Leah Watkins

Housing Choices WA

Country: Australia

Languages: English

Leah has over 30 years of experience in the homelessness and housing sector ranging from frontline outreach to managing services and coordinating interagency collaboration projects. Leah also spent 10 years working as a consultant undertaking evaluations, service model designs and action research. Leah is passionate about Housing First and ending homelessness, and how these concepts have transformed the sector, the way we work and the lives of people we support. Leah was one of four Australian participants who undertook the Housing First Train-the-Trainer course in Europe and co-authored the Housing First Principles for Australia which were endorsed by Homelessness Australia in 2020. From this, she helped design and deliver the Housing First train the trainer course for Australia and continues to delivers Housing First training both in person and online. In particular, Leah's superpower is delivering online training that is interactive and highly participatory.

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Julia Wygnańska

Housing First Poland Foundation

Country: Poland

Languages: EnglishPolish

Julia's engagement in homelessness started from doing simple research for the Municipality of Warsaw as a student of Sociology at the University of Warsaw. This interest led her to become an independent researcher involved in the European Observatory on Homelessness FEANTSA (2005-2009). In her later projects she concentrated on evaluations of housing led programs through in-depth interviews with participants – people experiencing homelessness. Their insight led her to become an advocate for Housing First – the “out of the blue” concept learned through international conferences, study visits and publications. In 2019 she became a leader of Housing First Poland Foundation. Currently she provides fidelity consultation for the teams that want to develop their programs towards HF principles. Last but not least she is a social integration therapist and motivational interviewing practitioner and with that background she works as a support worker for people experiencing homelessness in Warsaw.
Marlene Panzenböck

Neunerhaus - Hilfe für obdachlose Menschen

Country: Austria

Languages: EnglishGermanSpanish

Marlene is a project manager and team leader at neunerhaus Housing First in Vienna and a lecturer for Housing First at the Vienna University of Applied Sciences. Marlene previously worked as a social worker with young refugees and in the education sector.
Laura Fritz
laura.fritz@feantsa.org

Languages: EnglishGerman

Project Officer
I joined the Housing First Europe Hub in 2022 as the Coordination & Communications Assistant and got the opportunity to gain experience in advocacy, research and capacity building to support the scaling up of Housing First around Europe. Now I am working as Project Coordinator for the Hub and am committed to continue contributing to the fight towards ending European homelessness.
Mercedes Hauviller
mercedes.hauviller@housingfirsteurope.eu

Languages: EnglishFrenchItalianSpanish

Admin & Finance Assistant
I’ve recently joined the HUB as an Admin and Finance Assistant. I’m in charge of invoicing, reimbursements, maintaining records of transactions, follow-up of payments, expense claims, and overseeing the daily operations of the accounting department.
Léonie Paille
leonie.paille@housingfirsteurope.eu

Languages: EnglishFrench

Coordination & Communications assistant
I joined Housing First Europe Hub in September 2023 for a 6-month internship. Within the Hub, I contribute to the smooth running of the community of practice, to the organisation of online and in-person events and the strengthening of the partnership between Hub members and allies as assistant coordinator. I’m also involved in developing the Hub’s communication on social media.
Arturo Coego
armaco@provivienda.org

Languages: EnglishSpanish

Acting Coordinator
I’m a Social Worker with more than 7 years experience in the homeless sector in the UK and Spain, where I managed Housing First projects for Provivienda and Hogar Sí alliance. Currently coordinating the Housing First Europe Hub. I believe that building a strong, supportive community is at the core of any successful endeavor, especially at the Hub.
Jana Hájková

Heimstaden Czech s.r.o.

Country: Czech Republic

Languages: CzechEnglish

I manage the S NÁMI DOMŮ project (WITH US HOME program), which has been operating since 2018 and meets all the conditions of Housing First for Youth. As part of the program, we provide housing for children leaving children's homes and foster families and help them integrate into society.
Dagmara Lutoslawska

Housing First Berlin

Country: Germany

Languages: EnglishGerman

Dagmara is a psychologist and has been working with people with mental illness for more than 10 years at low thresholds, with a focus on recovery and empowerment. In 2019, she started offering psychological support to homeless people at Berlin Zoo Station and subsequently at Housing First Berlin. Her focus is on the link to the health care system and the implementation of trauma-sensitive work in a multi-professional team. As a Housing First trainer, Dagmara shares her expertise on recovery and trauma.
Miriam Sanabria

