The IB supports the Millennium Development Goals as well as the Post-2015-Agenda and campaigns against extreme poverty worldwide. Extreme poverty manifests itself in its most extreme form as hunger or a lack of access to drinking water. The IB continues with its campaign “Active against poverty – IB for dignity and participation for people who are affected by or at risk of poverty”. In Europe more and more people live in poverty. In the worst cases this leads to homelessness. Biographical breaks or strokes of fate can turn critical phases in life into almost unmanageable crises in which an autonomous determination of one’s life path and living environment becomes impossible. Inappropriate handling of debt can also lead to extreme poverty and the loss of one’s home in certain circumstances.
In line with our statutes, fighting against this extreme kind of poverty as well as providing immediate support to the affected is a significant part of our work. In accordance with our mission statement it is our goal to support people to develop freely, to live a self-determined life, to be integrated into society, to take personal responsibility and to actively participate in the development of society. Every human has the right to humane housing where privacy and security are guaranteed. The IB has defined its own guidelines based on this basic human right to humane housing.
Our support of the homeless ranges from consulting services and points of contact about assisted living to residential homes. It focuses on individuals as well as women or couples with children. Counselling, support and care are provided by qualified professionals in all facilities. Acknowledging and respecting the human being is the guiding principle of the IB. Homeless people are to be supported in living a self-determined life. The IB supports the homeless with ambulant living aid, clearing, assisted living for individuals and groups, counselling about bed space, residential homes with long-term-care, residential homes for women and couples, women’s shelters, support for apartment gathering and maintenance, advice on debt/ rent arrears, counselling and therapy on addictions and residential homes for refugees and asylum seekers amongst other offers. The support of homeless people is also a part of the product portfolio of the IB in its work against poverty, for dignity and participation. The dividing lines in Europe show a significant widening of the social gap. Every social and socio-political power is required to counteract this.
The IB understands debtor advice as an instrument for reducing poverty. It begins with crises intervention, assesses the amount of debt, provides counselling in almost all life circumstances and aims at a conclusive settlement. The IB offers debtor advice to indebted young people, single adults and families through independent advice centres or in the scope of social counselling in institutions of vocational training, support for the homeless or educational support.
In some renowned support centres, debtor advice is linked with advice on insolvency. The staff employed complete a basic qualification provided by the IB and attend in-service workshops. The IB offers crises interventions, training on dealing with money, counselling boards and advice on insolvency as informed support in case of debt.
