Overview of our model

What makes our European Campaign unique is the core model we have tested and developed through our member cities.

Local campaigns are led by key partners from homelessness non-governmental organisations (NGOs), faith-based groups, city/municipal councils or other stakeholders. They also engage other people and organisations who may not traditionally have been involved in finding solutions to homelessness. This includes local residents, people with experience of homelessness, universities, local businesses, health services, the police and housing associations.

If the evidence does not already exist, a critical step is to find out who’s sleeping on the streets and listen to their experiences to understand what each person needs. Speaking directly with those who are homeless helps city campaigns work out what needs to change to end street homelessness for good – and forms the basis for a local plan of action.

Many city campaigns achieve this by holding a ‘Connections Week’. This involves training and organising local volunteers to carry out surveys with people sleeping on the streets. It provides a unique and meaningful opportunity for people to talk about their lives and tell their story.

Using the survey data and/or other valid forms of evidence, each city campaign then plans how they will achieve the policy and practice changes to help street homeless people get permanent homes with the support of services they need.

While every Campaign city plans their own local approach, all formal members of the European End Street Homelessness Campaign agree to work towards our six campaign principles:

• Housing First
• Knowing who’s out there
• Tracking progress
• Involving the community in solutions
• Improving local systems
• Learning from and sharing with others