ESF Transnational Platform
Last Updated: 05 July 2019
by Mike STANNETT
Brussels, 21-22 May
Transnational cooperation in the ESF helps develop better and more effective employment and social policies and improve the delivery of reforms, essentially by enabling people to learn from experiences and good practice in other countries.
The Salvation Army EU Affairs Office attended this year’s conference, that focused on two topics:
- Meeting needs of young people through Youth Mobility schemes.
- Ending homelessness: the role of the ESF and the establishment and development of Housing First.
Meeting needs of young people through Youth Mobility schemes
Youth Mobility schemes are aimed at young people to help them mature and to prepare them for the world of work, as well as provide them with life skills in general. Personal development is essential for employability.
Most schemes are aimed at youth from stable backgrounds, but some schemes specialise in meeting the needs of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. These young people always need support from a member of staff on their placement, as without support it is expected many would leave the programme. This due to homesickness, stress and general lack of confidence to cope with change.
All EU countries have access to funding for such Mobility or Youth Exchange programmes.
Ending homelessness: the role of the ESF and the establishment and development of Housing First
The main focus has normally been on employability, assuming most have housing, which is not the case for many. Finland leads the way in largely eradicating homelessness through Housing First, but other countries are now coming on board:
Italy - ESF & FEAD -Housing First approach is gathering more and more support at ministry level and attracting more funding synergies.
Poland - setting up housing first.
Hungary - from streets to housing.
Czech rep. – the municipality of Brno, pilot project.
This issue was seen as a linking the European Social Pillar, chat. 19 to the SDGS , GOAL 11. As a example of how these links support each other making a stronger case for validating further development/ wider implementation .
Consideration for the Salvation Army
- Before people can be employed they need to be housed . We need consider how the Army in partnership with others to encourage NGOs and municipalities to move away from reliance solely on shelters and encourage housing first / social housing , with financial support to transition . ERDF and ESF.
- Food for thought for the TSA ,European Youth and Social Services Networks
- Musethica, classicaly trained musicians who like to play to audiences of vulnerable groups are most willing to be invited to play at TSA social projects. (link)