Europe is facing a homelessness and housing crisis. A 2017 report by the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless paints an alarming picture. In Copenhagen, homelessness among young people has gone up by 75% since 2009. In Warsaw, there has been a 37% increase in people sleeping rough or in emergency shelters since 2013. The number of homeless people in the Netherlands has risen by 74% over the past six years. The number of people sleeping rough in England has doubled since 2010. One in 70 people in Athens are now homeless.
So, what can we do? Is the economy to blame? Is it austerity? Should we give money to people sleeping rough? Or is it better to give money to charities rather than giving directly to homeless people?
We had a comment from Victor, who argues that the true number of homeless people is difficult to measure (he says some people are “hidden homeless”). Is that true? And, even if it is, can we get a sense of whether the problem has been getting worse over the last decade?
To get a response, we spoke to Matthew Downie, Director of Policy & External Affairs at Crisis, a national UK charity for homeless people. What would he say?
Victor is right that the measures of homelessness are quite often wholly unreliable, particularly in the UK. That’s not only because it’s difficult to actually count homelessness, but also because the measures the government use are completely arbitrary. So, for example, if you’re somebody sleeping rough but when they come around to do the count of who’s sleeping rough you are sat up instead of lying down, you might not actually be counted as somebody who’s homeless. So, the measures themselves can be completely unreliable and are quite often just estimates and not actually counted.
But, despite all of those problems with counting, it’s definitely true that homelessness in all its forms in the UK has been going up. And it’s been going up fast. So, rough sleeping has gone up in England, for example, over 130% in the last five years. All the other different measures of homelessness – people needing rehousing, people in the hostel system, people needing night shelters – all of those things are going up fast. We’re now in a position where if it continues like this for the next five years we will be dealing with levels of homelessness that are the highest that have ever been recorded.
Next up, we had a comment from Andrea, who thinks there is a clear link between austerity measures and the level of homelessness. Is he right to draw such a link? How would Matthew Downie respond?
I would say to Andrea that there is certainly a link between choices that are made about the welfare safety net, about support services and the funding for those things, and homelessness. And a lot of people have very highly-evidence proof that homelessness has been a political decision. So, in some countries – and people particularly point to North America on this – they say there wasn’t actually homelessness anywhere near the level we see now before the 1980s austerity measures, and particularly the de-investment in social housing and the reduction of various different types of welfare safety nets. So, broadly speaking I agree. But it’s also worth saying that life just happens people, and even people on higher incomes. So, imagine a situation where somebody is thrown out by their husband or wife. So, even with the most generous systems in the world, there is still a need for a homelessness system that can pick up people and make sure they are rehoused as quickly as possible. But I would say that Andrea is definitely on to something, and that austerity measures have certainly contributed to the most recent and alarming rises of rough sleeping and other homelessness.
Finally, we had a comment from Ontus, who asks why a continent as wealthy as Europe still has such high levels of homelessness. What can ordinary people do about it? Should we give money to homeless people we meet on the streets, or should we rather give to charities?
This is a question we get all the time, and one of the reasons we get it all the time is that there’s no simple answer. You will find some homelessness organisations that resolutely say don’t ever give money or food to people on the streets because it will sustain them in their street lifestyle, and that’s bad for them and they might end up dead on the streets. Other people say it’s right to show compassion, and that reaching out and humanity is the first step for some people to realise they are valued and to engage in services. Our view is that it has to be a case-by-case choice. So, we would never preach and say you should never do that, but we would also say it’s worth bearing in mind the situation you find in front of you. If it’s someone you’ve never met before and don’t know what their situation is and you have any concern that money you give might be misused, then of course don’t feel obliged.
It is right, though, that when people think about what they can do as an everyday citizen they think about the organisations that are there to help those people. So, it depends where you live. So, certainly here in the UK there are things that the general public can do to report concerns about rough sleeping. There’s an app we have called StreetLink that people can use to report concerns about anybody sleeping rough. And my personal view is that the most effective thing people can do is to get the message across to their politicians that they don’t think it’s appropriate that people should be sleeping rough or homelessness in any form in the 21st century. That, for me, is the ultimate answer to the question.
What’s the best way to help the homeless? Is it by giving money to them directly, or should people rather donate to charities? Should governments be doing more? And what are some of the root causes of homelessness? Let us know your thoughts and comments in the form below and we’ll take them to policymakers and experts for their reactions!
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Simple give them jobs!
Not all homeless are the same. Some are homeless because they ran away from home, divorce, family disagreements, illegal migrants, drug addiction, mental problems and yes because they simply don’t want the responsibilty of monthly bills so some few actually prefer homelessness as to them it is the ultimate freedom from the System. The best way to help homeless people is to offer social services, talk to them find out why they are homeless and if they want to change their situation and if yes then help them make a plan to achieve this.
Like many of the issues covered by this community, there are only complex answers. Many people want to live a life they choose and want their own living space – so there is pressure on available housing, which influences price. There are many properties that are empty (two on my street have been empty for 12 years). Some people have issues and do make it onto the street for a time – I have a brother that this is the case for. And, because of a lack of community centres with social workers and support people – there is no where else for people to end up other than on the street, in a pub or the grasp of some rather nasty folks. We get the social system we are prepared to support, so if we want to change people’s lives for the better and for the long-term, we have to start from the time they are born. And that requires a whole new way of thinking. I am a social entrepreneur and work with many organizations to look towards the future (business and NGO).
Its not easy to work when you’ve slept out in the cold all night. No where to wash yourself properly etc. , no food. Where will you get the energy from to do a hard days work?
Introduce universal basic income, and do it without enormous taxcuts to the very rich please. Stop plastering the capitals with overpriced flats and build more affordable housing of decent quality, and give sharing-economy a bigger incentive. Create more part-time jobs by legislation and lower taxes for low-middle income jobs.
