How many homeless in Lisbon? – TVI24

Twelve hundred volunteers will participate in the homeless count in Lisbon on 14 May, today said source Santa Casa da Misericordia de Lisboa (SCML), which promotes this mapping for the second time in year and a half.

In the first count, held on December 12, 2013 and involved about 800 volunteers have been flagged 509 homeless on the streets of the entire city of Lisbon and 343 that that night slept in Reception Centres.

The recount, which will have the collaboration of parish councils and associations that work with the homeless population, will take place between 21:00 and 24:00, following the same methodology used in 2013 but with over 400 volunteers pass throughout the 7000 streets of the capital.

“It will be almost equal [to first count]. The only change is that we will welcome more volunteers. When we first count opened the possibility of volunteers sign up and we had to accept some not, because we had no teams coordinating condition to do so. At this point we assume that we could follow up the 1200 volunteers that will enable us [to have] more eyes on the reality, “he told Lusa the administrator of the Social Action SCML, Rita Valadas.

The official says the recount was scheduled for later this year in order to evaluate the evolving situation of the homeless in Lisbon, but was brought forward due to weather, since this month is more ” mild “and non-peak winter and summer times when this population is more volatile and fickle.

“Like the first edition, the geographic reference base is the parish. This initiative has been presented to the partner institutions within the core working with the homeless, and parish councils, “said Rita Valadas.

The entities” have involved all institutions working in planning shaft with the homeless and different interests of parish councils, because some have very present phenomenon and some not so, “he said.

The recount is to evaluate the number, type and possible changes in the homeless population in the capital this year and a half.

The administrator of the Social Action SCML pointed out that since December 2013 until now, the representatives of the Holy House “were not idly” and that measures have been implemented on the ground, to improve the conditions the homeless of the capital’s population.

“We organized structure, define the actuation axes with the homeless population, and responsible for an institution axis. We have a headquarters in Cais do Sodre, from where all the work with this population, “he said, adding that the recount also aims to” measure the extent to which there is recognition of this and [if] people [to] feel more protected and more nearby institutions, and find solutions. ”

The International Medical Assistance, in turn, answered 1,511 homeless last year, of which 515 for the first time reveals the AMI’s annual report released on Wednesday, pointing a decrease of 10% in the number of cases supported face to 2013.

Since 1999, the year the AMI began to make this count, have been supported 10,405 people in a homeless situation, which is an average of 650 new cases per year, says the Activity Report and Accounts 2014 AMI.

In 2014, AMI decreased by 6% in the number of new cases treated (546 in 2013 and 515 in 2014) of people who fall into homelessness typology defined by the European Federation of Organizations Working with the Homeless Population.

This definition includes situations of people who are in emergency shelters or temporary living in rented rooms, in tents or in overcrowded houses.

Of the new cases attended, 134 were women (26%), representing an increase of 116% compared to 1999, when he would be 62, the data relate AMI.

In total, 1,511 homeless attended the social infrastructure last year (11% of the total population served), less 10% compared to 2013.

The AMI explains that “this reduction may be related to the improvement of institutional coordination with the creation of Planning and Intervention Centers with the Homeless in the context of the national strategy for homeless people has been put into operation in the context of social networks. “

Most of these people (76%) are men, aged 40 and 59 years (52%), followed by 30 to 39 years (18%).

Most of these people (27%) live on the streets, staircases, lobbies, buildings, abandoned cars, containers and stations, 19% overnight in rooms and pensions, 17% live temporarily with relatives or friends, 11 % live in emergency centers or intended for victims of domestic violence, 9% in inadequate housing and 12% other unspecified locations.

The naturalness of the homeless population who sought social support in equipment still mainly Portuguese (78%), followed by natural PALOP (13%), other countries (7%) and EU countries (2%).

Their qualifications are low, since most have the 1st or 2nd cycle of schooling (50%).

Often the 3rd cycle, are 17%, 8% have upper secondary education and 2% of higher education.

The data also reported that 4% has no education and 61% do not have training.

The vast majority of the homeless population (72%) is alone (single, divorced or widowed) and 13% are married or living in a de facto union.

The women’s group a higher percentage of married or in union (24%) than the group of men (9%).

But the group of men a higher percentage of single, divorced and widowed (76%) than women (57%).

The women resort more frequently to the support of family and friends (58%) than men (39%). On the other hand, begging is greater use in men (16%) than women (7%).

According to the report, most of the homeless population who enlisted the help of AMI refers find yourself in this situation for more than 4 years (22%) or between 1 and 2 years (11%) .