I have been in many conferences in my lifetime. In fact, I was in this line of business for decades and in many different countries around the world. So I know the drill. Some conferences will provide you with information. Others will give you inspiration, renewed energy and the feeling that you are part of something much bigger than yourself. The Housing First Europe Hub conference in Rotterdam is undoubtedly the latter.
There was something truly special about today’s atmosphere. It all started right at the opening. A surprise brass band brought music, energy, smiles and a wonderful sense of celebration into the room. An unexpected opening that reminded us that social change is not only about strategies, policies and evidence. It is also about people, connection, passion and the collective energy we bring together.
This couple of days in Rotterdam, practitioners, policymakers, researchers, housing providers, local authorities, NGOs and advocates from across Europe have come together with shared ambition: to make homelessness history through Housing First. But what makes this gathering so important is that it brings all the different pieces of the puzzle into the same conversation.
Healthy and constructive debates about how to scale up Housing First across European cities, reflections on how to secure access to affordable housing, best practices on how to build stronger partnerships between housing, health and social care services, acknowledge the need to address youth homelessness, to adapt our approaches to different needs, and to translate research and evidence into sustainable policies and everyday practice.
But beyond the impressive programme, the inspiring speakers and the workshops, what matters most to me is the opportunity to connect. To listen to people who are making things happen on the ground. To learn from countries and cities that have taken different paths. To exchange challenges, failures, lessons and successes. To challenge ourselves and, above all, to remind each other that we cannot end homelessness working in isolation.
As a certified Train the Trainer of the Housing First Europe Hub and co-founder of Emfasis Non-Profit I feel particularly connected to this mission. For us, Housing First is not just a model we advocate for. It represents a fundamental shift in how we understand homelessness and how we respond to it. It defines our legacy and calls for even more determination to persevere.
We have been conditioned to believe that solving homelessness is complex, expensive and difficult. However, the evidence behind Housing First has shown us that stable housing, combined with person-centred, flexible and continuous support, can transform lives and provide a real sustainable and long-term pathway out of homelessness.
Today it was repeated several times: We know what works. We have the knowledge, the experience and the evidence. The challenge now is to ensure it is accessible, sustainable and available to everyone who needs it.
And this is precisely why I find that conferences like this matter so much.
They create the space where evidence meets practice, where local initiatives connect with European ambitions, where personal commitment (hopefully) meets political responsibility, and where ideas can build bridges, policies and real solutions.
I leave these conversations with one conviction stronger than ever: we do not need more reasons to believe in Housing First. We need more commitment, more collaboration, more housing solutions and the courage to implement it at scale. Because behind every discussion about systems, budgets, implementation and policy, our people are waiting endlessly for a place to call home.
And that must remain at the heart of everything we do.
I know we still have one day to go and there is more to discover. But I would not be able to complete today’s experience without extending a big thank you to the amazing team of Housing First Europe Hub, Samara Jones, Laura Fritz, Christianna Fontouli, the Gemeente Rotterdam, everyone who helped behind the scenes, speakers, facilitators, the local organisations that hosted the site visits and participants who made these days so meaningful.
It is inspiring to see this European community growing, learning and building bridges.
Let’s go back and share this spirit with our teams back home and continue to challenge all systems.
About the Author:
Maria Karra, Co-Founder Emfasis Non-Profit, Board Member of the Greek Housing Network, FEANTSA AC Member- Greece, Certified Trainer Housing First Europe Hub, CSR specialist initiatives, Non-Profit Event management
This blog was originally posted here.