The Erasmus+ Women and Homelessness strategic partnership unites organisations working with people experiencing homelessness – among them, homeless women.

The partnership consists of Non Governmental Organisations, including Cork Simon, and public service providers from seven different countries, as well as the Centre for Social Innovations at University of Lodz and Feantsa - the EU homeless observatory representing 114 members from 33 countries. Partners exchange good practice and expertise about their work with women experiencing homelessness. The aim is to improve homeless services for women.

Women experiencing homelessness often have different support needs to men, especially around intimate partner or gender-based violence and their relationship with children. The members of the Erasmus+ strategic partnership are working to develop our internal policies and / or structures to better work with women experiencing homelessness.

Following completion of a needs assessment in each of the seven countries participating, the partnership's work will focus on five key themes:

• Homeless women and children

Women experiencing homelessness face many obstacles to keeping in touch with their children. The partnership is working to identify and implement good practices to support them to overcome these challenges.

 

• Women’s health issues

Women experiencing homelessness have specific health needs - the partnership is working to identify ways they can be supported to access the services they need.

 

• Emotional and physical safety

Most of the women we work with have suffered traumatic experiences as children and / or adults. We want to create environments where women can feel secure physically and emotionally, so they can be supported on their journeys of recovery.

 

• Relationships, working with women who are in intimate relationships

Women who have a partner might have additional support and resources in getting out of homelessness, but that relationship might be the cause of additional burdens, such as intimate partner violence. The partnership is exploring ways to best address this.

 

• Participation

We want all aspects of our work to empower women experiencing homelessness, from having choices in how their own care plan is managed to them having a say in how services are run.

Find out more HERE