General reading
Here you can find some Finnish publications related to Finnish homelessness and long-term homelessness and the history behind the Finnish homelessness reduction programmes.
Pathways through Homelessness in Helsinki
Kostiainen, Eeva
This article was published in European Journal of Homelessness, Volume 9.2, December 2015.
Kostiainen, Eeva (2015) (pdf)
The Finnish Homelessness Strategy : From a ‘Staircase’ Model to a ‘Housing First’ Approach to Tackling Long-Term Homelessness
Fredriksson, Peter & Tainio, Hannele
This paper reviews the Finnish Government’s recently established Programme to Reduce Long-Term Homelessness, which is attempting to halve long-term homelessness over the period 2008 to 2011. It outlines the current homeless situation in Finland and describes the development of the present system of provision. Despite change over time, the emphasis has tended to remain on the ‘staircase’ model of provision for long-term homeless people, common
across Nordic countries, which requires people to demonstrate an ability to move from one level of accommodation to another by addressing lifestyle issues, particularly problematic alcohol use. In contrast, the new programme focuses firmly on the extension of ‘housing first’ principles, already in use for some groups, to homeless people with high levels of support needs. We argue that this emphasis is to be welcomed but that there is a need for a more detailed analysis of the elements required in successful ‘housing first’ solutions.
Fredriksson & Tainio 2009 (pdf) (149.2 KB)
Host Country Report. Long-Term Homelessness Reduction Programme 2008-2011. Ministry of the Environment Finland
Luomanen, Riikka
The report outlines the national long-term homelessness reduction programme and offers for example general evaluation of the implementation of the programme and the major needs for change during the extension period 2012-2015.
Host Country Report FI (pdf) (947.2 KB)
Economical Effects of the Reduction of Homelessness
Ministry of the Environment in Finland
The report, published in 2011, deals mainly with the positive effects of the housing counselling, but the housing first principle in the context of the reduction of long-term homelessness and the intensified supported housing is also present in the publication. According to the report the housing first principle has positive effects on both fighting homelessness and the expenses deriving from homelessness.
Observations from the first year of the Finnish Name on the door project – recommendations for the long-term homelessness reduction programme for years 2012-2015
Granfelt, Riitta & Kettunen, Marko
On request from the PAAVO (Finnish National Programme to Reduce Long-Term Homelessness 2008-2011) steering group this paper presents some of the core observations and conclusions of the development work done in the Name on the door project so far. These findings are ought to work as guiding ideas for the realization of the second national long-term homelessness reduction programme. These proposals are based on the aim of ending the long-term homelessness until 2015.