Ineke Baas, Valente, the Netherlands; Adèle CROISE, Federation de la solidarite, France; Rick Henderson, Homeless Link, UK; Kalin Trifonov, Caritas Vienna, Austria; Simona Barbu, FEANTSA secretariat.
Download the full report here
