Homelessness in Slovenia: extent, profile and attitudes

Code:

J5-2559

Period:

1.9.2020 - 31.8.2023

Range on year:

0.80 FTE | 2021

Head:

izr.prof.dr. Maša Filipovič Hrast

Research activity:

Social sciences

The phases of the project and their realization:

In the project primary (quantitative and qualitative data) as well as secondary (quantitative) data will be used. The project is divided into 6 work packages. The WP 1 – management, and WP 6 – dissemination, will be carried out for the whole duration of the project. The WP 2 encompasses the analysis of existing data bases regarding extent and profile of the homeless. WP3 encompasses preparation of the survey that enables gathering additional data on homelessness in Slovenia and their profile, as well as attitudes toward the homelessness among the population. WP4 encompasses qualitative research, and following recent methods in welfare state attitudes research will use focus group method. Selected publications: FILIPOVIČ HRAST, Maša, HURTADO MONARRES, Miriam. Homelessness services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia. V: HLEBEC, Valentina (ur.), RAKAR, Tatjana (ur.). Quality of life in COVID-19 pandemic : a kaleidoscope of challenges and responses of various population groups during the crisis. Ljubljana: Faculty of Social Sciences, Založba FDV, 2022. Str. 145-169, 220-221, tabele. Book series OST, 27. ISBN 978-961-295-024-8. DOI: 10.51936/9789612950248. FILIPOVIČ HRAST, Maša, ZIMMERMANN, Katharina. Deservingness and socio-economic cleavages. V: YERKES, Mara A. (ur.), BAL, Michèlle (ur.). Solidarity and social justice in contemporary societies : an interdisciplinary approach to understanding inequalities. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, cop. 2022 FILIPOVIČ HRAST, Maša, RAKAR, Tatjana. Revščina in socialna izključenost : koncepti, socialna politika in pogledi ljudi. V: KORPIČ-HORVAT, Etelka (ur.), et al. Socialna država in revščina. 1. izd. Maribor: Univerza v Mariboru, Univerzitetna založba, 2022. Str. 509-540, tabeli. ISBN 978-961-286-643-3. DOI: 10.18690/um.1.2022.20

Abstract:

In Slovenia housing policy and development has been neglected and underdevelopment of the social housing sector and the predominance of homeownership makes entry into stable, permanent housing more difficult for groups that are more vulnerable. Furthermore, new risks arising during the period of economic crisis, such as high unemployment rates, poverty and increasing eviction rates put additional pressure on existing welfare systems and are source of additional vulnerabilities. These recent developments have fractured the traditional solidarities, and it is vital to understand these and research welfare attitudes and deservingness perceptions regarding the homeless as most vulnerable group of welfare recipients. The aim of this project is twofold. Firstly, to gather data on homelessness in Slovenia at the national level, addressing the lack of data on extent of homeless and the profile of homeless in Slovenia. Secondly, to gather data on public perceptions to better understand the attitudes to this diverse and very vulnerable population groups. We will evaluate the extent and profile of homelessness in Slovenia, as defined by ETHOS light (Feantsa, European typology of homelessness and housing exclusion. We will use existing databases to test their ability to measure extent and profile of homeless, (such as EVAPRO database, database of social programmes, Social data database - BSP), which are not systematically used and analysed for the purpose of measuring homelessness in Slovenia. The relevance of using existing databases is that it would enable sustainable development of measures and development of regular data gathering method. We will supplement this data with primary research – carrying out a survey among the Slovene households that would enable us also to measure hidden forms of homelessness and housing exclusion, as well as attitudes toward homeless as welfare recipients. The latter will be supplemented by qualitative approach (focus groups), following most recent developments in the welfare attitudes research and addressing the gap in this field.

Findings:

Projekt DOM_SOS je raziskoval brezdomstvo in stanovanjsko izključenost v Sloveniji, in temelji na široki definiciji brezdomstva in stanovanjske izključenosti (ETHOS - European Typology of Homelessness and Housing Exclusion). V projektu smo analizirali že obstoječe zbirke podatkov, ki smo jih primerjali in vrednotili z vidika kakovosti, pri čemer se je izkazalo, da le te predstavljajo velik potencial za merjenje obsega in strukture brezdomnih oseb pri nas. Z vidika potenciala sta zlasti pomembni zbirka podatkov iz evalvacij javnih socialnovarstvenih programov, ki jih sofinancira MDDSZ in zbirka podatkov iz informacijskega sistema centrov za socialno delo. Nadalje je bila v okviru projekta izvedena prva nacionalna raziskava brezdomstva. Raziskava je bila eden od modulov, vključenih v Slovensko javno mnenje 2022/1. Po podatkih ankete je v populaciji delež oseb, ki so imeli osebno izkusnjo brezdomstva ali stanovanjske izključenosti 6,5% v celotni populaciji. Nadalje smo preverili tudi, koliko je to izkusnjo imelo v obdobju do 5 let. Če pogledamo vse stanovanjske težave skupaj, je imelo eno izmed stanovanjskih težav (ali deložacijo ali skrito brezdomstvo ali brezdomstvo) v obdobju do 5 let 1% anketirancev. Drugi del projekta se je osredotočal na stališča ljudi ter strategije naslavljanja in pomoči brezdomcem. Pogledi ljudi kažejo na precejšnjo vlogo, ki naj bi jo imela država pri naslavljanju potreb brezdomcev - tako v primeru kratkotrajne kot tudi dolgotrajne nastanitve brezdomcev so anketiranci izpostavili ključno odgovornost države (52% za kratkotrajno in 72% za dolgotrajno namestitev brezdomcev je odgovorna država). Poglede ljudi na brezdomstvo smo nadalje proučili tudi v okviru fokusnih skupin, kjer smo udeležence povprašali o upravičenosti brezdomcev do pomoči države blaginje. Rezultati pokažejo na pomemben zadržek ljudi pri pomoči brezdomcem, ki se veže na vprasanje recipročnosti v ekonomskem kontekstu, saj tovrstna pomoč zahteva veliko truda in sredstev. Velik poudarek v diskusijah je bil tudi na lastni vlogi in aktivnosti brezdomcev, ter hkrati relativno majhen na prepoznavanju strukturnih razlogov za brezdomstvo.

Key words:

anketni podatki, brezdomstvo, slovenija, stališča, statistični podatki, zaslužnost

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