Zaharaki: Protection for our fellow citizens who are in need – 2024-04-27 01:02:37

Improvement interventions in the “Housing and Work for the Homeless” program are at the forefront of the first draft law of the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family, which is being discussed from today in the Social Affairs Committee of the Parliament.

The draft law has targeted interventions and institutional innovations, said the Minister of Social Cohesion and Family, Sofia Zaharakis, and added that the aim of the new regulations is to improve the level of protection of those in need, children, vulnerable citizens, to improve the social services provided welfare, empowering young people and promoting respect for rights.

“The primary goal is more and better social integration opportunities for those who need it the most,” said Mrs. Zaharaki and, referring in particular to the “Housing and Work for the Homeless” program, she noted that its budget is now increasing by five million of its budget, because there are targets for its expansion. “We evaluated the experience gained so far, with more than 40 municipalities, throughout the country, and after the institutionalization of the initiative, by the previous government, we are now proceeding to expand the category of beneficiaries and include households living in precarious housing conditions. , i.e. beyond homelessness, and the households that already live in a house provided free of charge by bodies of the General Government”, said Mrs. Zaharakis and explained that the bodies that will be able to have pivotal participation are also expanding, with bodies that are active in the field of addiction.

“The goal is for the state to get even closer to groups of people in need of support,” said the Minister of Social Cohesion and Family and pointed out that 700 households will benefit. In this climate, he reminded that after 11 years, a comprehensive housing policy is being implemented with the “My Home” program for new couples, with the “Renovate – Rent” program, the programs for student housing, which in fact with the new PPPs will provide more opportunities to more students throughout Greece but also the expanded housing allowance especially in the case of co-housing students.

“All this did not exist. They exist now, and in case we may have forgotten the past, I must say that, due to objective financial difficulty, from 2010 onwards, it was not possible for 34-year-old people to approach the banks – this is the average borrower – and they go with an average income of 17,000 euros and get a loan with the “My Home” program, which even has strong financing. This is not subordinate”, said Mrs. Zaharaki and referred to the rent subsidy interventions, the connection with the housing allowance, the coverage of household expenses, the psychosocial support interventions, the activation of training, the programs to promote work, the subsidy to businesses for 12 months for the provision of work as well as the subsidy for business creation, the subsidy for vocational training and skills acquisition, employment counseling from DYPA and inclusion in second chance schools.

Also with the aim of strengthening the family, said the Minister of Social Cohesion and Family, it is stipulated that the municipalities will also be able to borrow-finance from the Recovery Fund Program in order to create more places in more stations for infants from 2 months to 2, 5 years old.

Referring to the “National Youth Capital” program, the minister underlined that the goal is to activate groups, “not without criticizing them”. In addition, in collaboration with the General Secretariat of Demographic and Housing Policy, which has responsibility for youth issues, technical assistance has been secured from the European Commission, in order to carry out a study and to have targeted actions for the empowerment of young people, and in matters of rights and issues of their economic empowerment and the issues of professional rehabilitation.

In anticipation of the national action plan for child protection, as noted by the minister, the bill provides for special support for children housed in child protection units.

With the introduced provisions:

– The categories of beneficiaries of the “Housing and Work for the Homeless” program are expanded with the addition of families and individuals living in precarious housing conditions as well as in a house provided free of charge by a General Government body. A new category of beneficiaries is added, the case of families and individuals who live in a house provided free of charge by a General Government body, in order to promote their smooth reintegration into society and the labor market. Furthermore, it is possible to partner organizations active in the field of drug addiction, for the benefit of vulnerable population groups, while a maximum participation limit of certified legal entities of private law is introduced in the capacity of Agency Administrator for the most rational allocation of the program’s resources.

– The bodies that can participate in the financing program are expanded, for the establishment of up to fifty thousand (50,000) new places for infants, in existing or new stations (in addition to the existing bodies, the OTAs of the first degree as well as their legal entities ).

– The payment of financial assistance from the designated Social Welfare Centers of Regions (KKPP) and from the Child Care Center for Boys Papafeio of Thessaloniki is foreseen for the beneficiary minors and adults who live within their structures.

– A program of the Ministry of Social Cohesion and the Family entitled “National Youth Capital” is established, which is implemented on an annual basis and aims, among other things, to encourage the OTAs of the first degree, to proceed with the implementation of actions related to the active citizenship of young people, aged fifteen to twenty-nine (15-29), locally. The program concerns the awarding, on an annual basis, of a municipality, which stands out in the area of ​​adopting policies that promote the participation of young people and their inclusion in decision-making at the local level. The award of the municipality is made after an invitation by which the OTAs of the first degree are invited to submit proposed actions, which they intend to implement within twelve (12) months from the publication of the invitation. After an evaluation which is carried out with objective criteria, the title of “National Youth Capital” is awarded. By joint decision of the Ministers of National Economy and Finance and Social Cohesion and Family, the possibility of subsidizing the municipality with an amount of up to 80,000 euros is also foreseen.

– It is possible to carry out a social investigation, to carry out adoption and fostering and in other social services of a neighboring Regional Unit within the same Region, in the event of justified inability of the competent social service.

– Henceforth under the General Secretariat of Demographic and Housing Policy of the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family: a) the “National Council for Fostering – Adoption (ESANY)”, b) the “National Council for Preschool Education and Education” and c) the “National Development Mechanism , Monitoring and Evaluation of Action Plans for the Rights of the Child”.

– The composition of the National Council against Racism and Intolerance is redefined [αυξάνεται κατά δύο ο αριθμός των μελών του, στα οποία δεν καταβάλλεται ουδεμία αμοιβή ή αποζημίωση].