projekt UDENFOR is a NGO which combines active social street work with training, research and advocacy in order to tackle homelessness and social marginalisation.

It was established in the spring of 1997 by MD Preben Brandt, inspired by the observation that the official social security system is not always able to reach every marginalised citizen who, for one reason or another, has dropped out of the system.

Our name – in English, project OUTSIDE – refers to the fact that we see ourselves as a project-oriented organisation; the word ‘OUTSIDE’ refers to the fact that we literally work outside, that we work outside the official public system, and that we deal with a marginalised group of people, who are ‘outsiders’ to society in general.

As a NGO, our scope does not include tasks which can be carried out by the general public social services. Our purpose is to offer help and carry out tasks which the public or other social organisations will not or cannot perform.

We are funded by public as well as private contributions, but never in a way that limits our freedom to carry out work in accordance with our own ideology, methods and objectives. As a private, non-profit organisation, we consider it fundamental that there should be no restrictions on our freedom to act and work independently, subject, of course, to any given national legislative framework.

Objectives

Our organisation was established within an altruistic European-humanistic tradition to help people who are, for some reason, not able to take care of themselves. We give assistance based on the individual’s need of the moment, with no strings attached. This means that we do not demand any particular behaviour, nor do we require any specific results from our users. Furthermore, we are always critical of injustices done against individuals or particular groups of people, and we maintain that each individual’s basic human rights should be regarded as sacrosanct.

In this way, we consider it not only our duty to help, but also our responsibility to ensure each individual’s right to a dignified life, as described in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We therefore maintain, on our own behalf as well as on the behalf of society, that every individual we help has the right to a standard of living that ensures his or her good health and well-being, as well as access to food, safety, accommodation and other basic necessities.

Our street work initiatives seek to alleviate conditions and, whenever possible, to improve living conditions for those who are homeless or marginalised. However, we do not seek to treat, normalise, nor re-socialize individuals at any cost. By documenting marginalising factors in society, and communicating our findings, we also seek to create the basis for debate on changes, thereby preventing further marginalisation.

Besides addressing the issues of homelessness and social marginalisation, we consider that we have to work in a way that is socially responsible, respecting people in our surroundings even if they do not belong to our target group. Therefore, it is important for us to have an inclusive recruitment policy, which involves handicapped or disadvantaged individuals when possible. Also, we frequently host national and international students writing a thesis in the fields of homelessness and marginalisation, providing a room, computers and some support. Interns and exchange workers are regularly integrated in our teams and, by doing so, we also try to ensure that they gain valuable experience and academic credits.

Activities and methods

projekt UDENFOR works on a national and cross-European basis. We work directly with homeless and marginalised people in the streets, primarily in the Copenhagen area, through practical street-level work. At the same time we are continuously compiling and disseminating experience and knowledge about this field, in order to improve conditions for homeless and marginalised people both practically and politically.

Our target group consists of individuals who either cannot or do not wish to receive the help they so desperately need and should receive. The street work is always carried out by both professionals and volunteers, and efforts are motivated by an altruistic conviction. This means that we never have a hidden agenda, and that there are never formal or strategic demands involved, except in cases where it would go against common sense not to give assistance with a clear strategic objective. An example of this could be compulsory treatment.

We consider it an essential element of our work to unveil any infringement of legal rights of an individual, or a particular group of people to which we may become witnesses, and to argue their cause on their behalf. For this purpose we have established outreach, training and research activities and we ensure that the necessary communication channels are open to us, locally, nationally and internationally. In this way we are able to take part in socio-political debates.