Streetwork plays an important role in the system of social support for people suffering from problems such as deprived life conditions of children and youth, homelessness, economic and social exclusion or addiction. Within the last few years, the effectiveness and the importance of streetwork as a significant part of the social support system started to be noticed also by the Polish authorities, both on the central and on the local levels. The Act on supporting families and substitute custody of 2011 contained a provision on the possibility to conduct daytime support centres in the form of yard work. Some local governments mention streetwork in their strategies for social policy (e.g. the Family Program for the years 2010-2020 in Warsaw, the Strategy for social policy for the years 2009-2015 in Rybnik). In most cases, the streetwork initiatives are implemented by local governments in cooperation with non-governmental organisations. However, at present there are no standardised regulations and guidelines in the field of organising the cooperation.
The aim of the project was to indicate bad and good solutions in the area of intersectoral cooperation, to prepare recommendations, to strengthen the role of streetwork in the local support systems, to enhance the quality of social services provided in cooperation with local governments and to promote standards of intersectoral cooperation.
Under the project, a monitoring research was conducted in 10 cities in Poland. The research helped to indicate the areas where improvements or changes are needed, and to describe various solutions that improve the quality of cooperation. Based on the monitoring that was conducted, a report was prepared and recommendations were developed on implementing cooperation. The results of the monitoring and the prepared publications were used in advocacy activities. A paper presenting results and recommendations was published. An Internet page of the OSOS network was created where the publication and the final report from the research were posted. 4 regional seminars were organised with participation of the representatives of non-governmental organisations, local governments, and public institutions. A nationwide summary conference was organised. Representatives of 11 town and district halls from 5 cities, 2 voivodeship offices, 20 social assistance institutions from 9 cities, and 19 non-governmental organisations from 10 cities took part in the meetings, the seminars and the conference.