The drafting of the Portuguese homeless strategy: an insight into the process from a governance-oriented perspective
This paper focuses on the processes underpinning the drafting of the Portuguese homeless strategy’s drafting: identification of probable key-drivers, the emergence of the initiative, the main actors involved and their respective roles, the actual dynamics of the collaborative process and the challenges faced. It provides other countries with an opportunity to reflect on and analyse their national processes of framing and implementing new policy instruments.
Description
This paper briefly presents relevant trends in designing and
implementing policies that address specific population groups and
social problems, both in the Portuguese context and in relation to
other Southern European countries. It highlights the concomitant
influence of the EU in an evolving understanding of homelessness:
EU agreements were impacting the strategy directly from the
beginning.
The paper then explores in detail the nature and stages of the
collaborative process involved in drafting the national homeless
strategy, specifically focusing on the range and identity of
stakeholders, the stages of their involvement and their various
responsibilities in the process, the mechanisms behind the
formation of the group, the working dynamics of the drafting
process, the communication strategies adopted, the decision-making
processes and the challenges arising from issues of
representativeness, recognition and power, both inside and outside
the core group of stakeholders.
The strategy is organised around two main axes:
- to gain more evidence-based knowledge on homelessness;
- to promote quality in the provision of homeless services.
Throughout the strategy, the need to involve public as well as
private actors is one of the guiding principles of the strategy.
The multidimensional nature of homelessness goes beyond the
boundaries of public responsibility and demands the engagement of
various levels and areas of policy and service delivery, which a
broad governance network can ensure.
With regard to longer-term capacity building, the strategy adopted
was based on recognition of the importance of access to a pool of
information and knowledge on issues directly relevant to addressing
homelessness challenges. Thus, participants were encouraged to
share information on the development of relevant initiatives and
documentation. This sharing and mutual engagement fuelled the
content-related interest of a diverse network of stakeholders
around homelessness,providing opportunities for upgrading and
updating knowledge.
Conclusion
The evolution of the partnership approach adopted in the
framework of the development of the national strategy, the evolving
nature of individual and shared responsibilities, the flexible
management of the working dynamics, the activating and nurturing
nature of the group’s coordination, the adaptable levels of
institutional involvement and the consultative methodology adopted
were crucial elements in the group’s operational performance.
Publication Date
December 2009