UBI
The rich move country and the people in the undesirable jobs quit, net result huge tax burden on middle earners
Give homeless people the chance to build their own shelter by renovating old/ out of use buildings. Local councils can support this by giving companies incentives to provide them with the needed materials. Many squatted housing can have gardens/ greenhouses where people can partially grow their food and have their basic needs covered.
Actually, we do already have a UBI in place – but it is masked. We do already pay in work benefits, social security, means test people and employ a whole network of folks to manage payments. If the costs associated with delivering the service were calculated, and converted to a UBI purse that followed you from birth to grave, it may, just may be cheaper and more effective. And a side effect maybe, more people supporting others in the community because they have a small income to live on. It is amazing what people will/can do, when they have the financial ability to do so. In my line of work, I see this all the time, in many countries. We just need to give it a chance. And if it were truly universal – there would be no need to move – it would be the same everywhere.
Yes. But still they need work to do.
Jobs jobs jobs.
See my previous post…..
Listening to him and let the jobs be created by the people. The best way is let people be free and help themselves.
Cut off social benefits. When they will have 2 choices: work for minimal wage or starve to death we will not have healthy 30 year old men asking for money because they earn more on a street than working for minimal wage.
They wont understand why giving out free lunches is not the most optimal way to fight poverty and whole generations sitting on welfare etc. The sooner west cuts down if not completely the welfare, the sooner some long term issues will get fixed..
Try to get in to their shoe before you comment.
And here comes the nonsense. Homeless people dont get any benefits. At least not in the european south. Actualy its the opposite. Start giving them some benefits and put them to work and start cutting the benefits little by little once they themselves start living a more responsible and independent life
Chris Pavlides Their shoes? You mean 30 year old young strong man? Well I fakin am… And somehow I have good job, great (by my country standards) salary and didn’t spend a single day asking for someone to give me something…
That is not why most homeless people are on the street – at least none of those that I have worked with over the past 10 years. This is a deep routed society issue, where we have changed the ability for people to be human, to need comforting, to have a community centre to turn to on a not-so-good day. The problems start at birth and go through all the way to elderly and death. We do not understand the world we actually want and what it would take to deliver the best possible outcome for all. Whilst we assume there is a choice – there will continue to be no choice but the street.
They cannot cut off benefits. Benefits are legislation. The U.K. is a civilised country. Jobs are few not many.
Eliminating the minimum wage.
More comprehensive mental health services. More housing.
Food, shelter and most important provide them new skills.
Fundamental need of man: Food, water, shelter.
Give them the same rights as illegal migrants.
Psycho-therapeutic treatment.
Stop immigration policy and there will be plenty of money for all homeless
social service which pays, immigrants free to work and integrate, train children to accept other cultures
Work, Future..
a house! with a small garden to work, and a cat. And psichological support when they want.
🙂
“rough sleeping has gone up in England, for example, over 130% in the last five years”
Strange that, the UK has seen the steepest climb in net immigration over the past 5 years as well, but I’m sure the liberal left will deny they are in any way connected
To create jobs
low-paid social utility jobs for those who cannot find other solutions. Otherwise: incentives to get jobs in other countries for those who can; make practice / stages into private enterprises (paid for by the eu for one quarter or third of normal wage) for those without other solutions.
Free dinner in public charities.
It is not necessary to pay them lower salaries. We must give everybody who is able to work employment and chance for normal life. The society must take care of certain per cent of population who will not be able to arrange by themselves. Unemployment is crime against human rights in these type of societies we are living at the moment. The question is not luck of money, but how it is distributed. I am not against rich people, not at all, but I am against exploitation and excessive greed.
I agree, but: I distinguish between redistributive policies (which is not only a matter of money but also of e.g. services such as public transportation and education) and salaries. In many cases we face a mismatch between labor demand and labor supply (geographical mismatch or skill mismatch or whatever). getting a job in certain situations (when you are older, after 4 years of unemployment….) can be very hard. I suppose that the problem is convincing enterprises to teach them a job somehow (easier if the money comes from public institutions) and convincing people to accempt new (maybe unskilled / manual) jobs. The thing may not always work (in certain cases unemployment benefits are the only solution), but may work in many cases. One of the problem is that many people think they can (or want to) do only one job in their life, even if it is not requested by the market.
But if you pay them lower salaries how they going to recover?
Give them jobs
Universal basic income for everyone!
Sooner or later that will be reality along with automatization.
🙂
Jobs.
To give them jobs and shelter.For middle eastern migrants we have funds but for European homeless people not.
This article is great and your comment is spot on. The destitution of established citizens can’t be overlooked. It is the basis of the tensions. Why don’t politicians see it?
Simply because they have an different agenda . European politicians need to acknowledge the reality that comes from official statistics and find solutions for the society .Not just empty words but coherent strategy. For that to be implemented we need federal agencies run by competent servants not appointees from corrupted political parties.
Eat them. More work in the food industry, fewer people drinking themselves to death on the streets.
Dark humour aside, though, it’s probably not the simplest question to answer.
In each country and region there may be various differing factors as to why people are left homeless.
Looking into those factors may be a start.
Giving them homes so that they won’t be homeless, the rest would be easier if they had homes to begin with.
Send back legal immigrants and give the walfare to the homeless people job done
we need to demolish the dictature of bruxells in order to help the europeans communitys, the dictature of bruxells will multiply homeless and tragedys evryday the bruxells dictature will promote terror and import terrorism. people of europe is time to stand togheter and fight back the dictature of bruxells that work against us the people of europe, if bruxells like terrorists than they can go live in an islamic cauntry. here its europe
ilegals and legals migrants need to be deported, and traitors that have bring them need to face heavy penalty under the new tribunal created by the new europe after the dictature of bruxells falls down.
