District Standard of Getting out of Homelessness (GSWB)

The system project – 1.18 “Creating and developing standards of quality and social integration” in task 4 aimed at standardization the work with the homeless and working out a model of “District Standard of Getting out of Homelessness”.

Project completion period: 1 January 2010 – 31 December 2013

Operational Programme Human Capital

Priority 1

The model “District Standard of Getting out of Homelessness”

• The Human Resource Development Centre (CRZL) is the partnership leader. Partners responsible for the factual aspect of project accomplishment are FEANTSA members and they represent six biggest Polish organizations dealing with homelessness:

• The Pomeranian Forum in Aid of Getting Out of Homelessness

• St. Brother Albert’s Aid Society, Executive Board

• Barka Association

• MONAR Association

• Caritas Kielce

• “Open Door” Association from Warsaw

Representatives of NGOs and public sector institutions (Social Assistance Centres, Marshalls’ Offices, Provincial Offices, scientific circles) will be involved in the project as researchers and experts.

The need to conduct GSWB project resulted from deficits in four spheres:

• Cooperation
• Social policy
• System regulations
• Diagnosis

All these spheres influence the need to create a coherent system of social policy in Poland which would be aimed at solving the problem of homelessness and alleviating its consequences.

Main aim of task 4:

• Raising the efficiency of the system aimed at solving the problem of homelessness and alleviating its consequences through drawing up and implementing standards of services directed to the homeless and those threatened with homelessness. These standards, specified in the District Standard of Getting out of Homelessness, will be included in District Strategies of Solving Social Problems.

The District Standard should include elements of new social work methodology: Street worker  of Homelessness,  a procedural path of activation of homeless people – from a nightshelter to a communal flat, with stipulated rules of cooperation between district authorities and NGOs.

The final result is the presentation of “the path of getting out of homelessness” which follows the pattern:

Standard → Model → Strategy.

District Standard of getting out of homelessness is a package of standard services addressed to the homeless, e.g. a standard of:  a nightshelter, a shelter, social work or services of vocational activation locally implemented in District Partnerships. This Standard, an element of social and vocational activation integration model for the homeless, is applied in local strategies of solving the problem of homelessness and easing its consequences.

Detailed aims:

• Creating a coherent system of social policy aimed at solving the problem of homelessness, minimizing its threats and easing its consequences;
• Consolidating  circles and entities acting in the field of homelessness, working out and implementing a model of partnership;
• Collecting, making uniform and creating all-Poland models, methods and standards in the sphere of solving the problem of homelessness;
• Working out and implementing local strategies of solving the problem of homelessness and creating local partnerships in the pilot phase;
• Introducing models of diagnosing and “measuring” homelessness to the social policy system;
• Creating recommendations of system changes in the sphere of homelessness;
• Increasing skills and knowledge of entities working in the field of homelessness in efficient methods of combating homelessness;
• Changing social awareness of homelessness, the image of the homeless and help directed to the homeless.

Main project activities consist of eight phases:

• Diagnosis (6 months)
• Model (10 months)
• Education and Information phase (6 months)
• Pilot phase (18 months)
• Recommendation (6 months)
• Dissemination (6 months)
• Promotion (1.10 – 12.13)
• Project management (1.10 – 12.13)

Project description

GSWB 10.2009 Project description

Project presentation

Presentation of GSWB 11.12

Scope and segregation of duties among partners

Segregation and scope of partners’ duties 17.12.2009