Vi har undersökt den verksamhet Stadsmissionen i Malmö utför för de hemlösa i staden. De centrala frågeställningarna vi har utgått ifrån har varit hur Stadsmissionen i Malmö ser på sin roll i samhället och hur det offentliga ser på Stadsmissionen i Malmös roll i samhället. Stadsmissionen i Malmö är knuten till det offentliga genom entreprenader. Det offentliga ser Stadsmissionen i Malmö i huvudsak som en entreprenör åt dem och att deras verksamhet inte är oersättlig. Det offentliga ser dock att Stadsmissionen i Malmö har egenskaper som gör att de kan erbjuda sina besökare det lilla extra och att de därför har en jätteviktig roll för de hemlösa i staden. Stadsmissionen i Malmö menar också att de inte är oersättliga, men att det kan vara svårt för andra aktörer att skapa den goda stämning och den helhetssyn som man har på Stadsmissionen i Malmö.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate how professionals working within the Swedish Church and the City Mission in a municipality in southern Sweden describe their work with individuals in financial crisis, as well as whether and, if so, how they perceive themselves as complementing or replacing the responsibilities of the municipal welfare agency. During the ongoing inflation, prices for essentials such as food, rent, and electricity have increased, placing additional strain on the welfare state and the efforts of social workers to meet the needs of individuals in economic hardship. There is a lack of consensus in the research regarding the role that the Swedish Church and the City Mission should play in social work and the extent to which they provide aid. In times of inflation, the question becomes particularly relevant as civil society actors become more relevant when societal resources are insufficient. To address our research questions, we conducted a qualitative interview study involving eight participants from the Swedish Church and the City Mission. We employed neo-institutional theory to interpret our empirical data. Our study revealed that the Swedish Church and the City Mission in a municipality in southern Sweden emphasize their multifaceted function and flexible approach, enabling them to address various forms of needs among individuals experiencing financial crisis. They described themselves as being able to complement certain aspects of the municipal welfare agency's responsibilities, but their resources were too limited to fully replace these functions. Our study demonstrated that they could provide limited amounts of food, financial resources, and create a sense of community and belonging inside their organization.