Homeless Focus Group

The Homeless Focus Group is a themed sub-group of the Dublin City Community Forum, which, in turn, is the Community & Voluntary pillar of the Dublin City Development Board.

Since its formation in 2002 the Homeless Focus Group has come together annually to identify the current priority issue/s affecting those accessing homeless related services in the City.

The Homeless Focus Group of the Dublin City Community Forum offers itself as a conduit for the voices and opinions of individuals & families who are experiencing homelessness in Dublin city.

The main objectives:

• To facilitate the voice and real experience of homelessness.
• To bring the voice of the homeless into places where homeless related decisions are made.
• To act as a watchdog and give clear feedback to the Homeless Service.
• To facilitate discussion on new solutions to the problems associated with homelessness.
• To lobby for more accommodation with supports to help people get off the street

Activities:

Housing First Conference

The Homeless Focus Group of the Dublin Community Forum held a conference around homelessness in Dublin City, entitled, Housing First, which took place on Friday, 6th February 2009 in The Mansion House. Renowned Dutch psychiatrist and homeless campaigner, Rokus Loopik, made a presentation via web conferencing. For further information on the conference, download the report below:

Housing First Conference Report pdf | 82kb

Speak Out - Speak Easy! Consultation 2008

The Homeless Focus Group of the Dublin Community Forum hosted a public consultation around homelessness in Dublin City, entitled, Speak Out - Speak Easy!, which took place on Sunday, 7th December 2008 in the Atrium in the Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8. Download further information on the consultation below:

Article on Speak Out - Speak Easy! consultation pdf | 19kb

Stressed Streets DVD

Our third and most recent film (Feb 2008) – Stressed Streets – explores with those currently experiencing Homelessness the need for a Mobile Medical Team on the streets of Dublin. This film was launched at the 2008 Spring Conference of the Irish College of Psychiatry in April 2008.

In all our work the Homeless Focus Group endeavours to minimize the distance between the service user and the service provider. We aim to show that Citizens who are experiencing Homelessness are well capable of identifying and articulating their needs and that they have a right to be part of the decision-making process when homeless related services and being planned and designed.

Other issues the Focus Group has focused on included the need for a Complaints Procedure and Dignity Charter, improving channels of Communication with Dublin City Council, seeking representation for Homeless Citizens on various Committees and Boards, challenging the use of the Holistic Assessment Form, seeking better use of existing resources such as the DCC Night Bus services and the development of a user-friendly guide to Homeless related services in Dublin City.

The Homeless Focus Group are seeking your support with this campaign and are asking citizens to sign their petition supporting the initial piloting of this project.“

You can sign the petition by clicking on the following link 
» www.petitiononline.com/Homeless/petition  «

If you would like a copy of Stressed Streets, you can contact Brendan Dowling (Chairperson) at the Dublin Community Forum, contact details below.

Think-In on Homelessness

In October 2003, we held a Think-in on Homelessness in the Royal College of Surgeons primarily using dialogue techniques pioneered by Edward de Bono. During this Think-in we brought together a wide variety of professionals, interested individuals and Homeless individuals for a day of interaction and exploration,

During the Think-In we explored the experiences of those working with the Homeless Community in Holland and the concept of a Mobile Medical Team which they already operated in some parts of Holland.

Tree Planting Ceremony

A Tree Planting Ceremony with the Lord Mayor, Cllr Royston Brady in St Stephen's Green to commemorate all of those homeless people who have lived, and died, on the streets of Dublin.

Speak Up - Speak Easy

The Homeless Focus Group has held a series of consultations with Citizen’s experiencing homelessness under the banner of Speak Up - Speak Easy.  The initial challenge on who we might carry out such a consultation led to our first film – In the Shadow of Others – being filmed and shown to an audience of 140 homeless citizens in the Atrium of the Civic Offices in 2003.

This film was later shown in then IFC as the stimulus for a following debate amongst those using the Homeless related services, those providing the front line services and those planning and funding the services.

Barred - In the Shadows of a City
Our Second Film – Barred – In the Shadows of a City - followed shortly afterwards and focused on the need for an appeals process for those who are barred from Hostels and B&Bs supported by State or City funds.

Contact Information:

Homeless Focus Group
c/o Forum Co-ordinator
Dublin Community Forum
Block 4, Floor 1
Civic Offices
Wood Quay
Dublin 8

Tel: 01 222 3259
Email: community.forum@dublincity.ie