Minister of Labour inaugurates Municipality’s Centre for the Support and Reintegration of the Homeless

The first Centre to provide specialised support services to people facing temporary housing problems was set up at the Municipality’s initiative and inaugurated this afternoon by the Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance, Zeta Emilianidou.

During her speech at the premises of the Centre, Ms Emilianidou congratulated the Limassol Municipality and its Municipal Council “for having taken this initiative and for having developed an action plan to accommodate the needs of people in search of housing”.

This measure, she proceeded to add, has proved that the offer of the Local Authorities in Cyprus has turned into an organised social contribution system that plays a great role when it comes to addressing social issues at a local level and achieving a higher standard of living for all citizens.
 
The Centre, she said, will meet the need to provide support services as well as social support to people who found themselves homeless and find it hard to get back on their feet.  

Finally, she assured that both herself and the departments of the Ministry of Labour will support and stand by the Centre’s work, “ensuring that this global and coordinated effort will deliver the desired results”.

For his part, the Mayor of Limassol, Nicos Nicolaides, expressed his satisfaction about the Council of Ministers’ decision to set up two homeless shelters in Limassol, also mentioning that the Centre deals with the homelessness issue not just as a housing or overnight stay problem, but as a complex issue and as a result of from many factors.
 
Clarifying the fact that the centre will not be providing overnight accommodation, Mr Nicolaides said that it mainly aims at helping people re-enter the labour market, find a home, develop their skills, strengthen family ties etc.