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The acute need for increased provision of homes which will provide safety and security is to the forefront of the minds of SVP Members. Our member visit and support families in emergency homeless accommodation, hotels, insecure private rented accommodation and direct provision centres.
An end to homelessness, increase investment in social and affordable homes, greater security for people living in the private rented sector and better accommodation standards across tenure type are key goals for SVP. We also campaign for the full implementation of the White Paper on Ending Direct Provision.
Our ambition is to ensure that everyone has access to secure and affordable homes, within sustainable communities so that all can live with dignity and respect. We will work with our partners across the housing sector to support and uplift their work to bring about change to the housing crisis in Ireland.
Every year we spend between €4.5 and €5 million helping children, young people, adults and families to access education. Therefore, a key focus of our work is tackling educational disadvantage and breaking down barriers to participation.
Giving children the best start in life through investment in quality Early Years Education, genuinely free Primary and Secondary Education and accessible Further and Higher Education for adults are key areas we advocating for.
Investing in education from early years right through to adult education is one of the best investments the Government can make. At SVP, we campaign for an adequately funded education system to promote participation and inclusion for all regardless of income.
The struggle to make ends meet on an inadequate income, both in and out of work, is one of the main reasons people request help from SVP. Over-indebtedness and financial exclusion are issues for people on low income that we highlight.
Our policy and advocacy work draws on the detailed analysis of the Vincentian MESL Research Centre. This research details the amount of income needed for different household types to enable them to afford minimum essential needs. For further information see www.budgeting.ie.
We believe everyone should have sufficient income to live with dignity. We campaign for the introduction of a Living Wage and a strong social protection system to prevent poverty and deprivation. We also seek to ensure people on low incomes have access to affordable credit and financial services.
The combination of high energy prices, poor quality housing and the persistence of low incomes significantly impacts on the households SVP assists.
Our advocacy work focuses on supports for people in energy poverty such as the Fuel Allowance and measures focussed on long term, sustainable solutions. For instance improving the energy efficiency of housing across tenure types.
We engage with the energy regulator and suppliers to ensure wraparound supports are in place for customers in financial difficulty and that energy prices are fair.
We believe everyone should be able to live in a warm home. Essential action is needed to transition to a low carbon economy. This must benefit those in energy poverty and be underpinned by principles of social justice.