Hogar Sí

Country: Spain

Languages: Spanish

I am a social educator and social worker. As a social intervention professional from 2011, I have worked in many social sectors and social areas, which has allowed me to develop different skills and intervention strategies, in addition to having different professional experiences. Currently, I work as a support worker on the public project “Building Home. Housing First” in Madrid. I feel very strongly about Housing First and its principles. I think Housing First is the way societies can end homelessness and I am sure that this reality is possible.
Sarah Edwards

Crisis

Country: UK

Languages: English

I am currently a Team Leader of a London-Wide Housing First Service (Crisis UK). I have over 10 years experience working in the homelessness sector, predominately in Housing First Services. I'm a keen advocate for systems change and sharing learning and best practice.
Thomas Lambrechts

Capuche asbl

Country: Belgium

Languages: French

Development of associative project for more than 20 years. I have worked in the fields of culture, politics, sport/leisure and real estate. Investing 100% in HF4Y projects since 2021.
Tomáš Novotný

Spolek PORTAVITA

Country: Czech Republic

Languages: Czech

I started working in 2006 in a Halfway house Chamomile as a social worker and since the year 2013 an educator in a facility for children requiring immediate help in the same organization Chamomile. I did these two jobs at the same time until 2017. After that I started working as a social worker in an Asylum for families with children Hannah, where I worked for 3 years. In 2020, I started as a key social worker in the PORTAVITA Housing First for adults project, where I still work today. Supported persons are mainly single mothers with children, but also complete families. The second project Housing First for Adults is already running at the moment.
Margherita Neri

Cooperativa Sociale Piazza Grande

Country: Italy

Languages: ItalianSpanish

Margherita has been working for 10 years in services aimed at homeless people within third sector organizations. She has always been passionate about the issue of the right to housing and for this reason she has coordinated and worked in the Housing First program managed by the Piazza Grande Social Cooperative. In the Cooperative she has covered various roles of coordination of socio-educational projects and is currently vice president. Margherita collaborates with Fio.PSD in the context of sector specific operators training, the training focusing especially on Housing First projects, social and health integration, and community work.
Patrick Schwemberger

Verein dowas

Country: Austria

Languages: German

After completing compulsory school and an apprenticeship in the metal industry, I studied "social work/social management" at the Vienna University of Applied Sciences on the second educational path. I was able to gain my first practical experience in helping the homeless during my studies in the context of "assisted living" in an internship. After completing my studies in 2011, I stayed in the field of helping the homeless and worked in the areas of "consulting" and "street work" for a little over two years, where I gained my first experience. After a one-year stay abroad, I then switched to the area of "partially assisted living/outpatient assisted living" in the same field of work, in which I have been working since 2014. I completed the Housing First Europe Hub's TTT - Train The Trainer - training in 2022.
Mia Saarela

Y-Säätiö

Country: Finland

Languages: EnglishFinnish

Mia is Coordinator for the National Housing First Development Network in Finland. She is passionate about eradicating homelessness and developing new ways of approaching housing-related issues. Mia has a backround in youth housing, social services & child protection services and is also experience in networking, providing training and a platform for learning about Housing First and housing related social work.
Pauline Portefaix

Fondation Abbé Pierre

Country: France

Languages: EnglishFrench

I am working at the advocacy level on Housing First in France. In my work for Fondation Abbé Pierre, which is known for its expertise in the evaluation of public policy, I have conducted an evaluation of the national Housing First programme.
Magdalena Syrówka

Przyszłość jest dziś

Country: Poland

Languages: EnglishPolish

I am a therapist, psychologist, sexual educator and mediator. I worked as a frontline support worker and than also as the head of the team implementing Housing First in Warsaw (by Fundacja Fundusz Współpracy) – from the very beginning of the project to almost the end (3 years). On one hand I provided support on a daily basis and in crisis situations for tenants and on the other hand I organised work of the team, stayed in touch with the city and other organisations. We worked in Assertive Community Treatment approach. I’m a psychotraumatologist and I also provide support in a field of sexual education and leadership in family based on Jesper Juul values (as a Familylab trainer). I’m honest, calm and authentical, positive and attentive (careful/observant) for others. I speak my mind. My core is nonviolent communication, personal responsibility and respect for the integrity of the individual.
Leah Watkins