Uuuhh.. I thought your next point would be to open some concentration camps
Give them a home
By stopping coruption at all levels.
Kemalism for us is a Turkish RACIST the same as Italian fascism and germans Nazism. In south meditetranean he murder million idigenous so the photo of a dangerous criminal is hate against all his victims
I know you are a greek, but that does’nt budder me. What’s the problem? Without sacrifices, nothing in this world gonna make-it. History is our teller. If Atatürk is a murderer, leadership of this planet, is’nt? What good bring UE? And i am meaning at poor peoples, like in your country? And manny others!👍
help them the same way you help all the refugees… it’s simple as that!!! no need to be a rocked scientist to figure that out isn’t it?!?
help them the same way you help all the refugees… it’s simple as that!!! no need to be a rocked scientist to figure that out isn’t it?!?
help them the same way you help all the refugees… it’s simple as that!!! no need to be a rocked scientist to figure that out isn’t it?!?
… eh, by giving them a home, perhaps? Next “challenge”, please!
Livable wages- affordable housing would be a start.
Shame on you, Europe ….
Give them a job
Why don’t you build houses instead of filling your pockets with our money? Then they would have work and home.
Get rid of the banking cartel who steal the money. That’s how people get into debt. Fiat money ….. research it. The bankers are wealthy because they print money out of thin air. It’s called FIAT money.
What’s the best way to help the homeless?
Take all social housing away from the majority immigrant tenants and house the legitimate homeless in the property given fraudulently to the ausländer. Simple really. Then take away our tax payers benefits from same immigrants and send them home to country of origin to fend for themselves. This would kill two birds with one stone. Get rid of the festering hate filled foreign terror we have in our midst and free up our housing stock. This would cover our schools for the people who set it all up and pays for it, us, as well as reduce the weight on our wonderful health service.
The foreigners we have here want us to fund their existence. Example, they have incredible bad luck, meaning, their paid for by the tax payers of the UK, social housing flat burns down, and they want more of our money to spend on various luxury items. Yet, when the home grown English indigenous are wiped out by floods and lose everything they have, as they too cannot afford insurance, they are left in Cornwall to rot in the streets, soaked in filthy water for years as it stinks up their homes. Funny how these invaders feel they have some kind of entitlement to our money, after they have already taken so much of it.
However, I do agree with Maia A on one matter, foreigners who come to the UK from the old outlandish Commonwealth should not have any right at all to vote in our elections. Just as I can’t vote in Zimbabwean, South African or Indian elections. It is not only unfair that they can decide our future, which in no way is culturally similar to their desires, it is criminal that they have been given this privilege to do so. They should return home, which would then immediately reduce any additional cost to our health service, causing it to drop to a manageable level. Our streets would be safe once more, making it possible to house our own homeless sick and vulnerable who lie left to rot on our pavements.
Another indication the British have little in common with their European counterparts is, the laws in Europe are completely the opposite to ours on many levels. One stands above all others. It is on the matter of Peadophiles who go to jail for kiddie fiddling in this country, no matter how long ago they were at it. Take Rolf Harris as an example. In his eighties now, and 30 or more years ago he was fiddling with little girls of around 14 or 15 and even 16 years. He was charged and went to prison and remains there to this day. He has been there a couple of years now. Yet, the wife of one of your European Presidents was his his teacher at the time he was 15 years old. She was involved in a full out sexual affair with this boy, she being more than twice his age, married and with three children at the time. Yet she walks the streets as this man’s wife no less, as free as a bird, after such a disgusting criminal event taking place on him by her. How can that be? An obvious kiddie fiddler yet left uncharged to this day.
That is total incompatibility with our present legal system, which I had believed, was backed by the ECJ. Is it not? So, you want us to submit to rule by a man married to an outright sex offender? As well as the rancid alcoholic you shove down our throats daily. Don’t make me laugh. Please clean your act up.
What? You do know it was consensual right? Who are you to say with whom people should have done sex with
Many immigrants coming to the U.K. and other EU countries, are coming here because our governments the U.K. the USA etc., are BOMBING them out of their homes. Imagine having to flee from your country because otherwise you and your little children will end up dead buried in rubble, your child’s head hit by a mortar, you’re father and mothers legs blown off. See the reality and have a heart. However, all that’s happening was planned long ago. Look up the New World Order; the agenda of one world government. Me, you and refugees; in fact all the people of the world are being used, we are just pawns for the real powers behind governments. All Wars are Bankers Wars.
Progress is made of a European political Union I want workers to join the European middle class everywhere and have new opportunity I want trade agreements that push standards there is not reason to do so if we start with that intention
By really listening to them and understanding their motives, to start with.
On a larger scale: by creating equitable systems.
From a US paper: http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-denver-homeless-20170623-story.html
deport the invaders that the traitors bring to europe. to help our people first. support ur local nacionalist party or remove ur-self from ma friend list.
Send back home all that so called refugees and spend that money on jobs, education and housing for homeless people. First we should help to our own people than if something remain we can give to others. There is so many homeless people all across the Europe and it is shame that we are spending all that money on migrants while our people are poor and homeless, even people who works 40 hours per week are poor in some European countries.
Send them home? Really, the people who come from countries OUR governments are bombing? Where’s your humanity? We need to stop our governments spending tax payers money on WEAPONS of WAR.
Not European, demographically they are gone anyways to their former colonies. Continent is more homogenous
Employmenr.
A GMI
Pretty generalized question considering there’s a world of reasons someone could be homeless. Laziness can’t be helped. Mental Illness really can’t be either to a certain extent. Asylums are too expensive or looked at as horrible, so for some reason, the next best thing is let em out in the street. There are people here in Philadelphia who are “homeless” and take shifts begging and make more money than I do, tax free. In the rare case of someone who is willing and able to work, then a chance at employment (at a wage which could actually help) is the solution.
even “laziness” can be helped, – starting by questioning why a person is lazy.
