(c) Christian Brunner 2012

Project: Housing First in Salzburg

CB - Social Consult
News Paper Contributions  About the Project

In 2011, one of Austria's larger private foundations, the Essl Foundation, decided to award their yearly Social Prize to a faith-based organization, the "Vinziwerke Eggenberg." This non-profit is part of the "Society of St Vincent de Paul" with 700,000 such groups in some 142 countries worldwide.

With this Social Prize of One Million Euros in hands, the Vinziwerke and CB-Social Consult negotiated with the governments of the City and the Providence of Salzburg to accept our financial plan and match the private funds 1:1 to pay for the housing counselor's salaries.

Housing First is a new approach in Austria, and the Salzburg project therefore spearheads this new idea, where homeless people are picked up from the streets and given their own apartment -- a real home, for many of them the first in decades. The target group are the most difficult cases, i.e. the homeless with mental illness and drug dependency issues. Rather than making them jump through the hoops of step by step programs, which they usually fail, the low threshold Housing First model allows them to get healthy and self-sufficient in their own homes.

It is, as the "inventor" of Housing First, Sam Tsemberis from Pathways to Housing in New York City says, that simple.

 

 Housing First wants to end homelessness
 Apropos - The Salzburg Street News

The US government spent billions of Dollars each year to treat the homeless. With marginal success -- until they tried something new...

The Appartment Key to Success
 Armendienst - The Society of St Vincent de Paul News Letter

The key to happiness, soon in Salzburg. From the Streets to the own appartment.

It's that simple
 "Social Entrepreneur" - A special occasion inclosure

Consultant Christian Brunner about the success of Housing First in the USA.

Current status

The project is in the process of deciding about the office space in Salzburg, and of hiring personnel.

In the USA, CB - Social Consult is setting up the client database and tracking system, donated by Social Solutions, that will help the project meet it's goals, and the funders' requests for in-depth analysis of the projected outcomes.

 Other endeavors  
Author

Writing about Shamanism, the Celtic Traditions, and Social Matters

  
The Belenus Institute

Holistic healing with ancient methods

  
CB - Fine Art

Painting...More than a past time

  
   
   
   


Benfactors Martin and Gerda Essl established the Essl Foundation as a private non-profit foundation in 2007. It's aim is to support social projects. The 2012 prize winner is Father Wolfgang Pucher and the St. Vincent de Paul Initiative for implementing the project housing first, permanently liberating homeless people in Austria from their dire situation, starting in Salzburg. (click on link for more info)
The Essl Social Prize was established 2007 to support social innovation and social entrepreneurship worldwide. The first prize was awarded on March 14, 2008. The Essl Social Prize is awarded to elected persons, which have already achieved outstanding social improvements, and is connected to the implementation of social innovation. In this context, every year efficient, path-breaking projects – which are in need to be supported – are promoted with a donation of one million Euro and implemented as a role model. (click on link for more info)
The Housing First model is simple: provide housing first, and then combine that housing with supportive treatment services in the areas of mental and physical health, substance abuse, education, and employment. Housing is provided in apartments scattered throughout a community. This "scattered site" model fosters a sense of home and self-determination, and it helps speed the reintegration of Pathways’ clients into the community. (click on link for more info)