Housing Choices WA

Country: Australia

Languages: English

Leah has over 30 years of experience in the homelessness and housing sector ranging from frontline outreach to managing services and coordinating interagency collaboration projects. Leah also spent 10 years working as a consultant undertaking evaluations, service model designs and action research. Leah is passionate about Housing First and ending homelessness, and how these concepts have transformed the sector, the way we work and the lives of people we support. Leah was one of four Australian participants who undertook the Housing First Train-the-Trainer course in Europe and co-authored the Housing First Principles for Australia which were endorsed by Homelessness Australia in 2020. From this, she helped design and deliver the Housing First train the trainer course for Australia and continues to delivers Housing First training both in person and online. In particular, Leah's superpower is delivering online training that is interactive and highly participatory.
Dieuwertje de Jong

LIMOR

Country: Netherlands

Languages: DutchEnglish

My name is Dieuwertje de Jong. I am working for the municipality of Groningen. I advice on policy for social care and homelessness. Before this I was a Housing First team manager for 5 years, in a organization were I started my career as a social worker. I first learned about Housing First in 2013 and was drawn tot the concept of giving the most difficult and high care need clients a change at housing directly from the streets. My manager at the time told me if the rent is paid, they let you in, and the neighbours are not complaining, they (and you) are doing a great job! This allowed me to follow the clients tempo in making steps to stabilize their addiction or mental health issues. What really intrigued me was how clients struggled to make their house a home. The transition from a ‘surviving-mode’ to feeling safe and secure in their new home, I found was a big challange for most of my clients and something I found very rewarding to be a part of. Now, for a couple of years, I also provide training for Housing First teams. The training gives Housing First support workers the tools they need to understand and provide high fidelity suppert for their clients.
Anna Gazda

Independent

Country: Poland

Languages: Polish

Professional manager in a social projects, trainer and coach. Former social worker. Works for the local government units, cooperates with NGOs and private entrepreneurs. Creates and implements social projects in a particular area of social inclusion. Works with both, individual clients and groups from different cultural background. Focuses activities on supporting the general development (well-being) of individuals and groups, searching for solutions, planning and managing resources, sharing experiences, and cooperating with various stakeholders. Since 2019, as a local animator of implementation, involved in implementation of Housing First in Poland, cooperate with Wroclaw’s local authorities, NGOs, and a producers of the Housing First approach in Warsaw, Gdansk.
Raphael Bouloudnine

WFX

Country: France

Languages: EnglishFrench

Raphael is a psychiatrist with a degree in public health from NOVA university. After 10 years in Un chez soi d'abord (French Housing First), he works in working first and develops training in recovery oriented practice. His year as an assistant visiting professor at Yale University as part of the Program For Recovery and Community Health (PRCH) was an opportunity to visit several Housing First programmes in the US.
Josep Agustí Feliu

Sant Joan de Déu

Country: Spain

Languages: CatalanSpanish

I'm Josep and I have 10 years of experience working in the social sector as a Social Educator. I started working with people with disabilities, with children in care and since 2016 I'm working with this new paradigm HF in Lleida. I believe in this new paradigm and I also think that it is possible to adapt it to the needs of each city. We can do it!
Geert De Bolle

Housing First Lab

Country: Belgium

Languages: DutchEnglish

"For me, Housing First is about dignity. By offering people back a home that is really theirs, you give them so much more: freedom and autonomy, life chances, future, happiness"
Geert has been the Dutch coordinator of the Housing First Lab since 2018. He lives in Kortrijk, is married and has three grown-up children, who are gradually leaving home. He enjoys travelling, long walks and board games. Geert is a trained social worker and had 15 years of experience within the local OCMW operation where he was responsible for the reception and guidance of homeless people. From this work, he got to know the ideas of Housing First. Later in life, he started university studies in social work at Ghent University.
Abele Sangiorgio

fioPSD; Opera San Francesco

Country: Italy

Languages: EnglishItalian

I've worked in schools and residential services for adolescents for almost 10 years. I work as a support worker and a case manager in an Housing First service since 2015. I work as a Housing First trainer since 2018. I contribute to the spread of the HF approach in my Country where there are often misconceptions and resistances about this approach. I have a degree in psychological sciences and techniques and I'm a professional counsellor.
Amanda Bloxsome

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

Country: UK

Languages: English

I am an accomplished leader, who is a member of the Chartered Institute of Managers and educated to post graduate level. I am passionate about system change within homelessness and housing systems and have the drive to be able to influence change in these areas of delivery. I have a proven track record in mobilising, operationalising and overseeing quality and best practice within homelessness and housing provision, both operationally and strategically.
Peter-Jan Heylenbosch

