Presentation given by Dr Joan Smith, London Metropolitan University, UK and Dr Selma Muhič Dizdarevič, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic, at a FEANTSA Research Conference on "Understanding Homelessness and Housing Exclusion in the New European Context", Budapest, Hungary, 2010

1. Comparing social exclusion among young homeless
people in four European countries: the Czech Republic
compared with the Netherlands, Portugal and UK.
Dr Joan Smith – Center for Housing and Community Research, Cities
Institute, London Metropolitan University
Contact: joan.smith@londonmet.ac.uk
Dr Selma Muhič Dizdarevič – Department of Civil Society Studies,
Faculty of Humanities, Charles University in Prague
Contact: selma.muhic@gmail.com
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN THE
ENHR
NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

2. CSEYHP (Combatting Social Exclusion among
Young Homeless Populations)
- The CSEYHP study compares youth homelessness in 4 countries and shares
methods of working to combat social exclusion among young homeless people. It is
working with NGOs in 4 countries. It is funded by EU Framework 7 programme
(Social-economic Sciences and Humanities).
Youth homelessness in context
Differences between the welfare and governance regimes in European states.
 Social housing vs none or little social housing; and a declining social housing sector
in some countries.
 Separate housing and homelessness systems;
 Whether statutory services take responsibility for young homeless people or only
voluntary sector services. Multiple agency involvement;
 Differences in legal definitions of homelessness. Minimum (roofless or roofless plus,
CR and PT) or Maximum (housing need, UK and France) or in between and in
construction (NL). Implications for youth homelessness.
 Homelessness a hidden or an acknowledged issue.
4 countries in our study: Czech Republic (Eastern Europe), NL (Northern Europe),
Portugal (Southern Europe) and the UK.
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

3. Combating Social Exclusion among Young
Homeless Populations
Three Phases to the CSEYHP project:
 Phase I. Review of existing data, literature and interviews with workers in NGOs in
four countries.
 Phase II. Trained young homeless people as co-researchers who interviewed 54+
young people in each country. The young people to include those born in the country
(both dominant and minority ethnic groups) and those born outside the country.
Today we report headline findings of Phase I and Phase II.
Thematic reports based on the analysis of findings from Phase II will be posted on the
websites in September 2010 once agreed with the European Commission.
 Phase III. Began in March 2010 through presentations the models of early
intervention and prevention from the UK and of case management and key working
from Netherlands. Models available through DVD and Toolkits. These models with be
tested in the other countries of the network from September 2010.
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

4. Phase I: The national contexts for the risk of
homelessness for young people.
The comparative report on youth homelessness in four countries reported:
 NL and UK highest proportion of young people aged under 15 years, 18%.
 NL and UK highest proportion of foreign born, 10.6%. Two thirds of CR foreign born
are Slovaks. PT are from Africa and Brazil; Portugese speaking countries (PALOP).
 PT lower secondary education achievement among yp 40% vs 13% NL and UK, 6%
CR.
 NL and UK higher proportions of young people employed 15-24 years.
 NL and UK higher proportions of young people living independently 18-24 years, 33%
and 46%.
 Average age of motherhood is 29-30 years for all. But adolescent fertility rate in the
UK is 26 per 1000 women 15-19 years vs 17 PT, 11 CR, 5 NL.
 Limited social housing in CR, PT and UK compared with NL. Social housing is 3% of
PT housing stock, UK 18%, NL 33%.
 NL and unaddressed gap between youth services and adult services at age 18 years.
A similar gap in CR.
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

5. Phase I: Specific risks for insertion identified by
NGO workers interviewed for CSEYHP project
 Young people leaving state care. Particularly important in CR. Least important in PT
and UK. UK has addressed this issue through legislation and case law (2002, and
Southwark ruling) but young people from care have more problems with life skills and
rules.
 Young people with low educational attainment. PT a general issue. NL young people
not Dutch speaking and Dutch speaking who leave school early. In the UK problem
for those born in country.
 Young people from workless households and areas of workless households identified
in UK. No expectations and no motivation. ‘You have to want to be included’.
 Young refugees. In UK refugees are more focused on education but some trauma
support required. In NL problem of achieving fluency in dutch. In PT lack of papers,
undocumented.
 Young people from ethnic minorities. Definition in PT and NL. In PT a lack of
documents on criminal records from country of origin.
 Criminalisation of young people. Referred to by key workers both in CR and UK but
seen as a risk factor in all four countries.
 Gangs a problem in UK. Young men feel unsafe.
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

