Tackling Poverty / Solidarity
Our values
The Emmaus movement aims to tackle poverty through direct action and by fighting the causes of poverty with awareness raising initiatives, advocacy work and solidarity.
Solidarity Ragpickers and Builders
From the very start of our movement Emmaus’ initiatives focused on two main areas: welcoming the homeless and launching income-generating activities to help these people find dignity and live off the fruit of their labours (mainly through activities involving reuse and recycling).
The Emmaus groups offer solidarity using the profits from their activities, helping others to avoid falling into poverty. The groups regularly support other associations by donating equipment or by making a financial contribution. Some of our volunteer-led groups (mainly in northern Europe) focus almost entirely on international solidarity initiatives.
© Emmaus Preston
Welcome and reinsertion
The most commonly-known and most widespread, in Europe at least, of the different types of Emmaus groups is the Emmaus community. This model allows people who have been excluded from society to take back control of their lives by living and working together as a group. The communities also offer solidarity to those who are suffering the most.
A multi-facetted welcome
But the Emmaus groups have created many different ways of providing welcome to those who need it: temporary shelter, more permanent housing, get-back-to-work schemes, etc.
What these different initiatives have in common is that the person being welcomed will always have an active role and that the group will always adapt the activities to the needs of the person in question.
Political Campaigning and Working as part of a Network
In order to better tackle the causes of poverty Emmaus Europe has joined the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN).
Alongside such partners we can speak out at the European Union, ensuring that the voice of people living in poverty situations is heard by such institutions. The goal of these efforts is to influence policy-making in order to reduce the level of poverty in Europe.
Housing first
Emmaus defends a policy of long-term housing for people in street situations. On this matter the Abbé Pierre Foundation, named after the founder of Emmaus, leads very active advocacy work in France and also provides funding for projects led by the Emmaus groups, notably in Europe. On the European level the foundation works alongside FEANTSA (the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless).
Solidarity Action on the European Level
Emmaus Europe coordinates the solidarity initiatives led on the European level by sending the groups an annual call for projects for any initiatives which may require support. Other interested European groups who can afford to do so then provide a financial contribution to these projects.
The Pooling of Resources
Emmaus Europe also serves as an intermediary between groups which collect a lot of material (furniture, objects, clothing, etc.) and those who only collect little, helping to redistribute our resources so that all of our groups can develop their activities.
Our various stances
European Union
European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan
The action plan sets out three headline targets – on the topics of employment, skills and social protection – to be achieved by 2030, with the main objective being the fight against poverty and social exclusion.
Tackling Poverty / Solidarity
France
Emmaus Ruffec, solidarity mobility
Since 2009 Emmaus Ruffec has been leading an initiative to tackle a widespread issue, that of mobility. This group is based in a very rural area classified by the French government as a ‘rural area to be revitalised’ and where the unemployed and poor people suffer from mobility issues.
Tackling Poverty / Solidarity
European Union
“COVID-19 Supercharging Poverty” | EAPN Poverty Watch 2020
The European Anti-Poverty Network, of which Emmaus Europe is a member, just launched their EU Poverty Watch 2020. The Poverty Watches start from the reality of people experiencing poverty and the perspectives of NGOs who work with them.
Tackling Poverty / Solidarity
France
Emmaus Alternatives: Solidarity Lockers for the Homeless
The group worked alongside the authorities in Montreuil and Portuguese association ACA to install 12 lockers in October 2018 before adding another 12 in November 2020.
Tackling Poverty / Solidarity
France
Emmaus Connect: Fighting against Digital Exclusion
The idea came from an Emmaus group in Paris due to the situation of people in street situations, of people who are poorly housed and/or of people without bank accounts who have to spend huge sums on prepaid cards to be able to get on the Internet.
Tackling Poverty / Solidarity
European Union
For better protection of minimum income for all European citizens
Together with the partners of the European Anti-Poverty Network, we call for an EU framework to strengthen the safety net for all!
Tackling Poverty / Solidarity
What will the Emmaus Summer Camps be like in 2020?
Despite the pandemic the Emmaus groups in Europe are adapting in order to organise their summer camp events for as many people as possible.
Tackling Poverty / Solidarity
European Union
Call on the European Council for the protection of the most vulnerable against Covid-19
Emmaus Europe and the other members of EAPN (European Anti-Poverty Network) call on European leaders to put a clear emphasis on protecting the most vulnerable from Covid-19 in a letter to the European Council of March 26 2020.