The Housing Dimension of Welfare Reform - the ICCR

deliberation with service providers about what needs to be changed in
order to render the service provision more comprehensive, user-friendly
and respectful of the users’ life experiences and social conditions.
Furthermore, such deliberations can operate as learning environments for
both the providers and users of social services: for the providers to help
them understand user needs; for the users to help them to gain an insight
into the complexities of decision processes of social services and how
arising problems need not always reflect lack of interest or commitment
on the part of the social workers.
Equally important in this regard is the setting of standards that reflect
user needs and requirements. Standards are defined as a set of principles
and procedures which set out requirements for the provision of a quality
service. They are identified as essential to the achievement of the
ultimate goal of enhancing the principles of social rights and human
dignity. The EUROHOME-IMPACT project has looked at standardsetting
for homeless services operating non-permanent accommodation,
in particular. These however can by and large be extended to most social
services operating in the field of housing and targeting persons at risk of
homelessness or already homeless and regardless of whether the service
provided in terms of housing comprises permanent or non-permanent
housing. Below we reproduce the most important and reproducable
elements:
Service culture. Services need to acknowledge the complexity of
problems associated with social exclusion and homelessness and be
equipped to address the sensitivity of people in personal crisis. The
policy principles guiding aims and work practices should be explicitly
formulated. Eligibility criteria and admission procedures should be made
public and presented to the users in a transparent and clear manner.
Enrolment procedures and service rules should not infringe on basic
personal rights and freedoms of individuals. The staff and voluntary
workers need to be recruited in view of their qualification and aptitude to
manifest sensitivity to the needs of users and specific features of the
target group of the service. Services operating transitory accommodation
should strive to promote the transition to independent accommodation
while being responsive to difficulties which some users may experience
in making this transition.
Staff management. Management refers to administration of funds and the
overall running of service. The line of responsibility and the decision
making structure should be clear regarding staff supervision.
Management should provide ongoing support to the staff and voluntary
workers in terms of work load and stress management. Management
should encourage exchange of information and networking of its staff
with other service providers in view of maximising professional
EUROHOME-IMPACT FINAL REPORT 59