If you’re lazy enough to be homeless, chances are you just don’t care that much.
…..and then there’s addiction….another story altogether
I agree with you! Calling homeless people “lazy” is the greatest way to make you sleep at night, despite not giving a shit about others ;) !
Tom, you are a complete asshole!! complete asshole!! YOU ARE COMPLETE SICK MIND! For every problem there is a solution. I believe and my experience is that everybody has dreams and aspirations, and therefore they actually can be helped.
Bruno Casqueira get help
Aww, Bruno, that’s cute. If I could help everyone in the world while dancing in a field of flowers I would do it. But sometimes you have to be a realist and think of expenses and time and people simply being people and taking advantage of everything you offer, then asking for more. Tell me, what do you do for the homeless being that you have such a strong stance on it?
It’s actually more beneficial in America to “live off the system” than it is to get a low paying job. In that case, why work?
By helping them help themselves and working toward not being homeless anymore.
Helping them help themselves is an interesting oxymoron.
No it’s not. It’s just a periphrase of the classical story about the hungry person and the fisherman. The fisherman could have just given a fish from his catch to the hungry person. Instead he taught him to catch his own fish and from then on the hungry person never went hungry again.
just half true. Unsufficient argument. You suppose that you are the complete master of your own destiny, when actually that’s not true. Single individuals cannot beat nature and cannot beat economics crisis, and an actual full recovery can take several years to happen. Until full recovery there’s actually some help that should be provided, there is no point in watching other people suffering and do nothing for them.
Who says about “watching other people suffering and do nothing for them”? I’m saying the exact opposite! But all such programs to help feed those in need should be temporary until they are helped back on their feet. There shouldn’t be a social program on wich you could live all your life while sitting on your ass and feeding off from other people’s taxes. This is both immoral and counterproductive.
Любомир Иванчев I will agree the fishermans story is just that. A story and nothing more. You can’t help those who won’t help themselves.
Andy Harris Fully agree. But if they don’t want to help themselves then they also don’t deserve to live off on someone else’s back.
Любомир Иванчев correct and providing them all this “free” stuff is asking those who already work hard and struggle to get by to spoon feed those to lazy to help themselves.
Better education opportunities like free or low cost university and free technical programs, better health care and support specially focused on mental heath, more safety nets and support for the impoverished and their families, increase on minimum wage to counter the absurd inflation seen in housing and food.
Paid for by who?
“Free” nothing is free. Someone has to pay and that someone works hard and pays taxes. Libtard Commie Pinko comment.
Ask some of the northern European countries, they seem to be doing alright.
What you fail to realize is that more taxpayer money is wasted trying to deal with the consequences of homelessness than if we were to nip the problem in the bud. And that is true for many of the issues we’re facing today as a civilization.
Evans Fu they are not actually. You think there is no homeless people here? Think again.
Andy Harris Is education the only parameter mentioned in my comment?
Norway has that part covered, and it helps tremendously, feel free to compare the rate of homeless Norwegians to other countries where education is expensive.
If you feel like actually having a proper discussion on it feel free, otherwise keep your sad insults, “Libtard Commie Pink” coming from someone that has access to Norway’s system is quite amusing.
Evans Fu education was not the only parameter and can you quote me where I stated it was? Norway has what part covered? Education? Yes, it’s “free” to all. What they don not do is single a select few out for this “free” education and give them special treatment which is what you propose for the Homeless. There is so many factors as to why there is more homeless in the US and trying to state “free” education is the main reason is wrong. The whole system in the US is a complete mess. How about you lead the way and volunteer to pay 40% tax. Pay your regular tax and donate the rest to the homeless. We’ll see how long your altruism lasts then. If only you Libtards actually voted Sanders in, maybe you’d have all your “free” stuff by now and be living in a socialist utopia all paid for by the magic money tree.
Andy Harris This in an European page and I’m not American, that was embarrassing.
It’s the only parameter you mentioned and proceeded to act like it was the only proposed change in my comment.
I never said we should single out homeless people to give them special treatment, I’m not sure if the problem here is a poor reading comprehension on your part or simply ill will.
Evans Fu hardly embarrassing. You where no better at paying attention when you stated I claimed education was the only parameter. So get off your high horse. You then went on to claim I mentioned education again and yet again you are barking up the wrong tree. Can you please point me in the direction of where I supposedly stated what you claim? Poor reading seems to be an issue for you and for me it’s assuming you’re an American Libtard when in fact you’re an European one. 😀
Depends on why they are homeless. Some people are homeless because they cant find a job, others because they have mental issues, others because they life fell apart.
Or made stupid life choices, or are lazy, or criminals.
European standards say that the ideal scenario should be labor reforms within the Eurozone
Housing, so they have an living address again, what expand the possibilities to them to lead a human life again.
Do you personally plan on donating to this fund or do you expect the tax payers to be further burdened with other people’s poor life choices?
Jobs are not always available neither for everyone. There is rent what’s more which is not fixed to correspond to the incoms of great many people as it was here in our socialist Bulgaria 27years ago – there weren’ t homless people at all at the time
The best way to help homeless, starts by (and in the first place) a genuine will in helping. It happens that such necessary “genuine will” seems to collide more and more with the political views in Europe and around the world (e.g. increasing rise of right wing ideologies etc)
Improve education progras and works available for everyone and stop provding billions of euro (money of european tax payers) for a wrong immigration policy then there wouldnt be a single homeless….
Easy, build social housing. It isn’t really complicated, unless you don’t want the problem solved.
Bernie Sanders magic money tree must be doing well…..
Andy Harris Coming from someone living in Norway which is awash with social housing, you have a nerve with that answer. I assume by your comment that you are from USA.
Andy Harris do you know what does it mean the word “Investment”? The magic word that solves everything. Investing in people is actually the most rewarding investment. In a World that currently yields are negative and projects don’t actually pay enough, the only prosperous future Mankind can achieve is to invest in real human beings.
Bruno Casqueira typical socialist BS comment. You can’t help those who will not help themselves. There is no investment here, it’s just money down the drain.
Andrea Brown the taxes are higher here in Norway but 18.1% of my tax goes directly into my personal pension pot. Working hard here actually rewards the worker. The US is awash with Social Housing too. All your minorities, smack heads and hookers have them packed to the rafters. You may think having an opinion is a “nerve” I call if freedom of speech, something Democrats in the US have a huge issue with these days.
Andrea Brown I’m not even sure why I’m debating with the likes of someone who hides behind such a profile. Clearly something is wrong with you.
You people really think that giving things to people helps? For a few it may, but for others they just learned that by doing nothing, they can receive. People aren’t all great in nature (you seem to think that about Andy and I, but can’t grasp that concept with the homeless). Who pays for water, heat, cooling, heating, food, cleaning, and every other expense? If it’s ME you want to pay for it, then why the hell am I paying for my own? I can have 40 more hours to my week and still have everything given to me? Where do I sign?
The philosophy in the Netherlands about society is that everybody who lives in the country has to
contribute and be part of society. With the housing-led approaches there is the possibility for homeless
people to be part of society again. There is this thought that homelessness is
not a static given, but a dynamic multi-dimensional concept. Everybody can be helped via an
individual bounded traject.
The housing first policy it is a long term solution for tackling homelessness.
The basic idea is that homeless people are provided a house and the next step is tackling their
problems. The goal is that they stay in that house for a long period while focusing on solving their
problems ( financial, healthcare, social, etc.). In this way the homeless become an integral part of society, and reach to volunteer to help others along the way… Another approach is prevention of homelessness, stopping people from becoming homeless in the first place by a network of financial consultants, social & healthcare workers, free legal advice.
Even though the Netherlands is taking active actions against homelessness, there are still 31k people who do not have a roof over their heads….
Mental support and opportunities.
Give opportunity to work and place to life ;-)
Make them work, and taking care of the heir health.
Deport migrants and do for homless what you did for them
Give them any job
give them a pick-axe and a shovel and send them to work.
Many would hate that and prefer to sit on the street begging.
I never give them nothing, there’s enough jobs even here in Slovakia. From McDonald’s to construction sites. I am a student who graduates just gymnasium (high school) and I am working hard during this summer. Only possible help is resocialise them, introduce to basic computer skills also, so they can find a job easier
it’s usually not laziness or a lack of skills that makes them stop working, it’s mental health problems or disenchantment with society as a whole.
Wouter Russchen disenchantment, good grief. I’m disenchanted! Give me all the free stuff too! 😀
How can a homeless Europeans have a home when hundreds of thousands of Muslim immigrants are being housed in hotels & other good housing facilities while a marginalized homeless Europeans are left to rot in the streets. This is HYPOCRISY to the HIGHEST DEGREE by the European government. They will die homeless in this hypocrite government.
This is part of the game of politics. Citizens can never understand how we can house one group and not another, have no money for education but can find money for war. Cannot fix roads, but can give government workers a pay rise, cannot care properly for the elderly and can send aid overseas. I am not saying that these choice are bad/wrong. The world and life is complex – the choices and reasons are just never transparent. This is what frustrates people. If there is a good reason for doing something – say so; please.
Deregulate Labour and Home markets.
Creating a more inclusive economy… and JOBS for everybody!
And if they don’t want jobs? There is always, always work out there if you want it.
“Homeless” literaly means a person without home – so the first thing to do is > provide a home to everyone that doesen’t have one. That’s already been done in many places around the world with microhouses that can also be with solar panels on the roof > producing electricity and selling it to the utilities this can become a step towards employment, since they can travel cheaply to anywhere in the community where they might be empolyed. The third part is the psyhological and social training that must be provided to them, so they can get out of the mental poverty & addictions and have a good sence of belonging in the community again. They must realise that they can help other people, and be of relevance to others in the community. The social aspect of contributing, belonging and being part of the community is the key that’s missing in their lives in their current state. End the homelessness!!
Establish socialism
No
Send him to work , just look at him : young, strong , all grown man , begging in the streets.
Disgusting fit, young men begging from women carrying heavy bags and coming from work
There are jobs for those who want to work.
How can u help lazy ??
Take them of the streets, begging should be illegal
Feed them to starving refugees…
It’s bed time, boy.
I’m big boy. I’m allowed to be up till 9…
Each case is a case. I think it should be created a specific department at state and/or EU level to analyze and study each individual case. Examples may be diverse: some people may need more psychological help than an employment, others my need a previous medical treatment before starting into a new job, among other many other examples. Such inter-disciplinary department shall give the major indications for that person and to pursue its integration into the job market according to its skills.
