The problem of young people in a crisis of homelessness is not gaining enough attention in Poland. Solutions have not been devised that are intended solely for this group. Our studies of homelessness of young people (aged 18-25) in 2019 show that in a period of three months, as many as 150 young people made use of institutional help in Warsaw (training residences, shelters, accommodation). We know that young people rarely resort to institutional solutions (shelters, accommodation) and instead seek their own solutions – squatting, or sleeping in stairwells or buses. This means that the scale of the problem is considerably greater.
The project aims to devise and promulgate solutions to help young people in homelessness crisis in a way that meets their needs, and include in our activities a new way of reaching young people in need.
We will appoint a team of specialists from various areas of Poland with links to County Family Aid Centres and facilities (orphanage, resocialization facility), CSOs, social welfare authorities, and science, and also twenty young people. We will orientate young people in participation principles and what participation means. The team will produce a report on needs of young people in homelessness crisis, giving tips on working with the group and recommendations on creating support tools. We will organize three conferences to debate these issues (involving young people). We will create a streetworking youth group (fifteen people), to take part in regular patrols in Warsaw, and create a FB group for young people seeking support. We will run a training residence.
A report will be produced on the needs of young people in homelessness crisis, which will be read by 3000 specialists. The young people will improve their community competencies and their living situation.
100 young people will receive support in the project, thirty of whom will become involved in self-advocacy activities.