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H O M E


STUDY    VISITS    REPORT
XIV  European  Conference

Lisbon 16 March 2017  14:00-18:00

   A.  Social Assistance & Services
      (Emercgency services )                    

CASA  NAL Arroios

NAL Arroios - started as group of friends committed to mitigate the food needs of the homeless population of Lisbon in 2002, and was officially recognized as an institution in 2007. Since the beginning, its main goal is to provide support to the most deprived population, through a network of over a thousand volunteers, with the support of the civil society, several patrons and partner companies.

In Lisbon CASA currently provide 400 hot meals to the homeless population every day of the year, and supports about 140 families with food baskets twice a month. Over the last years CASA has expanded all over the country, currently providing support to the population in ten other cities: Porto, Figueira da Foz, Coimbra, Cascais, Setúbal, Azeitão, Évora, Faro, Albufeira e Funchal. Moreover, CASA is also currently represented internationally, namely in Spain, France, England, Angola, Brazil and Mexico, based on the model firstly established in Lisbon.

CASA also have a team specialized in psychology and social service, which provides social monitoring and psychological counseling, but also works in a wide network which allows to provide other services such as dental medicine, juridical support, among others. In Lisbon, the distribution starts at 8 pm, and is made on five routs that cover the main points in the city. As such, homeless people know that they can count with CASA every day, at the same time, no matter the effort needed to fulfill the mission.

REPORT OF VISIT :

 


Solidary Lockers:

The Solidary Lockers project was born after a problem that was identified by ACA’s outreach team and those who live on the streets: homeless people need a place to store their belongings. They face a daily struggle regarding safety and dignity in the protection of their possessions, in many cases of sentimental value. In this sense, ACA created a temporary solution for these people to better secure their belongings, while restoring in them a level of accountability, mental balance and regular monitoring in street context.

This project created something that did not exist on the street. It is a more "controlled" and regular connection with people who are in homeless situation and who stay on the street. The lack of references and irregularity in location of this population often makes the answers, signs and referrals less efficient. Not knowing with greater certainty where people "are" and who they really "are" is an obstacle to a better intervention.

Lockers also introduce the possibility of postal communication. The street experience tells us that this small post office is essential for numerous situations: in addition to the importance of the key and space, it is important to have a local and physical reference. In parallel to its practical use, this project involves a monitoring process carried out by a team composed of a psychologist and a social worker.

REPORT of VISIT :


C.A.S.A.

Multiple services from SCML, open 24h/day, every day of the year, developing an integrated work, which aims to respond to the multiple needs of the homeless people. It has: a canteen that serves 500 meals/day; a shelter for 15 people; locker rooms, a laundry and a laundry bench; health cares: psychiatry consultation; and a occupational workshop for 65 persons.


PORTA AMIGA

Center Porta Amiga Olaias-AMI AMI Foundation has 9 "Porta Amiga" centers in Portugal, the Olaias Porta Amiga is the oldest one, with 23 years, located in an area with multiple problems and needs, started as an answer to the neighborhood but soon opened its doors to all the city of Lisbon. Beside the social and psychological support and job search, people also can get clothes, take a bath and lunch. This particular Porta Amiga also has an Outreach Team directed to the people in a homeless situation and a home support service to 50 elderly beneficiaries.


 


B.  Serviços de Saúde Mental
(Mental Health Service)                 

 Centro Hospitalar psiquiátrico de Lisboa

The Centro Hospitalar Psiquiátrico de Lisboa has the responsability to provide specialized care in psychiaty and mental health to the adult population.

Visits can be made to the General and Transcultural Psychiatriy Unit: this unit works closely with the homeless and refugee population, among others, providing inpatient and outpatient care, group therapy, and psychiatry and psychological consultations.

Visits can also be made to the Psychossocial and Rehabilitation Unit, as well as the Ocuppational Therapy Unit
 


 Médicos do Mundo – Portugal (MdM)

The Mobile Clinic from MdM allows thas, potential service users are identified on the street, allowing them not only to benefit from primary healthcare and psychosocial support, but also to be referred to partner structures. MdM has integrated in its program “promotion of social change” that helps patients to become active agents in the concretisation of their life project. - Primary healthcare - Tests HIV, Hepatitis B, C and syphilis - Psycho-affective and social support in street situation - Data collection for an epidemiologic study and characterisation of the target population in what concerns the access to health care. - Activities of risk reduction (distribution of condoms, exchange program of syringes and pipes)..
 


C.   Lar e Comunidade
(Home & Community)  

C1.        AEIPS

“Casas Primeiro” was the first housing first project in Portugal, and was launched under the European Year against Poverty and Social Exclusion, as a pilot project to test this social innovative approach to address homelessness, in national context. The project provides permanent, independent and scatter-site apartments, combined with the delivery of flexible, individualized, and not time limited support services to homeless people with mental health problems, with concurrent addiction disorders, and who experienced chronic or repeated homelessness. The team assist participants to manage and keep their tenancies, and to access to other community resources (e.g. social benefits, health, education or employment), to improve their quality of life and community integration. The support is carried out either in participants’ homes, through weekly home visits, or in community contexts. The findings from our evaluation study supported that housing first is not only an effective housing approach, even for person’s long-term homeless and with many complex needs, but proved to have other positive radiating effects to wellness and community integration outcomes.
 

C2.        CAIS ASSOCIATION


Projecto Abrigo - is a sponsorship protocol that brings together companies who want to make CAIS Association their social project.

Since 2003, the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility in which more and more companies tend to incorporate social and eco-friendly objectives in their activity, combining their economic success with a benefit to society and the environment. Project Shelter aims to be

part of the social purpose of these companies, those who want to integrate social concerns in their business activity on a voluntary basis, assuming a role of greater importance in the maintenance of all activity of the association, through a 2 year (2015-2016) commitment.

A commitment where the objectives and obligations are clearly presented for each part

REPORT OF VISIT:

CAIS means circle of support in the integration of homeless.
• The association has two centers, one in Lisbon and one in Oporto.
• The requests for help are expressed either by the persons themselves (the information spreads from mouth to mouth among the homeless) or through other organizations.
• Services that are provided: job searching, vocational and training activities, gardening, publishing of a street magazine called “CAIS”, Portuguese lessons for foreigners, theatre team, gymnastics and street football are only some of the activities. They take part in national competitions (eg. School of circus art), whereas they have activities for the sensitization of the local community, eg. speeches in schools about prejudice, poverty etc. The main goal is to empower the homeless and help them be reintegrated. The beneficiaries are adults, unemployed and homeless. Finally, there is also a canteen that provides free lunch.
• They are a small team (5 or 7 employees and a few volunteers).
• Their funds come from donations and sponsors.
• Every month they have a reunion in the community space where everybody can come and discuss about the future plans of the organization.
• The above are considered to be good practices.
• The innovative action: the magazine
• As far as the magazine is concerned: The sellers take the first 20 copies for free. Then they buy the rest for 0.60 euros each and sell it for 2 euros. From the profits they pay for their expenses. In this way they learn how to prioritize their needs and make ends meet.
• The “therapeutic team” co-works with other associations in order to handle some “difficult cases”.
• They only help people who have the will to change
• 60% of the beneficiaries are Portuguese men and up to 40s
• Difficulties: Lack of funds, bureaucracy.
 


“Day Center” of the NGO AMI

• The center is in action for 22 years
• It provides (homeless with) new clothes, shower, laundry and lunch (from Monday to Friday). All the services are free except for lunch. Each meal costs 1.5 euros and everybody can buy it, not only people from the neighborhood. Last year they provided services to 2500 people from all over Portugal.
• They also provide: social assistance, psychological support, advocacy and help at home. The last one targets to elderly and helpless people.
• There is also another project for the elderly: activities suitable for “mind stimulation”, prevention of depression and isolation in the third age. • The innovative action: High integration in the neighborhood as they work there for a very long time, but also because there are “open doors to everybody”, as they pointed out, meaning that there is easy access (no papers are required).
• They have two multidisciplinary teams that are comprised of social supporters and they provide “more services than the others” (multilevel intervention). For example, last year they distributed several “school kits” to many children (e.g. bags, notebooks, pens and pencils).
• They also have a van with a volunteer doctor. So, people in the streets or those who live in dire conditions can be examined there for free.

 


D.   Participação e Cidadania
(Participation and Citizenship)      

 D1. Centro de Apoio Social de São Bento Equipment with services of temporary use for promotion and support the integration of individuals in situation of social exclusion, particularly those who are homeless in the city of Lisbon and who have conditions of employability. The activities developed are adapted to the individual characteristics and potentialities with the aim to the rehabilitation of habits and capacities of work, socialization and autonomy. In the Center there are Occupational Workshops; an Digital Inclusion Room; Technical and pedagogical support services; Social and Human Formation and Provision of services to the community.
 

D2.         Espaço Aberto ao Diálogo from the association Comunidade Vida e Paz The Espaço Aberto ao Diálogo aims to motivate homeless people to change. Through a technical team, we welcome, evaluate and guide people to internal structures and other institutions/services. We provide support and answers to basic needs in the field of health, nutrition, regularization of the legal situation and job search.
 

D3.       Crescer (Association) Espaço Âncora Project – Works through an intervention model of Harm Reduction (HR) using Community Theatre tools as a dialogue facilitator for social development, promoting the access of their own memories and the collective imagination, to build capacities for critical thinking through participation in active dialogue, in a constant creative relationship. (Crescer, website: http://crescer.org/) ORIENTAR – Associação de Intervenção para a Mudança
 


D1.       The ORIENTAR – Associação de Intervenção para a Mudança (Intervention Association for Change) is a nonprofit social solidarity association which aims to promote the social and professional inclusion of people in situations of vulnerability, through the creation of conditions that support their autonomy. As part of the Orient Project, we have developed integrated support for the socio-professional reintegration of our clients, based on the development and training of skills that stimulate the autonomy of life, and the implementation of a support network that facilitates the process of social insertion.

The main activities of Orientar Project are: Satisfaction of basic needs: meals (lunch and dinner) and conditions suitable for personal hygiene and clothing; Occupational Atelier: Areas of restoration of furniture, pottery and recycling of various materials; Yoga; GEPE- Grupos de Entre Ajuda na Procura de Emprego (Jobseekers' Group in job search): development of fundamental skills for the labor market; Group dynamics: one day for week, with the aim of fostering the union of the group, as well as working on various themes, namely personal development and skills; Psychosocial Monitoring; GIP – Gabinete de Inserção Profissional (Office of Professional Insertion): follow-up and referral for integration into the job market or in training.

The clients of the Orient Project are: All people between the ages of 18 and 60; No consumption of psychoactive substances or in final state of treatment; People who demonstrate motivation to redefine their life project with a view to autonomization.

REPORT OF VISIT
 
• They presented us a video with their work.
• They provide social and professional integration. They help people to make their CVs and be prepared for job interviews. The beneficiaries have also free access to phone so that they can arrange these job interviews.
• The capacity of the organization is for 30 people (they work from Monday to Friday, 10:00-19:00).
• The innovative thing: Very high rate of reintegration and finding jobs (60%), because of their collaboration with several companies that hire unemployed people and especially people from vulnerable groups (homeless, poor, mentally ill etc). We could say that they have created a support network of companies.
• They have activities with certain objectives, such as cooking, cleaning, gymnastics, yoga lessons etc.
• They also have a carpentry store. They restore furniture and then they sell their creations in a shop they have just “in the heart”of Lisbon.
• There are no time limits in support.
• Their team comprises mainly of psychologists and social workers.
• A lot of the beneficiaries’ creations were everywhere in the building (paintings in the walls, chairs and small statues).
• Difficulties: They didn’t mention any. The staff seemed very well organized and fully satisfied of their job. .

 

SMES-Europa - Secretary   Tel. / fax: (+) 32.2.5385887 -    mob; +32.475634710       -   E-mail: smeseu@smes-europa.org