Who are we?
FEANTSA is the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless. It is the only European network focussing specifically on the issue of homelessness. FEANTSA works closely with the EU institutions and has consultative status at Council of Europe and the United Nations. It has existed since 1989. FEANTSA is supported financially by the European Commission.
Who do we represent?
FEANTSA represents non-governmental service provider organisations working with people who are homeless across a range of areas (emergency services, social support services, housing services, health services etc.). FEANTSA’s members are national or regional umbrella organisations representing this sector and it has over 100 members in 27 European countries. FEANTSA is democratically structured to involve member organisations in as many aspects of our work as possible.
The guiding bodies of FEANTSA are the General Assembly (which involves all member organisations), an Administrative Council (consisting of one representative for each EU Member State) and an Executive Committee (comprised of up to 7 members drawn from the Administrative Council). FEANTSA also has a small office based in Brussels which is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the network.
What is our mission?
FEANTSA’s mission statement is “to be/create the most effective means of ending homelessness in Europe” In practice, this means that FEANTSA seeks to build knowledge and expertise on the issue of homelessness, to facilitate mutual learning around different relevant themes and to feed into to the policy-making process on homelessness at European and national level. FEANTSA seeks to be resource for its members, providing instruments and occasions for exchange and networking; opening doors into European processes; as well as providing them with tools and resources that may be useful in daily working or in contact with policy-makers at local or national level.
What do we do?
FEANTSA has three main areas of activity, which are closely linked and mutually supportive. These are policy and lobbying work; research; and transnational exchange and networking. FEANTSA’s working groups, drawn from its membership, are the motors of its policy work. They ensure that FEANTSA stays abreast of the priorities, challenges and experience on the ground of its members and feeds them in to its work to influence policy. FEANTSA also has a research observatory. The European Observatory on homelessness produces academic research on relevant themes related to homelessness each year. To facilitate exchange and mutual learning, FEANTSA organises events and seminars, including its annual theme conference every year.
In the area of Health:
FEANTSA has had a European working group on Health and Social Protection since 2004, which has been responsible for developing the work of the organisation in this area. They have built up a considerable body of resources on health and homelessness including policy papers, briefing notes, position papers, relevant background documents and links, which are available on FEANTSA’s website in the health section.
The group also regularly responds to relevant consultations from the Commission and other bodies.
FEANTSA devoted its annual theme to health and homelessness in 2006, which involved a large scale reporting exercise on this theme across the EU. In each country where FEANTSA has a board member, member organisations submitted a national report covering issues such as health profiles of people who are homeless, access to health for people who are homeless, social protection packages, breakdown of care, inter-agency working etc. These findings were then brought together in a European Report. All of these documents are also available on FEANTSA’s website and together offer a detailed overview of the health situation of people who are homeless in Europe.
FEANTSA also launched a network of health professionals working with people who are homeless in 2007 called the “European Network of Homeless Health Workers” (ENHW). This multi-disciplinary network is intended to offer a forum for exchange and discussion among health workers. It is mainly an electronic initiative, which takes form through an electronic newsletter and discussion forum.
How do you get involved?
All of the resources mentioned above can be accessed on FEANTSA’s website. You can sign up for free to receive the electronic news bulletin from this page.
Health and Social Protection Section
European Network of Homeless Health Workers
If you would like to take contact with FEANTSA’s health working group or find out more about FEANTSA’s work on health, please contact Dearbhal Murphy
EPHA related articles
FEANTSA supports a parliamentary initiative to end street homelessness
FEANTSA "Homeless in Europe" magazine & ENHW Newsletter Summer 2007 issues
FEANTSA statement on EU State aid rules and social housing
FEANTSA calls on policy makers to end street homelessness by 2010
European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless
