M3 · Social Integration
M3
Slide 23
CONTENT
Role of NGOs in Integration Pathways
Across Europe, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are central actors in homelessness responses.
They frequently operate at the intersection of:

Housing services

Social welfare systems

Health care

Legal aid

Employment support

NGOs often provide:
Outreach services
Case management
Tenancy sustainment support
Benefits activation
Mediation with landlords
Community-building activities
Crisis response
Their flexibility allows them to reach individuals who distrust formal institutions.
In many contexts, NGOs also act as policy advocates and innovation laboratories, piloting integrated approaches that later influence public systems.
However, reliance on NGOs alone may create:

Funding instability

Service fragmentation

Uneven geographic coverage

Project-based short-termism

Sustainable integration requires institutional alignment between NGOs and municipal or national authorities.