Volker
Busch-Geertsema
Validated Lead Expert
Generic Skills
B.1. Understanding of integrated and sustainable urban development:
I have studied Social Sciences in Bremen, Germany, was promoted 2006 to Dr. rer. pol. with a dissertation on “Homelessness in Germany and Examples of Good Practice in Tackling Homelessness in Other Countries of the EU” and have been conferred the title of Honorary Professor by Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh in 2015. The link between sustainable urban development and tackling homelessness has been a constant theme of my professional career. I have participated in Federal German Programmes on Experimental Urban and City Planning, have cooperated in many projects with ministries of housing and social affairs and am particularly interested in promoting the concept of inclusive cities.
B.2. Understanding of exchange and learning processes at transnational level:
I have experience of working in transnational networks since 1995, coordinated and participated in several European research and exchange projects (the most recent one collecting information on evictions in all 28 European Member States), and have worked as independent expert for several European Peer Reviews. I have been the coordinator of the European Observatory on Homelessness (EOH) since 2009. We organise a European Research Conference on Homelessness every year, publish two annual issues of the European Journal of Homelessness and a contribution to the research series “EOH Comparative Studies on Homelessness”.
B.3. Proficiency in English:
As member of the EOH since 1995 and coordinator since 2009, frequent speaker at international conferences, chair of many workshops and frequent EOH meetings and member of a large number of scientific and exchange networks I am used to speak English fluently for many years.
Expertise for the design and delivery of transnational exchange and learning activities:
Summary Expertise for the design and delivery of transnational exchange and learning activities:
As Coordinator of the European Observatory on Homelessness and of a number of European research and exchange networks related to housing, homelessness and social inclusion I have a long standing experience of promoting and delivering transnational exchange and learning experiences. I was commissioned several times as an independent expert to promote mutual learning in European Peer Reviews organised by the EU Commission and the HABITACT network of European municipalities.
Through coordinating the publication of the European Journal of Homelessness and annual European research conferences I also have a long standing experience in promoting debates on sepcific themes, promoting mutual learning in working groups and chairing groups with a large variety of stakeholders with different cultural and professional backgrounds. I have worked several time with municipal representatives on different themes, but mostly focusing on urban affairs and social inclusion.
Thematic expertise:
Theme / Policy:
Active Inclusion of Target Groups
Summary Thematic expertise:
I am the coordinator of the European Observatory on Homelessness and published a large number of bookas and articles on related themes. I have more than 25 years of experience in researching different aspects of homelessness, have worked for more than 20 years now in European networks focussing on homelessness and social inclusion including a new initiative which is widening international contacts with researchers in the US, in Canada, Australia and the developping world. and I have also deep knowledge about the links of inclusive policies with urban development, Very recently I have worked as independent expert for a peer review on an innovative local project promoting an Inclusive City and am involved in a current project on evictions in all EU member states.
I was co-author of "Homelessness and Homeless Policies in Europe: Lessons from Research (2011) " http://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=6442&langId=en and co-editor as well as contributor of "Homelessness Research in Europe", see http://www.feantsaresearch.org/IMG/pdf/full.pdf and have produced several Peer Review discusssion papers on National Homelessness Strategies and Local Strategies to Create an Iclusive City.
Expertise support to local authorities and other stakeholders in designing & delivering integrated and participatory policies
E.1. Knowledge on participatory methods and tools for co-production and implementation of local polices :
As an example see my work as an independent expert for the HABITACT Peer Review on the strategy of the City of Odense (Denmark) for creating an inclusive city, see http://www.habitact.eu/files/activity/peerreview/_discussionpaper_odense2015.pdf ). The Peer Review ran over 2 days and involved 40 participannts including a large number of particpants from EU Cities.
E.2. Knowledge on integrated approach for the design, delivering, monitoring and evaluation of urban strategies/policies:
see E1
E.3. Awareness of the main policy and funding schemes for sustainable urban development at EU and national level:
I am actively involved in a number of European networks like the European Network of Housing Research, FEANTSA, the Nordic Network of Homelessness Research etc.. I am recipient of a number of Newsletters and steadily informed about funding schemes through FEANTSA, the ENHR and a large network of colleagues in the field.
E.4. Ability to understand specific local situations and adapt tools and content to different local realities:
I have worked as consultant for a number of different cities, like the city of Duisburg, the city of Brno (Czech Republic) and the city of Bremen, have worked with European City networks like Eurohome and Habitact and city representatives, like in the Housing First Europe project.
Summary Expertise:
I have worked as consultant for a number of different cities, like the city of Duisburg, the city of Brno (Czech Republic) and the city of Bremen, have worked with European City networks like Eurohome and Habitact and city representatives, like in the Housing First Europe project.
Informations
Residence location:
Germany
Languages:
German - Mother tongue
Foreign Languages level:
Foreign languages:
Foreign Languages level:
Foreign languages:
Email:
volker@busch-geertsema.eu