Stories have the power to change perspectives, drive change, and bring communities closer together. In June, Eurhonet’s Social Integration Topic Group headed to the International Social Housing Festival in Dublin, where ‘storytelling’ was the central theme.
In collaboration with the European Federation for Living and Cooperativa Sole, Eurhonet hosted the session ‘Human Stories, Shared Futures: Co-Production and Storytelling in Social Housing’. Through a collection of personal videos and a resident-led panel, we shared the experiences of tenants and staff of public and social housing from different European countries. We aimed for every participant to leave with powerful stories to enact change and to remember that housing is not just about buildings but about people.
“It’s my place. I’m starting my life”
One story came from Touraine Logement (member of DELPHIS) in France. Their project ‘Mon Appart’ provides inclusive housing for young adults with autism who wish to live independently while benefiting from structured support and strong community connections. It is more than just a housing solution. It shows what is possible when we listen to young people and their families about what they need and act upon it.
“I never feel alone… if you want to talk to someone, you can. They always have time to talk to you.”
Another inspiring story came from Sweden. Designed to combat loneliness and promote social integration, Helsingborgshem’s SällBo project brings together older adults, young Swedish people, and former unaccompanied refugee children. Every tenant chosen to be part of the SällBo community is as different as possible from the other tenants. That is what makes it the experience so enriching and rewarding for everybody living there.
“Today, we are making bracelets. Last week, we did sports… sometimes we dance.”
In Italy, Acer Reggio Emilia’s Spazio Ambra project developed as a ground-up initiative from conversations with residents. Initially a ‘social concierge service’, the regular presence of housing employees in the local area enabled strong relationship-building and a bond of trust. From here, many ideas about activities for local children started to flow. Today, it is a lively community hub, shaped by the residents themselves.
“It felt like the system wasn’t built for women like me.”
As well as hosting our session, we had the opportunity to attend many interesting workshops and seminars at the International Social Housing Festival. Mary Rose Walker and Hayley Murphy from Wicklow County Council (Ireland) led a powerful session on housing solutions for survivors of domestic violence (in particular, coercive control). The session centred on women’s testimonials, highlighting how systems can fail them and the importance of questioning and rethinking the structures we already have in place.
Sustainability and innovation
We also explored the future of sustainable housing. At a workshop by Built by Nature, Laura Moolenaar and Mona Menadi explored the principles of responsible timber construction. Participants were encouraged to think about the whole life cycle of a building, maximising the carbon storage potential of wood, and promoting a timber building bioeconomy. The workshop was a great opportunity to gain insights into the different experiences of biobased materials and low-carbon building.
We also heard from projects like SHINE and Prometheus, where environmental sensors are changing how we maintain homes. By shifting to a proactive maintenance model, SHINE aims to address mould issues before their come visible, while indoor air quality data from Prometheus feeds into social strategies and tenant education programmes. A video message from a tenant demonstrated how these innovations have a real impact on living conditions and quality of life.
“Do people trust smart home technology?”
The success of these in-home innovation projects depends on trust. How do social housing tenants engage with smart home technologies for net-zero goals? Dan Bowers and Nyle Davies from the University of South Wales addressed this question. Their research investigated the psychological approach to technology acceptance, examining whether such devices are perceived as accessible, useable, trustworthy, and valuable. It is only by truly understanding these perspectives that we can remove barriers to adoption.
“Many of the city’s key players have joined forces”
Finally, we were proud to see our Swedish member Familjebostäder recognised at the European Responsible Housing Awards 2025. Stockholmhusen – their collaborative project with Stockholmshem and Svenska Bostäde – is an excellent example of what can be achieved when different organisations work together. The aim is to address the housing shortage by building thousands of homes in a reduced time, while respecting both sustainability principles and architectural tradition.
The project was awarded the Award for ‘Management excellence for housing affordability’.
Throughout the International Social Housing Festival, we saw the power of lived experience, listening closely to resident voices, and promoting co-production. We look forward to applying all the insights to our work going forward.
