Reorganising Access to Homeless Services for EU-Migrants in Times of Crisis

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9th European Research Conference Homelessness in Times of Crisis

!Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014 !

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Reorganizing access to homeless services for EU-migrants in times of crisis!

Magdalena Mostowska, University of Warsaw!



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Outline of the presentation !

n  About the project!!n  Context in the selected countries and cities!

n  Access to homeless services for EU-migrants!

n  Institutionalization vs. deformalization!

n  Conclusions!



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About the project!

!Project aims!

1.  Natural history of a social problem (migrants’ homelessness) – definition, responsibility, institutionalization!

2.  Social and institutional practices of organizations responsible for homelessness on the European, national, local and organizational level!

3.  Mutual adjustment of strategies of service providers and homeless migrants!



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About the project!

n  2012-2014 individual research grant financed by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education (0369/IP3/2011/71)!

n  4x 30 days of fieldwork: Copenhagen, Dublin, Amsterdam, Stockholm!

n  Interviews with local authorities and ngo’s, front-line staff, documents, reports!

n  Ethnographic participant observation and interviews with the Polish migrants experiencing homelessness (rough-sleeping, using shelters and day centers)!



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Context – Polish migration !

n  Since 2004 new wave of emigration (and legalization of residence) of Poles in the EU!

n  Main destinations: the UK and Germany!

n  Poles second largest (after Romanians) group of immigrants within the EU!

n  Precarious migrants’ situation on the labor and housing market!



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Context – migration !

Polish emigration according to Polish Statistical Office, 2012 (temporary emigration for longer than 3 months)!



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Context – migration !

n  “New” migration countries – opening of labor market: Ireland and Sweden 2004, the Netherlands 2007, Denmark 2009

n  Labor market characteristics influence migration patterns – temporary work agencies in the Netherlands, trade unions in Denmark and Sweden, Irish recession

n  Dublin, Copenhagen, Stockholm – concentration of Polish

community (Polish men in the construction sector, also production and services), Amsterdam – small Polish community (tourist destination)

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Context – selected countries!



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Context – selected cities!



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Context – fieldwork!

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Access to homeless services for EU-migrants!n  EU-migrant “should not become an unreasonable burden on the social

assistance system”

n  Limitations in access to services for EU-migrants with no “right to reside”!

n  No public funding for homeless services that support migrants!

n  “Local connection” restrictions!

n  Lack of knowledge and awareness of rights and access to services by migrants!

n  Losing right to benefits or health insurance in the home country



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Access to homeless services in the selected cities!

Rapidly changing situation (access at the time of fieldwork)!!n  Copenhagen !

q  outreach food and basics; one “night café” about 25 spots, couple day centers!n  Dublin !

q  DCC&Barka program (hostel, advice, repatriation), various day centers, emergency shelter!n  Amsterdam !

q  Barka outreach team (advice, repatriation), Helpdesk Oosteuropeanen (emergency beds, advice, repatriation), various day centers, food outreach!

n  Stockholm !q  Crossroads, summer shelter, various day centers!

n  No regular access to shelters, especially in the summer time!



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How it works? !

n  Couple hundreds EU-migrants approaching services during the year, 10-50% of the EU migrants are Polish, 20-50 persons core group of Polish rough sleepers in each city – complex needs!

n  Access criteria and practice of admittance changing quickly!n  Specific projects operate on short-term basis!n  Competition with other groups also in access to day centers and soup

kitchens!n  Migration of groups between services!n  Informal individual referrals and placements, obtaining payments!n  Repatriation as the “official solution” to the problem!



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“Deformalization” of support for migrants!

Especially in Copenhagen and Amsterdam!

n  Restrictions in access to services lead to informal referrals and placements – individualization of support!

n  Privately-funded projects are short-term!n  Repatriation as only “long-term solution”!n  Uncertainty and insecurity of migrants!n  Resentment towards other groups!n  Focus on “work” as migrants’ obligation!



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“Institutionalization” of support for migrants!

For example in Dublin (DCC&Barka) and Stockholm (Crossroads)!

n  Once a program is set up it “monopolizes” support !n  Limited time project – focus on “efficiency” (“processing cases” as

quickly as possible)!n  Other service providers refer everyone to the “migrants’ program”!n  Institutionalization leads to specialization (focus on one particular

group or set of problems)!n  Conflicts between providers adopting the “official” policy and the

“critical” ones!n  Group of most vulnerable migrants is being excluded!!



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Conclusions!

n  Importance of context of the attitudes towards migrants, repressiveness towards rough sleepers/beggars!

n  Service providers in the EU are struggling with unclear legislation!n  “Institutionalization” and “deformalization” occur simultaneously!n  The situation is generating conflicts between service providers!n  … and conflicts between different groups of service users!

n  Hostile attitudes towards migrants by some service providers!n  Lack of confidence in the state and service providers by migrants!

n  BUT there are innovative ideas, projects, advocacy, and research!



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Thank you!!Research financed by the state budget 2012-2014!Grant of the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education (0369/IP3/2011/71)!

Government & Nonprofit

Reorganising Access to Homeless Services for EU-Migrants in Times of Crisis