Prague, July 30 (CTK) – The city of Prague does not have enough day centres for homeless people and a new centre is to be built on a ship because no city district is willing to accept it on its territory, Tomas Jan, head of Prague’s centre for social services (CSSP), has told CTK.
“The new day centre will be created on a ship simply because people do not want it anywhere else,” Jan said.
The ship is to be anchored on the Vltava River next to the shelter for the homeless on the Hermes ship under the Stefanik Bridge, he said.
At present, there are six day centres for the homeless in the city, which are operated by NGOs. These centres provide meals, clothing and consulting services for people without home. The largest centre ran by the Nadeje organisation is close to the main train station.
Jan said this centre is overcrowded and homeless people must travel to a centre every day, often across the whole city.
He said the best solution would be to open a small day centre in each of the city’s districts. Such small centres would not attract attention, yet district offices reject it, he added.
The CSSP plans to open about four serving hatches and a new day centre in Prague-Michle after the reconstruction of its facility.
Jan said CSSP field workers contact homeless people in the street and they offer them advice, food, clothes and medical treatment in the street. The field workers invite the homeless to the shelters and if they are interest the CSSP tries to find a job for them and provide temporary accommodation for them.
Jan said dozens of homeless people received a job and got a flat to live in in the city in this way.
There are about 4500 homeless people in Prague, however, a large part of them at least partly live in shelters or hostels.
Jan said roughly 1500 people spend their nights in the street.
During cold winters, the city opens special hostels and heated tents for homeless people.