6. Phase 1. The context of youth homelessness in the

Czech Republic 1
Age of 15 is crucial. 15 years is the age at which compulsory education ends. Children under 15
and over 15 but still going to school are not allowed to work. At15 years the young person
according to the Czech Criminal Code becomes criminally responsible.
 Almost one third of 1.8 million youngsters in the CR up to age of 29 still live with their parents
(Czech Statistical Office survey) .
 Rate of youth age 20-24 who complete at least secondary education (those who completed
secondary schools, apprenticeship schools or those graduating from the university) in CR is the
highest of all Member States of the EU.
 The unemployment rate in 2007 in the CR was 5.3%, one of the lowest in the EU 27 countries.
 The groups most at risk when coming to job market are: youth without education, with incomplete
or not finished elementary education and practical school i.e. youth who lack vocational training
and also lack qualifications.
 In the age group of 15-24 those particularly in danger of social exclusion are Roma. Currently it is
estimated that only 26% of the economically active Roma population has never been
unemployed, 35% face recurring unemployment and up to 39% are repeatedly and long-term
unemployed. What is characteristic for the Roma unemployment is its durability. 75% of all
unemployed Roma are unemployed long-term out of which 30% are unemployed for more than 4
years.
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

7. Phase 1. The context of youth homelessness in the

Czech Republic. 2
One of the groups which is temporarily disadvantaged in the access to housing for material
reasons (lack of financial means for the first independent housing, difficulties in acquiring jobs)
are particularly young people leaving state care institutions and beginning independent life
without necessary financial or family background. Other groups include national and ethnic
minorities particularly Roma, immigrants, refugees and homeless.
 The significant proportion of children and youth who commit crimes comes from facilities for
institutional and compulsory care.
 The most significant risk factor are various types of institutional care, which may be related to
inability of the parents to provide care but also only to their poverty. In the latter case the CR was
criticized for not applying polices for family support and instead of that chose breaking the
families.
 Criminal records of the youth are then complicating their job integration since in the CR it is often
required to present clean criminal record even for manual and not demanding jobs.
 Most of the young homeless have basic or apprenticeship education. They have limited access to
some benefits such as unemployment benefits. However if they have valid documents, they may
access the social benefit system.
 There is increasing factor of debts, which often make it very difficult for reinsertion because even
if they find a job, penalties on the debts make it impossible to pay from their salaries or their
benefits might be taken by liquidators.
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

8. Phase 1. The context of youth homelessness in the

Czech Republic. 3
There is no official definition of homelessness in the Czech Republic (CR) therefore there is no
definition of the young homeless persons.
 In the mobile home not intended as place of usual residence (category 11.1) according to census
from 2001 there were 222 persons, there were 44 836 persons living in a dwelling defined as
unfit for habitation by national legislation (12.1) and 12 519 persons lived in recreational facilities
or weekend houses. Total number of young persons age 15-24 in such categories was 9 018
which is 0.6% of the whole population of persons in this age group in 2001. 7 537 or 84% of
them lived in the dwellings defined as unfit for habitation, 1 413 (15.7%) lived in recreational
facilities and 32 (0.3%) lived in mobile homes.
 Within the NGO census the following values were indicated: total of 3 096 persons, out of which
2 662 men (85.99%) and 434 women (14.01%). From the total number the category of persons
under 25 years was 14.2% (337 men, 102 women, in total 439 persons).
 In the housing network there is a very limited capacity for the families with children or couples and
the worst case is with single women.
 Based on 3-months field research in one the Prague districts with a high frequency of the
homeless people it is possible to get a limited idea on typology of the young homeless people.
There are two basic groups of such people: the squatters and the drug-users.
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

9. Phase 1. The context of youth homelessness in the
Czech Republic. 4
 Majority of the homeless population in the CR, according to the respondents, is 40
year of age and more. The estimates for the youth homeless is less than 15% of the
homeless population and majority of them are male, with no or low qualification, with
drug-abuse history, Czech citizenship, from the institutional care or broken families,
more majority members than Roma, (none of the organizations interviewed has ethnic
or religious statistics though). In case of Roma it is necessary to take into account
they are often reluctant to declare themselves as Roma due to the social stigma.
 “17 is our average age of the clients. During summer it’s 15. We are not allowed to
report the younger ones since the Ministry of Interior would revoke our license to
work. We should take those younger than 15 by the hand and take them to the
Police, but we can’t do it because then you kill the field social work which is based on
trust. But it’s hard to establish age when a client has no documents with him/herself.
The others say he is 14 and he claims he is 18. So how old is he? There are other
institutions which should care for such people, that’s the basic problem.” (expert
interview)
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