THE GUARDIAN: «Homeless people in Oxford threatened with £2,500 fines. City council under fire after legal notices pinned to rough sleepers’ bags left in shop doorways.» https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jul/26/oxford-homeless-people-face-fines-belongings-doorways
THE GUARDIAN: « Homeless people demand M&S apology over deterrent alarm. Marks & Spencer says high-pitched alarm that kept rough sleepers awake is no longer in use at store in Ilford.» https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jul/26/homeless-people-demand-ms-apology-over-deterrent-alarm
METRO: «Britain’s youngest homeless campaigner is a six-year-old girl named Milly Matthews. Despite her young age she has already handed out pack lunches to rough sleepers in her home city of Bristol and has also helped feed 160 people at a soup kitchen.» http://metro.co.uk/2017/07/27/britains-youngest-homeless-campaigner-is-a-lesson-to-us-all-6810481/
iNEWS: «I live in Leyton, in east London, where the gravity of the UK’s soaring homelessness hits the moment you step out of the busy underground station. It’s a jarring sight, rough sleepers lining a high street pavement rapidly undergoing gentrification. The same grim faces sat there, every evening, as thousands of busy commuters walk past them. The only thing that seems to change is the number of new faces joining them daily. London isn’t the only UK city struggling to help its homeless. Meanwhile in Oxford, they are punishing them. That’s right – homeless people in this affluent city are being warned they face fines of up to £2,500 for leaving their possessions in doorways. Why? Because they are having a “detrimental” impact on the quality of lives of residents, according to legal notices left on their bags by the city council, who say leaving their possessions in a doorway is a fire hazard.»
https://inews.co.uk/opinion/homeless-not-criminals-need-punishing-people-need-help/
It exists a dozen of researchs that could give you insights. Just let researchers do experiments and follow their recommandations.
Stop tax escape/avoidance.
Paid jobs at farms and making sure they have a roof over their heads beacause you can’t throw someone who lived on the streets for years in a closed environment. Farms are great, they get to socialise with follow co-workers and also have enough personal space to feel secure untill they are ready to advance to the next level.
Register them as refugees!?
If you asked any homeless person, “How did you end up homeless?”, it’s highly unlikely that they would say:
I just woke up one morning and said to myself, “Well, I think I’ll become homeless today.
Many people assume that homeless people make a choice to be homeless. It doesn’t happen like that. Nobody really decides to be homeless…
It has been said:
“We’re all just one bad decision away from homelessness.”
Unfortunately, that decision can be, and often is, made by someone or something else.
Sometimes things just get worse and worse until a person hits rock bottom and finds themselves out on the street. Sometimes things turn on a dime, and suddenly a person is penniless, homeless and friendless all at once.
Not all homeless people end up homeless as a result bad decisions about alcohol, drugs, abuse, or crime. Many of them have honestly just had a bad turn of events, got down on their luck, and are unable to get back up on their own.
It happens to people all the time!
When we see homeless people, we really don’t know the story behind their present circumstance. We don’t know the journey of hopelessness that has brought them to where they are at this moment.
https://m.facebook.com/humansofnewyork/photos/a.102107073196735.4429.102099916530784/659597887447648/?type=3
Make them work ,the best terapy!
😂
I agree Viorika! WORK
By giving them the same rights we give to economic migrants?
jobs jobs jobs, work is the best way to help homeless people
Introducing more and more homeless from outside the EU.
Homeless are homeless, because they like this way of life. I really doubt that you can not find a job and live decently.
Idiot
they like living in the streets? 1/2 unemployed people in Greece stay unemployed for more than a year. what do you think happens when you don’t have an income for a year?
Most became homeless because of the lack of family support and insufficient addiction or mental health treatment. A service where housing, meals, hygiene and treatment are individualized and provided has decreased significantly levels of homelessness, addiction and sexual exploitation. Because of a very small minority and because many alternatives for the homeless are horrible there is a popular misconception that it is a voluntary lifestyle. Working with homeless for 4 days would change that perception for those who only read about it.
Dear Nuno: some people have never volunteered, never did anything for anyone. They are IGNORANT.
Orientación,avisos de trabajos y lugares de ayuda como iglesias y lugares orientadores.
Tackling tax evasion and building a social Europe .
https://www.ted.com/talks/lloyd_pendleton_the_housing_first_approach_to_homelessness?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=tedspread–a
Qué tal si Europe deja de imponer medidas de austeridad, recortes, bajadas de salarios etc y empieza a promover leyes de justicia social.
En España, la reforma laboral mas insolidaria e injusta ha sido impuesta por Europa. Asi que menos cinismo con “que se puede hacer? ” porque la culpa es de Europa
Send the ones from other countries home and help the locals
We shouldn’t make poverty bearable and we should abolish the minimum wage. Their only means of survival should be by work. In time they would accumulate experience and skills and rise from poverty, and away from minimum wage.
Stop Merkel from importing migrants from Africa and the middle east..
Employ them…recruitment companies shouldvtry to find simple jobs for the homeless to pick themselves up…emotionally…mentally…
Recruiters and employers are not doing enough probably
Probably..for instance my hisband unemployed..he sent his cv to recruitment companies and he also applies directly for a vacancy..I started to believe recruiters are hiring the newly graduates with minimum salary..or hiring the overly qualifies..and age discrimination..he just wants a normal paying job and even that is problem..how long we will struggle I don’t know. Even looked at jobs from Eures…middle aged unemployed men have it hard to find a job.
Howcan?
Employment.
reasonable income, afforrdable housing.
ΕU spends billions of eyro for migrants and provide them houses with all paid unlikely EU doesnt give a damn for homeless..
bullshit
Drastically decrease taxes so they can get a job.
In most Western countries the literacy rate is 99%-100%, so the homeless actually have no excuse for their position they’re in. A lot of them are only unemployed because then they will receive free benefits such as welfare and housing. The only people I personally think that should receive any sort of welfare are the disabled and the elderly. It is time to stop being a nanny state and start letting people wake up to reality. The government cannot lick your ass every single time you go down in life.
so you think that unemployed people are illiterate or that there enough jobs for everyone? It is time for you to go to bed and next time you speak think before.
That is the most incorrect bullshit I’ve read here. It might surprise you to know that a great many people on the streets end up there because they are either ex military who recieved no transition assistance or they have had some family or mental health breakdown. Its you who needs educating
Bu abolishing Mrs Thatcher’s foreign aid budget.
work! work doing what they know during the hours and days each one want.
The best day is to remove completely the disgustingly mediocre, short sighted, and basically EVIL generation of politicians and EU bureaucrats.
BTW – after reading a few comments it became clear that GROSS IGNORANCE is also part of the governance problem in the EU, reflected in the voters prejudices.
Stop bringing in more homeless where there are already indigenous homeless people and insufficient funds.
When Colorado legalized cannabis a lot’s of money goes to schools and helps sorted this problem,just be like a Colorado and stop fuck around…It’s the solution!!!
Jobs and public housing
The public housing should not be free forever, juts for certain period of time until they are back on track! But job is the first thing that helps any homeless person, giving them a job is the best option, a meal and some clothing helps just for a day!
Building more houses. Ending property developers abuses.
Legalize drugs, destroy the cartels, use the money to build shelters
Give them the money, homes and jobs that you are offering the aliens from the Middle East.
For start food that is being wasted by stores should be distributed so that nobody would have to starve. When it comes to housing “crisis”. Its you that allowed in tens of millions of foreigners while taking any empty location and turn into “refugee” center. If you can do for total strangers it should be no problem at all to put our own populations first instead of them. This is not a crisis but a massive mismanagement of our resources and capital.
Economy more work
I have an idea. Stop giving money to refugees and help the european homeless people.
Why are the two things exclusive and what makes you such a dick to play out two vulnerable groups against each other?
One group is my problem. The other one not
I will gladly pay triple taxes to the guy that helped build the city i live in today. I would not give a dime to the guy that moves here because welfare
Daniel Leu can you please inform us what you do in your private life to help the homeless from your city/country?
I am not donating to specific charities at the moment. I am helping as much as i can homeless people from my area anytime i have the chance. Some money, food, unused clothes. Why?
Daniel Leu, superiorule, ești atât de ignorant încât iti faci țara de rușine. Un refugiat este pus în situația de a nu avea casa, la fel poate ca și cel care doarme pe străzi. Poate într-o zi vei fi considerat “useless”, la fel că și părinții tăi, de către alții care se cred superiori ție. Dacă nu ai idei mărețe, este mai înțelept să taci.
Daniel Leu relax , nobody is coming to our country .unfortunately i might say…
Diaconu George Razvan, you want economical migrants to our country? Do you think out economy can sustain this?
Liz Lyz, if you work, you earn. That is my philosophy. I tend to believe that homeless people had some unfortunate event that messed up their lives. It is our duty to help them. Now if i see someone who goes to Germany because welfare in Germany is above 1000 euros, so he can stay and live off other people taxes, i would speak against it. Communism does not work. A welfare state does not work.
Si daca nu vei avea serviciu in viitor pot sa te arunc la gunoi. Aparte de fapul că demonstrezi că noțiunea de refugiat îți este necunoscuta, mie îmi arăți că ești frustrat.
Sunt foarte multumit cu situatia mea actuala. Dar imi pasa unde se duc taxele mele. Promovezi o ideologie marxista care nu are treaba cu realitatea.
Daniel Leu are you kidding me ?they are not opening plants anymore because they don’t have workforce to hire – this happened recently in Brasov ( i guess we both know that eldery – being elderly , and financialy asisted persons – voters of the governemnt party will not/can not join the workforce anytime soon ). they will bring people from asia , africa and other places to work .we have a totally unsustainable demography ~ 4.5mil working , 1.5 mil state workers and over 5 mil retired people who’s pensions we have to pay. The government won’t do anything for the native population to have families because the people voting them and keeping them in power are the elderly!
I agree with this but check the numbers from Germany/France. The majority of refugees can t even read or write. They refuse integration.
They remain a tax burden
Sunt convinsa că vorbești despre Marx și nici măcar nu l-ai studiat. Vorbești și auzite. Mai da jos din stratul de superioritate, ți-ar stă mai bine!
Am citit din Marx. E autorul meu sci fi favorit
Socialismul nu merge. E o ideologie criminala care transfera puterea de la oameni catre stat. Nimic nu e gratis. Work and earn.
:) Tocmai Marx spunea că lucrând pentru alții devi alienat. Spuneai că l-ai citit. Că lucrezi pentru stat sau patron, e aceelasi lucru. Te foloseste! Topicul era despre refugiați. Nu aștepta ajutorul nimănui cu mentalitatea pe care o ai. Intr-o zi s-ar putea tu însuți sa fii refugiat, nu uita.
Diferenta e ca eu o sa fac tot posibilul sa lucrez.
Eu realizez că tu chiar nu ai înțeles întrebarea si ce înseamnă refugiat, încât îi confuzi cu cei care dorm pe stradă
Si tu nu intelegi notiunea de migrant economic. Care mai si refuza integrarea
Dar explica-mi tu
you mean “refugees”
Ai și cunoscut tu mulți! E plină Romania de ei :))
Cei din Romania nu au nevoie de integrare. Despre ce vorbim. Hai sa cadem se acord ca pe fiecare ne depaseste ceva. Pe cativa, basic economics, pe mine , de exemplu, rocket science. Nu prea ma pricep la asta
Daniel Leu you said at the beginning that one group is our problem and the other not. I think both of them are our problem. If you don’t solve both problems (poverty inside and outside EU) you will not solve one of them.
They have their own govt right?
Nu te pricepi la multe, garantat. Problema e Ca’ te crezi superior multora. Ești doar un frustat care ar călca pe cadavre că să ajungă în top. Plin de ei! Iar pentru mine ești doar pierdere de timp. Seneca zicea că trebuie să nu cheltui timpul, oricum și cu oricine e mai valoros decât banii. Uneori uit!
Esti foarte fixata pe “superioritatea” mea. Nu am mentionat nimic despre asta si nu era vorba despre asta. Nu o sa o neg. O iau ca pe un compliment. E ok sa nu te pricepi la chestii. E mult mai ok sa te pricepi. Pot sa iti recomand niste carti. Poate asa o sa il citesti si pe Marx si o sa poti sa faci o comparatie. Ce zici?
Eu cred că e bine sa începi tu cu Platon, apoi Anassimandro, Anassimene, Pitagora, Thales, ajungi la Fichte, Feuerbach Leibnitz si Newton, apoi la filosofia lui Marx și mulți alții. După, sunt convinsa că îți trece scade superioritatea.
Pai filozofia lui Marx e relevanta aici. Lasa-i pe baieti. Sunt inginer. Ne cunoastem. Nu mi-ai raspuns, vrei sa iti recomand o lectura primara in ale economiei?
Give them houses?
And Opportunity
Build more houses
Best way is to stop wasting money on fake refugees and. asylum seekers!!!!
Promote conditions for the creation of wealth by civil society, minimizing the burden of public spending, avoiding spending in sectors that are the result of perverse constructivism, in order to generate employment and redistribute wealth more equitably. End the bureaucratic monster that gives the name of EU, which is one of those perverse constructions, and develop a more effective political participation of the individuals, able to supervise the decisions of the political and administrative organs holders, as well as the creation of systems of check and balance….and society can thus develop in conditions of all its members to live in dignity
To build houses..
If E.U. have can Help M
millions of people that are comming everybody mouth why they can bit Helô and have the Money to hlep a few of their own people?
Комунизъм.
There will be always homeless even in rich countries. Most of them have psiquiatric problems.
I agree.
By helping them to get on their feet and stop being homeless.
A job
Support them with employing them..by training them to ve ready for employment..
Create a basic income, to all in Europe, the financial markets also can be correct tax pay
You rigty sumarized what everyone shiud understand, problem nowdays is never ending opions/diversity feed. Turn it Of shouldbe embedded in All school/univ programS :)
Add UBI,
first as EEuu rule,
then Advocate IT; If needed; into UN.
Many countrIes will understand, that number motivation is what humanS will remember of 20th history; and surely init of awkward 21th; then will come True Democracy and No ego cn Be better than others, give power to machins (as everywhere they do in medical care centres)
BD for a better life of humans not to bnk/destroy.(is this common sense or idealistic Free opinion? ;)
When I followed that dearm last night, he even imagine/calculate that interrest$ can be Officially regulated by Controllers, as was the init idea of €dps. :D
—Freud nefuw started the 1pr comp in us, remember that? Plasticity of human “brainS” is often influenced by ligth, so vision should be part of €volution.
Feed them to the African children…
Seriously… If you are healthy, have arms and legs and are literate only reason you are homeless is cause you are lazy…
Support them like you do for migrants, hotels, homes, food, lessons, papers, money, a.s.o. for years.
reduce taxation, so there will be jobs for them
Frank you right no one agery to healp here peopels only millions coments for hungery peopels ..here peopls only wory about cat.s & dog.s …
The State should be more involved : but it should be reason of State: laying, sitting on the street is forbidden: i propose you free lodging in a flat/room that would be taken to companies
Get them a job!
Giving them a famili!
dont let them feel abandoned.
impose more austerity to give them new friends
A universal basic income. It will also save runaways from being tricked, forced or manipulated into prostitution to survive.
give them a home, if you can affort spoils for rich people, you sure as hell can give your fellow citizens a worthy life…
Build some inexpensive apartment blocks only for them.
Find them jobs and accommodation, but if they don’t take it then this is their choice.
Good mental treatment.
Give them job or shelter
If Europe facing housing and jobs crisis why the politicians bring people from africa and othe part of the world without professions or interest to integrate in european life, including religion , culture life, as a part of european istoric traditiion , a “must “culture! Solve this puzzelle and will get better!
Stop running the economy in favour of the wealthy and make it work for everyone.
I believe that no goverment had the will to get involved and find solutions.It’s not difficult at all!!Each state can create social structures in order to support homeless people and integrate them to society again.
wow what an intelligent idea
The first thing -a simple job and temporary shelter! job helps the most!
Find them jobs and a demporery shelter it ill they are ready to stand on their one feet again
LOL Put an A between G and R, that is our governmental situation.
Homeless people can be helped if we can think
Homeless people can be supported if we think it is happening to our families.
Stop giving housing to illegal financial migrants, problem solved.
Says the guy from GB where half of the city of London is owned by investors and for sure a similar number of housing projects only serves investors. But yeah..its the migrants
Uli – The EU can find housing for millions of illegal migrants but not for its own citizens ? Sorry but criticism from an hypocrite is meaningless.
Ivan – the immigrants live in houses no normal citizen wants to live in. They are outside of towns, with shared kitchen, no or little connection to public transport and to other services. So now tell me how these facilities would serve the society. Most were actually empty before the refugees came. So now tell me how that is in your opinion a bigger problem than luxus apartments that are build in all european cities that just serve investors but not the people. The prices of housing rose because of that not because of immigrants. Of course they can make the problem worse but they are not the cause. Many states privatized housing markets, leading to less social housing. THAT is the issue for homeless and other social weak people that are pushed away from cities
Uli – You admit there are homes available but chose to give those homes to the illegal migrants instead of your own homeless citizens ? Do you not see the hypocrisy in what you are saying ?
Ivan – only hipocrite is you because before the immigrants arrived most people didn’t care about their own homeless people. When more immigrants started to arrive then alt-right people started to “complain” about homeless being neglected. Also you spend more time opposing immigrants than taking care of homeless. You do not care about homeless you just want to find an excuse so that you can hate the immigrants and cause problems.
Abandon austerity. Don’t send soldiers into foreign conflicts, invest heavily in public housing, mental health support, meaningful work, family and child support
Deregulate zoning and development.