Supporting the implementation of the Five-year plan on ‘Housing First’ and combatting homelessness

Between 2018 and 2022, the Commission helped the French Inter-ministerial Delegation on Housing and Access to Housing to develop change management strategies for the Five-year Plan on “Housing First” and Combatting Homelessness.

The project also developed training plans for the main stakeholders involved in the implementation of the Plan and a communication strategy and tools to support the implementation of the Plan.

Context

The French Government adopted the Five-year Plan on “Housing First” in response to the growing homelessness levels across the country. Housing First is a policy aimed at providing permanent housing, and other social services to the homeless population. In order to embrace the “Housing First” approach, all the stakeholders needed to assess their role and to adapt to the new policy environment.

The French Government requested the Commission’s technical support to:

• Mobilise key stakeholders involved in the implementation of the Housing First Plan;
• Ensure stakeholders’ awareness of the concrete implications the Plan
• Help the stakeholders to successfully implement the Plan.

Support delivered

The technical support included:

• A set of key principles of the Housing First policy in France
• A detailed change management strategy for the “Services Intégrés d'Accueil et d'Orientation”, including an action plan for its implementation and a monitoring and evaluation mechanism
• Design and delivery training programmes for public stakeholders
• A comprehensive communication strategy supporting the implementation of the Plan
• A proposal for a data framework to monitor and evaluate housing policies

Results achieved

The project successfully contributed to change the housing policies management in France.

By proposing a new data framework for the monitoring and evaluation of Housing First, the project contributed to foster a results-oriented culture based on reporting and continuous feedback.