10. Phase II: Interviewing young homeless people in
four countries
 The interview schedule was agreed by four country teams. The structure of the
interview schedule allowed for the collection of both qualitative and quantitative
interviews.
 It was agreed that all interviews should be digitally recorded.
 Great care was taken with the wording of the consent forms to be signed by the
interviewees. The consent form stressed that young people were free to stop the
interview immediately, that they did not have to answer any specific question and
could stop the interview at any moment, and senior researchers who have to be
informed if they disclosed anything that meant they or another young person was
still ar risk. The consent forms and ethic policies were approved by the Ethics
Committee of London Metropolitan University.
 Interviews were based as far as possible on a quota of young people; equal
numbers of young men and women; one third born in the country ethnic dominant,
one third born in the country ethnic minority, one third foreign born. This quota was
not possible for CR. 54 young people were interviewed in each country.
 Interview were undertaken by young co-researchers who were or had themselves
been homeless and were trained specifically for this research project.
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

11. Phase II: The CSEYHP approach to working with
co-researchers
 Extensive training in all 4 countries on interviewing techniques and ethical issues.
Support during the interviews.
 When co-researchers told interviewees that they had also been homeless, or were
still homeless this broke the ice. Respondents felt less ashamed and there was a
more equal relationship between co-researcher and interviewee.
 Co-researchers also thought it was more helpful that they were at the level of the
interviewees – ‘age, group-wise and some of the time we use slang’.
 Co-researchers also functioned as a role model for the interviewees. They
demonstrated that they had overcome their situation and that progress was possible.
 In the UK it was possible for one co-researcher to interview five young people in their
original language, providing interviews as long as those of other young people, and
insights into the isolation of this group.
 An annex on working with co-researchers is a deliverable of this project and is
available at the project website.
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

12. Phase II: Qualitative information from interviews
 Young people provided unstructured narrative information for the first part of each
interview. There were also several open questions
 Because each interview was digitally recorded it has been possible to transcribe
many interviews and to check information in particular cases.
 This information has been used to look at the life trajectories of young people in the
four countries.
 Qualitative information has provided evidence for:
CR on institutional care trajectories and family violence and disruption.
NL on young people on the streets, and with criminal careers.
PT on the housing trajectories of young homeless people including homeless with their
own parents and/or being raised by grandparents.
UK on family disruption, the different family backgrounds of young people born in the UK
and those not born in the UK, and the differences between migration based on family
reunification and being a refugee.
An annex on life trajectory is a deliverable of this project and available on the project
website.
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

13. Phase II: The Childhoods of Young People in our
study
Over 216 interviews in the 4 countries collected by co-researchers.
 Living with at 12 years: In no country sample were a majority of young people living
with 2 birth parents at 12 years although the proportion was highest in CR (22 out of
54 CR young people).
 Family Background: Violence in the family. Sometimes or frequent hitting was
reported by 72% in CR, 56%-50% in NL, PT, UK. (Only women in NL were more likely
to report hitting than men; the other countries the opposite.)
 Problems with parents: lack of money/ unemployment (28% CR; 35% NL; 57% PT;
70% UK), verbal aggression (48% CR; 43% NL; 57% PT; 57% UK;) physical
aggression (41% CR; 46% NL; 43% PT; 41% UK); drinking (48% CR; 33% NL; 39%
PT; 15% UK;) drugs (11% CR; 20% NL; 20% PT; 10% UK;) absent through illness
(30% CR; 22% NL; 33% PT; 17% UK;) being ill (37% CR; 52% NL; 43% PT; 53%
UK;), parents with mental health problems (37% CR; 46% NL; 6% PT; 17% UK;) .
 Living with at 16 years: Rarely living with both parents. In CR 14 out of 54, PT 10
cases, UK 8 cases, and NL 5 cases. Most with single parents, or reconstituted
families, A minority moving into precarious living situations
 Left home for the last time: 36 of 54 in the UK by age 17 years, 28 in NL, 23 in CR,
and 22 in NL. 8 had not left in PT – homeless with parents in past or current.
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
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14. Phase II: The profile of young people in each
country sample
 Low educational attainment.
 Running away high for CR and NL (70%), then UK (60%) and low in PT (30%)
 Money from benefits more common in NL and UK; family and work more common in
CR and PT. Income much higher in NL sample than in other 3 country samples.
 Housing situation. Squatting in CR, hostel or move-on accommodation in UK and NL,
a parent or relatives or cohabitees in PT.
 Physical health issues among young people in NL (26%), PT (10% a registered
disability)
 Mental health issues – stress, depression, anxiety
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15. Phase II: Services to aid young homeless people
 Childhood – Institutional care in CR, limited in PT, extensive youth service in NL
working through Care and Advice teams and using at-risk monitors to identify young
people, Connexions service in UK but also family mediation and schools work by
homeless agencies.
 Young person presenting as homeless – In CR young people directed to other
services, in PT a new strategy designating an individual case worker to help reinsert
young person, in NL shelters and accommodation, in UK prevention through family
mediation and supported accommodation.
 What services do young people think that they needed? Services that would
have made a difference when they were younger.
Social Services; 42% (61% CR; 41% NL; 39% PT; 32% UK)
Counselling; 40% (37% CR; 50% NL; 35% PT; 39% UK)
A place to stay in an emergency; 34% (26% CR; 44% NL; 19% PT; 46% UK)
Education Support: 28% (20% CR; 32% NL; 26% PT; 33% UK)
Family mediation: 23% (17% CR; 35% NL; 4% PT; 37% UK)
Local advice centre: 21% (15% CR; 33% NL; 15% PT; 22% UK;)
Other services Advocacy (12%), support after care (13%), move on support after prison
(12%), Lawyers/Rights Support (13%)
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
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16. Phase II: Interviewing in CR
 Co-researchers
 Argument that no young homeless from agencies but …
 When interviews took place young people emerged
 More than a third were living on the streets at time of interview (35%, 19
cases). X young people were living in squats but three-quarters (74%) had
squatted in the past .
 In CR it was not possible to find refugees to interview or people not born in
the country. The large majority were all from CR. A minority were from
Slovakia.
 Sample slightly older than the other three samples but left home for the last
time at 17-18 years of age therefore comparable .
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

