European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless: Locked out – Housing solutions for vulnerable young people transitioning to independence

All across Europe, the under 30s have been particularly affected by the budget cuts and austerity policies of the last few years. A worrying number of young people in Europe are excluded from the housing market or are inadequately housed. They represent 20-30% of the total number of homeless people in the majority of European countries.

Homelessness is experienced differently by young people than by adults: the causes and conditions are different, so the responses and solutions must also be different. Therefore, the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless (FEANTSA) and Fondation Abbé Pierre compiled a report which offers an overview of affordable housing initiatives for young people in vulnerable situations. Some of these initiatives are based on a Housing First for youth approach.

The report presents initiatives:

  • Providing accessible, decent and suitable housing (in the Netherlands, France, England and Italy)
  • Providing appropriate support towards independence in permanent housing (in France, Belgium and Finland)
  • Maximising the potential for mobility between different types of housing (in England, Belgium, Ireland and France)

In the report, FEANTSA urges the European Union to stand up for young homeless people. It does this under the framework of its campaign ‘Be Fair, Europe: Stand Up for Homeless People!‘

Read the report here.

More information.