M3
Slide 27
CONTENT
Community Integration in Central and Eastern Europe
In many Central and Eastern European contexts:
Stigma toward homelessness remains high
Peer roles are less institutionalised
NGO funding is often project-based
Municipal coordination may be uneven
Building community integration requires:
Public awareness campaigns
Anti-stigma initiatives
Stronger municipal–NGO collaboration
Policy recognition of peer expertise
Long-term funding frameworks
System building is essential alongside service delivery.
Integrated Health and Social Care perspective
From an Integrated Health and Social Care perspective:
Housing provides stability.
Income provides security.
Legal protection provides protection.
Community provides belonging.
Peer involvement provides voice.
Integration is relational as well as structural.
Without rebuilding social connection and agency, reintegration remains incomplete.
CORE INSIGHT
Sustainable reintegration requires more than technical coordination.
It requires:
Rebuilding social capital
Strengthening community infrastructure
Institutional collaboration
Meaningful peer participation
Structural empowerment
Integration succeeds when individuals move from being passive recipients of services to active participants in community life.