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What is the FPS SI ?

The FPS SI or Federal Public Service for Social Integration is a planning service of the federal government established in 2003 and led by the chairman of the management committee, Julien Van Geertsom.
The Federal Public Service for Social Integration aims to guarantee a dignified existence to all persons who do not qualify for social security and who live in poverty.

The Federal Public Service for Social Integration is dedicated to fulfil this mission by taking part in the design, execution and evaluation of the relevant policies. As such, the FPS for Social Integration is closely involved in the creation of rules and regulations. It informs and advises its target public and partners on the measures and actions and manages the financial flows from and to the partners.

The Federal Public Service for Social Integration’s closest partners are the Public Social Welfare Centres (PSWCs). They work to enable the weaker socio-economic group in our society to fully take part in society.
To realise this goal they avail of instruments such as living wages, employment and guidance in the employment path, urgent medical care, the settlement premium for homeless people, the lease guarantee, pocket money for rest home residents, heating allowance, debt settlement and budget guidance, culture and sport cheques, etc.  Other privileged organisations are: Social workshops, council houses, the Social Heating Oil fund, etc.

The Federal Public Service for Social Integration does more than that.
It is also active in the field of preventing and combating poverty. It is responsible for the implementation of the General Report on Poverty and for the set up and follow up of the National Social Inclusion Programme, which is coordinated by the European Committee.

By creating a new profession in view of the battle against poverty and social exclusion, the ‘experience experts on poverty and social exclusion’, the FPS for Social Integration aims to fix the 'missing link' between services of the federal government and persons who find themselves in a situation of poverty and social exclusion.

The methodology of experienced experts is aligned with other initiatives and methodologies that are deployed by the government, organisations and civil society groups for the battle against poverty and social exclusion, so that the concept also gets to be accepted on a European level as an element in the fight against poverty and social exclusion.

It bridges the digital gap for PSWC users by granting an allowance through the expansion of the measures for promotion of social participation and cultural and sportive development. It stimulates use of public computer rooms and develops an internet monitoring tool in order to closely monitor the digital divide.

It promotes and supports all aspects of the social economy, from reuse shops, via neighbourhood and proximity services to companies with a social goal and the Belgian social label. It aims on the one hand to distribute the values of the social economy to an increasing number of structures, initiatives and projects, and on the other hand to promote the introduction of the values of socially responsible entrepreneurship in the economic and business industry.

It implements the Federal Urban Policy. The Federal Government launched this policy in 1999 to support the cities in their approach to the problem neighbourhoods. Fifteen cities and municipalities receive financial aid for the realisation of a programme of urban development with the following objectives: an integrated neighbourhood development, a sustainable local economy, strong social cohesion, a healthy city and better housing supply. Due to the lack of affordable healthy properties, a second support programme aimed at housing was started in 2005 with 17 cities and municipalities.

And finally, through the European Social Fund and the PSWC, the Federal Public Service for Social Integration contributes to the expansion of educational and employment opportunities for the most needy. These are initially young people, heads of families of one-parent families and persons from countries outside the European Union.