Presentation given by Maarten Davelaar & Jessica van den Toorn, Verwey-Jonker Institute, Netherlands at a FEANTSA Research Conference on "Understanding Homelessness and Housing Exclusion in the New European Context", Budapest, Hungary, 2010

1. Faith based Solidarity
Marginalised?
Homelessness, Faith-Based Organizations and the
National Action Plan for Social
Relief in the Netherlands
Maarten Davelaar & Jessica van den Toorn
Verwey-Jonker Institute, Netherlands
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN THE
ENHR
NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

2. Content
 Definition of FBOs
 Role of FBOs in fighting homelessness
 FBOs and NGOs
 National Action Plan for Social Relief
 Discussion: marginalisation of role FBOs?
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

3. Definition FBOs in this study
Any organisation that refers directly or
indirectly to religion or religious
values, and that functions as a
welfare provider and/or a political
actor for the homeless
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

4. Role of FBOs in fighting homelessness (1)
1. Professional services to selected groups in the
homeless population. Within the framework of the
welfare state, largely funded by public authorities,
strictly regulated
Example: Salvation Army
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

5. Role of FBOs in fighting homelessness (2)
2. Services to (marginalised) groups within the homeless
population. Services the state cannot or does not want
to take care for. Private financial means, volunteering
Example: Ecumenical communitarian community Oudezijds
100
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

6. Role of FBOs in fighting homelessness (3)
3. Informal care for (almost) homeless people, often
provided ‘in silence’ by religious communities,
contributing to prevention
Example: local churches, The Inner City Project
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

7. Role of FBOs in fighting homelessness (4)
4. Activate volunteering by members faith communities and
others
Example: Rainbow Foundation Amsterdam
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

8. Role of FBOs in fighting homelessness (5)
5. Political advocacy
Example: Paulus Church
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

9. European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

10. What distinghuishes FBOs from
NGOs (1)
 Less demanding towards service users, less ‘last
chance’ policies
 Offering ‘meaning-giving’, spiritual element,
community feeling
 More volunteers involved, volunteers stay longer
 Stronger ideological background ► claiming
independence
 More mixed funding ► freedom to act
 Moral duty to do good to ‘the least’ (Matthew 25) ►
concentrating on most marginalised groups
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

11. What distinghuishes FBOs from
NGOs (2)
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

12. National action Plan for Social Relief (1)
 Time span: 7 years (2006 – 2012)
 Expenses: yearly 175 million
 Results (2006-2010): 9.800 homeless people of the streets
 National Plan & ‘City compasses’: Amsterdam, Den Haag,
Rotterdam en Utrecht
Central pillars:
 Local authorities in charge
 Central point of entrance for client
 Individual treatment ► tailored programmes, personal client
managers
 100 % seamless co-operation between all parties and agencies
involved
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

13. Discussion: marginalisation FBOs?
(1)
 Effects of The Plan on FBOs depend strongly on
the functions they fulfil in the local social system
 Pressure to choose between providing state-
regulated, fully subsidised services or working
with volunteers and private funds
 cleavage between niche-players and key-actors
 funding behind the scenes (small public-private
budgets) to take care of ‘special cases’
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

14. Discussion: marginalisation FBOs?
(2)
 No evidence that The Plan will make FBOs
redundant:
 Tradition
 Good track record
 Budget reasons
 Support in society ► volunteering / additional funds
 “They’ll keep doing their work anyway”
 Growing tensions in state – religion relations in
general ► Pressure to ‘hide’ the peculiarity of the
faith-based identity,
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

15. Questions?
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT