On 9th June 2022, join us for a roundtable discussion on how to use the European Structural Funds to finance Housing First projects and services. We will hear from experts in different European countries about their experience with using the Structural Funds for Housing First, as well as the challenges they encountered during the process and how those challenges were overcome. The discussion is moderated by Samara Jones, Coordinator of the Housing First Europe Hub.
Keynote speakers include:
- Vanesa Cenjor del Rey, International Affairs Director and Agile Coach at HOGAR SI (Spain)
- Caterina Cortese, Fio.PSD (Italy)
- Sarah Coupechoux, Fondation Abbé Pierre (France)
- Michal Ďorď, Head of Housing First Team at the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (Czech Republic)
- Jakub Wilczek, President of the Polish National Federation for Solving the Problem of Homelessness (Poland)
This event also launches the soon-to-be-published EU Funds and Housing First Guide, co-written by FEANTSA and the Housing First Europe Hub. Knowing that accessing EU Funds can be very difficult, particularly for smaller organisations, this Guide aims to walk individuals through that process as well as to raise awareness on the Housing First model among governmental authorities and European Commission officials.
Register here.
Speakers
Vanesa Cenjor del Rey, International Affairs Director and Agile Coach at HOGAR SI (Spain)
Prior to joining HOGAR SI, Vanesa worked on strengthening the Social Third Sector through managing different EU Funding. During this period, she was the International Affairs Manager at Fundación Luis Vives and after, she was the Coordinator of the Fund for Non-Governmental Organisations (Active Citizenship Programme). EEA Financial Mechanism in Spain managed by the NGO Platform of Social Action. She was also co-founder of Encuentro Europa, a consultancy for European matters.
Caterina Cortese, Coordinator – Scientific Committee, fio.PSD
Caterina is the Coordinator of the Scientific Committee at fio.PSD (Italian Federation of Organisations Working with Homeless People). She is the editor of the first Italian book on Housing First (Cortese Eds 2016) and of several articles on Housing First and homelessness Policy and Strategies in Italy.
Sarah Coupechoux, European Affairs Officer, Fondation Abbé Pierre
Sarah Coupechoux holds a Master’s degree in International Law from La Sorbonne University in Paris. Since 2006, she has been involved in the French NGO sector for the right to housing for all. She joined Fondation Abbé Pierre in 2009, where she first worked as a legal expert in charge of the Parisian contentious strategy. For the past five years, she has been the Foundation’s European Affairs Officer and she supervises the yearly “Overview of Housing Exclusion in Europe”, co-written with FEANTSA.
Michal Ďorď, Head of Housing First Team at the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (Czech Republic)
Michal Ďorď is a Romani careleaver currently working at Czech Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs as the Head of Housing First Team. His team is providing support and guidance to 13 Housing First projects (ESF) and drafting new ESF+ call focused on scaling Housing-Led and Housing First programs in Czechia. He is also an advisor to Prague City council member.
Jakub Wilczek, President of the Polish National Federation for Solving the Problem of Homelessness (Poland)
Jakub Wilczek is a co-founder and president of the Polish National Federation for Solving the Problem of Homelessness, vice-president, and representative of Poland in FEANTSA, and member of the Expert Committee for Combating Homelessness of the Polish Ombudsman. He is a coordinator of projects that support people in crisis leaving homelessness as well as their reintegration into society and that propagate the problem of homelessness and good practices in solving it. He is also a facilitator of cooperation in the NGO sector.