Feantsa

Structure

FEANTSA is democratically structured to involve member organizations in as many aspects of its work as possible. The guiding bodies of FEANTSA are the general assembly (which involves all member organizations), an administrative council (consisting of one representative for each EU member state), and an executive committee (comprising up to 7 members drawn from the administrative council). FEANTSA also has a small office based in Brussels that is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the network.

Influencing Policy

FEANSTA engages in constant dialogue with the European institutions and national and regional governments to promote the development and implementation of effective measures to fight homelessness. It also works to make European, national, and regional decision makers aware of the urgent need to [Page 162]develop proactive policies aimed at effectively preventing homelessness. FEANTSA raises public awareness about the complexity of homelessness and the multidimensional nature of the problems faced by homeless people.

Transnational Exchanges

FEANTSA promotes and facilitates the exchange of information, experience, and best practice among its member organizations. This exchange gives members access to effective and innovative approaches to the problem of homelessness. To this end, FEANTSA organizes regular European seminars and conferences that bring together service providers, researchers, and decision makers. In addition, FEANTSA has four working groups, where members discuss relevant issues and themes surrounding housing, employment, health and social protection, and data collection (statistics and indicators). The working groups are composed of experts in their field and, in addition to sharing information and experience, are responsible for following developments at the EU level (in terms of policy, programs, initiatives, etc.) in their respective areas.

FEANTSA prepares regular policy documents on relevant issues based on the results of transnational exchange. Both these reports and the resulting policy statements are available on the website and through the FEANTSA office in Brussels.

Research

FEANTSA is dedicated to facilitating research to promote better understanding of the complexity and the changing nature of homelessness. Research findings are circulated to other academics, as well as to the service providers for homeless people and policymakers. This research provides insights into the theoretical nature of homelessness, as well as trends, and provides a strong scientific base for service providers and policymakers to construct policy and programs.

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