International study: Finland is a leading country in the management of long-term homelessness
According to an international evaluation team, Finland's national programme to reduce long-term homelessness is one of the best examples in the world of how to apply the so-called Housing First principle to long-term homelessness. According to FEANTSA, the European Federation of National Organisations working with the Homeless, Finland is also the only country in the European Union where homelessness continues to decrease.
According to a study that evaluated the Programme to Reduce Long-term Homelessness 2008–2015 (PAAVO I & II), which is coordinated by the Ministry of the Environment, Finland's good results are based on excellent cooperation. In Finland, ministries have worked together with cities, third sector service providers, Finland's Slot Machine Association and the Y-Foundation to find solutions to these problems. The work carried out through the programme has been wide-reaching, systematic and genuine. Measures have been implemented over the long term, both locally and at the national level. The government has also played a key role in the promotion of the programme.
The Housing First model works
The common thread of Finland's homelessness policy has been the Housing First principle, which means that a homeless person is first provided with a roof over his or her head before other potential problems are tackled. A key factor in the success of this principle has been the adequate number of support personnel and appropriately allocated support: the homeless person works together with a support person to solve practical life problems and explore opportunities for education, work and other activities, for example. The model also involves a great deal of practical hands-on work: the support person can, for example, escort the homeless person to a health centre when necessary.
This comprehensive model has proven effective. According to researchers, it is clear that facilitating the individual's normal interaction with the rest of society is the best way to both prevent and reduce homelessness. A long-term homeless person is a person who has remained homeless for over a year due to social or health-related reasons, or a person who has been continuously homeless for the last three years.
Serious shortage of suitable housing
The researchers also provide recommendations for future homelessness policies. Even though the social housing production supported by municipalities and the Y-Foundation has improved the situation, there is still a serious shortage of affordable rental housing in Finland, especially in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. In fact, in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area the shortage of suitable housing is threatening to undermine other aspects of homelessness work.
The researchers also recommend more extensive investments in prevention and early identification of homelessness. For example, the incurring of debts can easily lead to homelessness, but if the signs are identified early, the cycle can be broken in time. Since homelessness as a phenomenon is constantly changing, effective reduction and prevention call for the continuous development of new measures.
The international evaluation was carried out by Nicholas Pleace from the UK, Dennis Culhane from the United States, Marcus Knutagård from Sweden and Riitta Granfelt from the University of Tampere, Finland.
More information:
Senior Specialist Peter Fredriksson, Ministry of the Environment,
tel. +358 (0)50 369 8437, [email protected]
Programme Director Jari Karppinen, Programme to reduce long-term homelessness,
tel. +358 (0)40 778 9291, [email protected]
Researcher Riitta Granfelt, University of Tampere,
tel. +358 (0)503186214, [email protected]