Initial meeting of "HOPE" (Homeless People in Europe)

Object: The creation of a European participation network of former, current and potential homeless people.

To the participants of the “European Consultation of homeless people 2010”.

Dear friends,

From March-April 2010, we contacted you to organize a consultation of current and former homeless people in your country. The object was to answer to 5 major questions, and to send us a faithful transcription of those. One way or another, you joined us in this consultation, and we thank you. The report of the consultation has been presented at the “European consensus conference on homelessness” that was held in Brussels on December 9th and 10th 2010.

During this consultation, many of you questioned the effectiveness of the proceedings. We agreed that we could not limit ourselves to the producing of a single report. A number of you proposed to profit from this opportunity and from the established contacts to expand the network.

We propose to form a participation network of homeless people on a European scale. To which could join all former, current and potential homeless people, without any distinction. This network will be independent. It will seek to be part of the networks of people living in poverty. It will seek to work in collaboration with participation networks of services users.

This participation network will give a voice to homeless people and will establish a genuine dialogue with the European authorities. It will defend the rights of homeless people and will support groups of homeless people who fight for their rights in their own countries. It will help to enforce European decisions in the fight against poverty.

The report of the jury of the “European consensusconference on homelessness 2010” recommends the formation of two European participation networks of homeless people. “The jury considers that it could be useful to build on existing informal networks such as the virtual HOPE (Homeless People) network and the network of homeless people involved in the consensusconference via the transnational consultation of homeless people(Front Commun des SDF, 2010) in order to facilitate participation in ongoing policy-co-ordination and development in the area of homeless. The wellestablished annual meeting of People Experiencing Poverty could provide an initial context for this.”

We propose to meet in Brussels on the 12th and 13th of May 2011. This is on the same days that will be held in Brussels the “annual meeting of people experiencing poverty” To discuss about creating this network for participation in the development of homeless policies, to define its goals, its strategies, its form, its tasks, its manner of functioning and its name.

Please note these dates in your agenda. The venue for the meetings is: 123 Rue Royale, in the center of Brussels, at a 10 minutes walk from the central station. The meetings will take place at 2 PM on May 12th and at 10 AM on May 13th. We will provide food and lodging. Your transportation costs will be refunded.

Awaiting your response that we hope will positive, be assured of our willingness to exercise, together, a counter-power in this liberal Europe.

Front Commun SDF

Jean Peeters Denis Uvier Manual Chiguero Philippe De Craene

Secretary Solidarités Nouvelles Bij Ons/Chez nous DAK

The Front Commun SDF is a Belgian participation network of homeless people, comprising a number of grass-roots organisations. This network extends itself in Wallonie, Flanders and Brussels. The three main organisations are Solidarités Nouvelles (Charleroi), Bij Ons/ Chez Nous (Brussels) and DAK (Antwerpen). In 2010 the Front Commun SDF has organised a European consultation of homeless people, ordered by the Belgian government, for the European consensus conference on homelessness that took place in Brussels on December 9th and 10th.

http://www.mi-is.be/sites/default/files/doc/117692%20POD%20BROCH%20dakloosheidsconf%20ENG_v1.pdf