Disability Federation of Ireland Partners with European Colleagues on NewIN-HABIT Inclusive Housing Project

The Disability Federation of Ireland are working alongside European partners on the IN-HABIT project. DFI is a federation of member organisations working with people with disabilities to implement the UN CRPD and ensure their equal participation in society. MDI aswell as other charities that provide advice and support to people with disabilities are member organsation are a part of DFI. The goal of the IN-HABIT project is to foster inclusive housing solutions by strengthening the capacity of housing professionals, service providers, and local authorities to support people with disabilities. The target groups of this partnership are Housing professionals, Service providers for people with disabilities, Local authority professionals and People with disabilities & their circle of support members.

With this collaboration, DFI and their partners aims to:

• Identifying skills gaps in housing services across key EU countries, actively collecting and consolidating best practices in person-centred support to inform future policy in Ireland and Europe.

• Enhancing the capacity of housing professionals, local authorities, and service providers. Their aim is to help them design and sustain innovative housing models that support the transition of people with disabilities into community living.

• Improving access to inclusive housing services through digital technologies, engaging networks of support to promote inclusive community development.

• Strengthening dialogue among stakeholders to boost workforce preparedness in local authorities and encourage cross-sectoral collaboration.

As part of the project, DFI will help deliver the following:

• A "state of play" report regarding the challenges faced by Irish and European housing professionals and local authorities in making housing stock inclusive.

• The establishment of an interactive digital orientation hub (MyService) to provide access to community resources and essential support services.

• Workshops to equip professionals with tools to deliver inclusive housing training.

• The development of a Massive Open Online Course for self-paced learning.

• DFI will facilitate in-person local piloting workshops in Ireland (one of the five focus countries) for all target groups.

• Developing recommendations to inform local policy roundtables in Ireland, supporting their translation into actionable roadmaps.

DFI are working in a consortium coordinated by the European Association of Service providers for Persons with Disabilities.

Their partners include:

●      Ireland: Disability Federation of Ireland (DFI)

●      Belgium: European Housing Network (EURHONET)

●      France: DELPHIS

●      Italy: Azienda Casa Emilia-Romagna (ACER) di Reggio Emilia

●      Greece: PETAGMA Association

●      Hungary: ÉTA National Association

●      Poland: Union of the Baltic Cities (UBC)

MDI CEO Alan Breathnach has stated “Access to appropriate housing is fundamental to dignity, independence and full participation in society, yet for many people with disabilities this remains out of reach amid Ireland’s wider housing crisis.”

He continued “Muscular Dystrophy Ireland welcomes DFI’s leadership through the IN-HABIT project, which recognises that inclusive housing requires not only accessible design but skilled professionals, person-centred supports and strong cross-sector collaboration.”

The Project is due to take place from 1 December 2025 to 30 November 2028.