Social Integration

Examining how housing providers can promote and foster social integration. Sharing best practice to better support tenants in vulnerable situations, including young people, migrants, refugees, and people experiencing poverty. Finding effective methods for tenant involvement and measuring social value.

To build resilient societies, everybody must have equal access to quality housing that provides the right conditions for participation in the community. People must feel safe, respected, and invested in their neighbourhoods. If people are excluded from resources, rights, services, and opportunities, they are forced into a situation of disadvantage. Public and social housing providers have important opportunities to promote social integration and inclusion.

Different people face different barriers. Economic crises and unemployment often disproportionately impact young people. Migrants and refugees may face challenges due to language barriers, meaning they are unable to access basic services such as healthcare and education. Other people may feel excluded from democratic processes or that their contribution to society is not valued.

Promote and foster social integration

Social and public housing providers play a unique role in supporting tenants’ participation in the community. By working closely with those most at risk, they can help to address the vulnerabilities exacerbated by social exclusion. Developing safe and accessible housing is the foundation: it is then about creating a sense of belonging and pride in the community.

Everybody must have equal access to quality housing that provides the right conditions for participation in the community.

What do we need?

By pooling our resources and knowledge, public and social housing providers can promote social integration and be the drivers of inclusivity in our communities. It is all about acceptance: people of different backgrounds getting along together and creating an understanding of each other, our ways of living, being, and thinking.

Through successful social integration initiatives, we can:

Promote a sense of belonging and purpose;
Improve health and well-being;
Help people to set goals and develop their skills;
Increase social networks and encourage acceptance of difference;
Ensure that everybody receives the social support they need to thrive.

What is Eurhonet working on?

The Social Integration Topic Group shares and develops best practice for promoting and fostering social integration. Key issues addressed by the Topic Group include:

Developing and promoting neighbourhood approaches and methodologies to prevent segregation, promote integration, and create safe environments;
Boosting local economies by promoting employment and education, with a focus on our tenants;
Mapping existing good practice materials and resources for helping migrants and refugees to access services and participate in the community;
Involving tenants in decision-making processes in their neighbourhoods.

Upcoming activities

Understanding social value Workshop

This year, we had numerous productive meetings on social projects, including in Lyon, Hofheim, and online. Topic Group participants are encouraged to join our upcoming workshop on Understanding Social Value on 20 November.

Stay up to date here

Topic Group activities are only open to our members, who can sign up through the Members Only Zone. If you are not yet a member, find out more about joining us.

Topic Group Leader

Dragana Curovic

Helsingborgshem, Sweden

Social Integration Topic Group Leader