Goodmen services - Freelancer

Country: Belgium

Languages: DutchEnglish

Since the beginning of my career as a social worker I loved working with people suffering homelesness. I started working in day shelter for homless people during my studies in 2010 untill 2013 combined with working in the crisis shelter and night shelter in the city of Ghent. In 2013 I started my job as a Housing First support worker for the public welfare of Ghent, this project was part of the belgian Housing First project, funded by the belgian governement. When this project and research came to an end in 2016, I was asked by SAM VZW to assist in the flemish housing first training to provide insights from my daily practice. My interest in Housing first kept growing and I decided to follow the housing first train-the-trainer course, organised by the Housing First Europe hub. A bit later followed by the Outreach! course, organized by SAM Vzw Belgium. At the moment I still work as a Housing first support worker for the city of Ghent and I provide the Housing First and Outreach! courses for the flemish region and the Outreach! course as a freelance trainer commissioned by SAM vzw Belgium.
Samara Jones

Programme Coordinator, Housing First Europe Hub
samara.jones@housingfirsteurope.eu

Samara Jones - Programme Coordinator, Housing First Europe Hub Text to be added. Languages: English, Dutch, French Contact Samara: samara.jones@housingfirsteurope.eu
Matilde Revelli

Programme and Communication Assistant, Housing First Europe Hub
intern@housingfirsteurope.eu
Country: Italy

Matilde is a recent graduate of KU Leuven University (Belgium), where she completed a Master’s degree in Sustainable Development. Despite having a background in international relations and political science, she has always had an interest in sustainability and especially social sustainability, which she investigated for her Master thesis. Her research focused on how NGO coalitions pursue social sustainability by advocating for long-term housing solutions to homelessness such as Housing First, with the Hub as case-study. Her work is now centered on supporting the two Coordinators and the Head of Communication in the daily management of the network. Languages: Italian, English, French Contact Matilde: intern@housingfirsteurope.eu
Taina Hytönen

Programme Coordinator, Housing First Europe Hub
taina.hytonen@housingfirsteurope.eu
Country: Finland

Taina works as the Manager of International Work in Y-Foundation in Finland. After social studies at the University of Helsinki she worked at the city of Helsinki to develop services for people with addictions and mental health problems. Since 1999 she has worked in Y-Foundation. Her first role was to build networks with partner organisations to provide services for the tenants. She has also coordinated the national development network on Housing First and since 2016 her main role has been as a Programme Coordinator for the Housing First Europe Hub. Taina is particularly involved in coordinating the training, community of practice and associate workstreams of the Hub. Languages: Finnish, English. Contact Taina: taina.hytonen@housingfirsteurope.eu
Melanie Schmit

LIMOR & Housing First Netherlands

Country: Netherlands

Languages: DutchEnglish

Melanie Schmit's entire working life has been about people in need, among which the biggest part has been in the field of homelessness. She studied social work, then completed a bachelor's degree in health care management and a study around professional coaching and leadership. Currently she is focusing on education around public affairs. Melanie started out as a social worker in a homelessness service and after that was a manager for several years, mainly managing and implementing Housing First practices for adults as well as youth. Today, Melanie works for LIMOR on scaling up, further developing, and promoting Housing First in the Northern and Western part of The Netherlands. In that capacity she is also training groups on Housing First inside and outside the organisation. Furthermore Melanie is president of the national platform, Housing First Netherlands. She was a co-initiator and co-founder of this network organization that acts as a collective representative for Housing First practices in the Netherlands and Housing First in general.
Emine Özkan

Neunerhaus - Hilfe für obdachlose Menschen

Country: Austria

Languages: EnglishGermanTurkish

Emine Özkan has a leading position at the Austrian social organization Neunerhaus, where she has managed the Housing First team since 2018. Previously, Emine worked in the field of preventing violence against women and children and led an empowerment program for girls and young women. Emine represents the Housing First approach at international conferences and meetings. She is committed to discussing challenges, reflecting experiences, and creating new ideas for implementing Housing First. In addition to her work at Neunerhaus, she is currently studying part-time for the international master's program "social work and social economy“ in Vienna.
Juha Kahila

Y-Säätiö/Y-Foundation

Country: Finland

Languages: EnglishFinnish

Juha has been working for 10 years in the field of homelessness. He started as a frontline support worker in 2010 for the Finnish Youth housing association services (NALPA). NALPA offers housing first in scattered housing for young people experiencing homelessness. After 3,5 years Juha became the Service manager and his responsibility was to develop the services and manage the Housing First team. After 1,5 years of being the service manager Juha became the CEO of the whole company. Juha had the privilege of developing and growing the company to a widespread presence across Finland. Following NALPA, Juha started work at the Y-Foundation. He worked for a little over one year as a Coordinator for the National Housing First Development Network. At the beginning of 2020, he became the Lead Coordinator of the same Network. As part of his role at the Network, Juha organises training courses at national level, and is working on developing the Housing First model together with dozens of NGO's and cities.
Nadyah Abdel Salam

GIE La ville autrement - Est Metropole Habitat

Country: France

Languages: French

Nadyah is a socio-urbanist and a task officer at GIE La Ville Autrement where she works on the deployment of partnership projects for the homeless in the metropolitan of Lyon within the framework of Housing First. In addition to being a Hoosing First trainer, Nadyah is also working on a thesis in sociology which deals with Housing First and the processes of institutional innovation in social housing (University of Nice - GREDEG).
Muriel Allart

Smes

Country: Belgium

Languages: French

Muriel is a Psychologist with 10 years of experience in Harm Reduction. She has been a Housing First Manager since 2013 - including ACT + ICM team management - and has rehoused more than 50 clients to date. As a Housing First trainer, Muriel shares her expertise in Harm Reduction, Recovery, Peer work, Crises management, and Violence.
Peter Brepoels

Steunpunt Mens en Samenleving

Country: Belgium

Languages: DutchEnglish

Peter started to work in youth and young adult care in the nineties, being focused on youth at risk of becoming homeless or young adults being homeless. At the time some of his older colleagues advised him to lower his expectations as to what could be achieved. He continued working, and 10 years later, caught himself being that older colleague telling the younger ones to 'not put their hopes up too high'. After he discovered the Housing First approach, he learnt that his initial hopes of achieving positive outcomes for homeless youth could be realised, and became a Housing First trainer.
Rémi Dekoninck

Diogènes (Station Logement)/ Projet Lama

Country: Belgium

Languages: French
Rémi has 20 years of experience working in the social sector, with experience in a wide range of social and homeless services, including:
- Social Worker since 2000
- Social Housing 2000
- First Line social services 2002-2005
- Family Planning 2005-2016
- Therapeutical community 2013-2018
- Social school teacher 2016-2018
- Health services for drug addictions 2018- now
- Housing First worker 2018-now
- Housing First Trainer: 2019- now
Jo Prestidge

Homeless Link

Country: UK

Languages: English

Jo is an experienced project manager supporting the development and delivery of innovation and good practice within the field of homelessness and complex needs. This includes as the lead of Housing First England since 2016. Supporting a movement of Housing First across the country, Jo works with local government and service providers to develop new services and oversee a programme of policy influencing, research and practice development. She has also spent several years promoting trauma-informed practice to the sector and her training courses have been delivered to over 5,000 people. Jo is an experienced trainer, facilitator and public speaker with several years experience of working directly with people with multiple and complex needs including people entrenched in street homelessness. In addition to being a Housing First Trainer, Jo is training to be a consultant in the system-psychodynamics approach to organisational development at the renowned Tavistock Clinic.
Pilvi Azeem

Y-Säätiö/Y-Foundation

Country: Finland

Languages: EnglishFinnish

Pilvi's first experience working with people experiencing homelessness was in Scotland year 2005 where she worked as an assertive outreach worker for over two years, learning first-hand about people experiencing homelessness without Housing First support. After returning to Finland, Pilvi went to work with Helsinki Deaconess Institute in one of their newly opened Housing First units, providing supported living for long-term homeless people. There she learned the basic skills of the Housing First approach and community care and how people with similar backgrounds can empower each other with the support of skilled Housing First workers. In 2014, Pilvi had the opportunity to be part of establishing a new Housing First community-based supported housing unit for long- term homeless people. Her main job was to ensure that the workers working in the unit were familiar with Housing First principles and that the support work they did was in line with the Housing First principles. It was very important to ensure that community-based methods were followed, involving residents and workers in the decision making process and everyday life in the unit. Pilvi is currently working as a project coordinator for the NEA project, which aims to stop women´s homelessness by securing their housing pathways. The project consists of eight multidisciplinary sub-projects and my main target with my colleague is to enable these sub-projects to work together and create woman-spesific work methods in the homelessness work field.
David Valouch

Platform for Social Housing

Country: Czech Republic

Languages: CzechEnglishSlovak

David has over 15 years of work with drug addicts, including as an outreach worker, frontline worker, community therapist, and parental counsellor. He also has 3 years experience working in a halfway house, and is now participating in change of Czech social system to reduce and end homelessness in the Czech Republic. In addition to his training in Housing First, David is also a trainer of motivational interviewing, Buddhist meditation, psychodrama and focusing.

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