What Bonds Us Today? Report from the European HF Partners Conference
Sharing pathways to ending homelessness
The European Housing First Partners Conference (EHFPC) is an initiative that brings together practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and people with lived experience to share knowledge and reflect on the implementation of the Housing First (HF) approach across Europe. The conference was organised by Pathways to Housing and Housing First Germany.
The event created space for open discussion on both the strengths and the challenges of Housing First – including its advantages, limitations, and the diverse ways it is adapted to different national and local contexts. It highlighted that pathways to ending homelessness are shaped by social systems, housing markets, and the availability of support services, and therefore cannot be reduced to a single, uniform model.
Discussions focused on key issues such as reducing stigma, ensuring access to stable and affordable housing, and exploring what it truly means to experience a home – not only as a physical space, but as a foundation for dignity, recovery, and meaningful participation in society. The European dimension of the conference underlined both the diversity of policy frameworks and the shared challenges faced across countries, reinforcing the value of cross-border learning and cooperation.
A values-based response to ending homelessness
Julia Wygnańska (Housing First Poland) delivered a presentation focused on a values-based approach to ending homelessness. Drawing on experiences from Central and Eastern European countries, where efforts are increasingly directed toward ending homelessness through integrated social and health services, the presentation emphasised the importance of common values as a foundation for systemic change, regardless of political, cultural, or economic differences.
Julia Wygnańska also addressed several persistent myths surrounding Housing First, which continue to influence public debate and policy decisions:
- Myth 1: Housing First is a “red Ferrari” – an unrealistic and difficult-to-implement solution.
- Myth 2: Housing First is a highly specialised service intended only for a small group of people experiencing the most acute forms of homelessness.
- Myth 3: Housing First is not compatible with existing system frameworks.
By challenging these assumptions, the presentation highlighted how Housing First values – including housing as a human right, choice, harm reduction, and person-centred support – provide a coherent, evidence-based foundation for sustainable homelessness policies. Participants were invited to reflect not only on how services are delivered, but also on which values underpin policy decisions and whether those values genuinely promote dignity, inclusion, and long-term housing stability.
Shared values as common ground
The conference also connected closely with the work of the Solace-CEE partnership, an initiative focused on building capacity for integrated social and health care for people experiencing homelessness across Central and Eastern Europe. The partnership exemplifies how shared values can translate into practical cooperation, strengthening systems that support people in the most vulnerable situations.
Across different countries and institutional contexts, the conference reaffirmed a common aim: ending homelessness through coordinated, value-driven action. Participants emphasised that while models and systems may vary, shared values create the common ground necessary for long-term change.
Voice of lived experience
The importance of lived experience was further highlighted at the end of the first conference day with a screening of a documentary film directed by Lora Tucker. Created and performed by people with lived experience of homelessness, the film offered more than a personal portrait – it invited reflection on collective responsibility, the consequences of policy choices, and the need for systemic change.
By centering the voices of those most affected, the conference reinforced the principle that people with lived experience are not only beneficiaries of support, but essential contributors to knowledge, advocacy, and transformation.
More information about the film: https://www.someonesdaughterfilm.org/
The participation of the FNMP representative in the EHFPC in Berlin was financed under the SOLACE-CEE Partnership, co-financed by the European Union and the National Institute of Freedom – Civil Society Development Programme PROO1b.
