On 4 December, we participated in the Open Transfer Housing event in Göttingen – an exciting gathering that brought together affected individuals, dedicated practitioners, creative minds, and decision-makers from civil society, administration, and emergency housing assistance.
We were particularly impressed by the workshops on alternative and community-oriented housing concepts for homeless and insecurely housed people. These ideas resonated deeply with Barka’s long-standing work in Poland, where communities play a central role in stabilising and supporting individuals in precarious situations. Additionally, discussions about the Housing First approach and the presentation of measures from the National Action Plan to End Homelessness by 2030 offered many valuable insights for our work in Berlin.
A special thanks goes to Prof. Timo Weishaupt for his keynote address, “Homelessness in a Wealthy Country – Why the Welfare State Is Reaching Its Limits.” His talk provided crucial food for thought on legal barriers, service gaps, and transitional issues, which we explored further in subsequent discussions.
We return to Berlin inspired, and equipped with new perspectives and concrete ideas. A big thank you to the Bürgermut Foundation for organising this event. It was fantastic to engage in intense conversations with affected individuals and colleagues from across Germany, working together to find new ways to tackle housing emergencies – and now it’s time to put these ideas into action
