Dozens of homeless people have also been offering cleaning for more than a year. This was done as part of a project to support their employment, which also aimed for a cleaner public space. The Prague 10 district used a subsidy from the budget of the Capital City of Prague for the project and it was implemented by its joint-stock company PRAGUE 10 – Property.

From the end of June 2020 to the end of August 2021, a total of 41 project workers were employed for cleaning activities. They suitably complemented the activities of the regular employees of PRAHA 10 – Majetková. ,, It started with our project Cleanliness, which is Regular cleaning of selected areas of the Dozen, where there are often problems with clutter. These are places, for example, at the Skalka and Strašnická metro stations, which the city district usually has no obligation to clean because they are not owned by it, but they still want to ensure a clean space, “ describes Jaroslav Vlk, General Director of Prague 10 – Majetková, as, and continues: ,, Subsequently, we added other places, especially Malešický park, parking lot at the Bohemians stadium and the community center building at U Vršovického nádraží 30/30. The project staff performed various activities, from cleaning the street and park, through the care of greenery, to security services in car parks and receptions. They were coordinated by a person who was in a similar situation a few years ago, so their situation and need are well known. ”

“The cleanliness of the public space and the social area are among the main priorities of all cities and municipalities. We managed to connect them with the project, and fulfill them at the same time. The key for me is also the fact that it was not just a time-limited activity, but that it brought us a lot of valuable knowledge that we can use in the future. And also new employees, because Majetková decided to employ four people after the end of the project, “ highlights Deputy Mayor Jana Komrsková (Pirates), who is responsible for the environment in the management of the city district.

The project itself also had a monthly preparatory phase, during which, among other things, consultations with the Center for Social Services in Prague and the setting up of cooperation between social workers and social curators of the city district took place. At the same time, they all passed on information about the job offer to homeless people, as did field workers from the Hope and the Salvation Army or coordinators from the municipal humanitarian accommodation project.

“A relatively wide range of people have signed up for the program. Some were also university-educated, able to work independently. For various reasons, however, they found themselves in a hostel or staying with friends. However, there were also those who had to sleep on the streets or in squotes. We catered to many of them and provided them with accommodation, “ says Michal Kočí (Pirates), councilor for social affairs.

Each employee receives feedback on their work, meetings with the project manager took place at regular intervals, with selected employees on an individual basis. The ongoing provision of debt counseling, health prevention counseling and housing counseling was not left out either.