17. Phase II: CR young homeless 1
 CR young people were different from the other three samples. Possibly
because we had to interview more street homeless.
 More difficult childhoods. One fifth (20%, 11 cases) had parents who had
been homeless. Nearly three quarters (73%) had experienced some or
frequent violence in their childhood (compared with half of young people
interviewed in other countries). Nearly three quarters (72%) had run away;
over half for 3 or more nights.
 A quarter (24%, 13 cases) had experience with children’s homes or foster
care
 Nearly half of CR young people mentioned that parents were verbally
aggressive and had drinking problems (48%)
 A large minority said they needed social services during this period and
hadn’t had the support (39%, 21 cases). A similar proportion had no one to
talk to (37%, 20).
 At age 16, 6 young people in custody.
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
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18. Phase II: CR Young Homeless 2
 - Most of the respondents, c. 85 %, graduated from primary and secondary
school in the Czech Republic. Rest of the respondents, c. 10 %, graduated
in Slovakia. Twenty percent of the respondents attended special schools or
special classes.
 - Almost half of the respondents are unemployed, 25 (46 %). Second most
frequent group, 24 (44 %), make up respondents who are hanging with
friends. None of the respondents was self-employed or student (in part-
time or full-time education). Seldom respondents attended government
retraining schemes, training within an NGO program or worked as
volunteers.
 Currently 43 (80 %) respondents have problems in getting the work that
they want and 21 (39 %) respondents have problems in getting the
training they want.
 18 (33 %) of the respondents get money from employment, 13 (24 %) of
the respondents get money from illegal activities and 11 (20 %) of the
respondents get money from family.
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

19. Phase II: CR Young Homeless 3
 - Half of the respondents had some physical or mental problems before
16 years of age – 29 (54 %) and 28 (52 %) respondents have had physical
or mental problems since 16 years of age and later. Today most of them, 47
(87 %), are not registered as having some form of disability (no treatment,
no therapy).
- Drugs affect 44% and alcohol 32%
 - While stress affected most frequently the respondents before leaving
home, after leaving home it was depression.
 - The respondents need support in looking for accommodation and
looking for work; both possibilities were mentioned by 30 (56%)
respondents. No one needs sexual health info and help in creative activities.
 - The respondents would appriciate more info on the type of services offered
by various social services agencies.

European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

20. More results from the research to follow
Phase II
 Thematic report 1: Trajectories into homelessness and reinsertion points.
 Thematic report 2: Social exclusion and homelessness in Northern, Southern and
Central Europe.
 Thematic report 3: Capabilities and resiliencies among homeless youth populations
(including use of technology to protect themselves and ways of supporting this).
 Thematic report 4: Gender, ethnic group and migrant dimensions of homelessness.
These reports will be posted on the CSEYHP website after being agreed with the
European Commission.
Phase III
Free dvds and Toolkits available for Early Intervention Models in the UK and the Eight
Steps Model in the Netherlands in Czech, Dutch, Portugese and English.
www.movisie.nl/homelessyouth and click on publications.
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT