Articles for the Topic "Homelessness"

The Invention of Homelessness

2010-09-20T08:00:44

As of late 2009, the English language contained 1 million words, and new words are being added every day. With such abundance in the language, we tend to forget how powerful words can be, and that the names we give to ideas can shape our world view. Consider a word that we take for granted, but that has far-reaching implications. The word is “homelessness.” A search of the New York Times historical database covering 1851 to 2005 reveals that it was used in 4,755 articles, but 4,148 of them (87 per cent) were published in the 20 years between 1985 and 2005. Before the 1980s, it is rare to find “homelessness” used to designate a social problem. What happened in that decade that made the difference? In 1981, the United Nations announced that 1987 would be the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless. The United Nations wanted to focus on the fact that so many people in less developed countries were unhoused. There was no mention of developed countries like Canada in that 1981 UN resolution. Moreover, the 1981 UN General Assembly resolution did not use the word “homelessness” because the term as the name of a social problem was not in common use at the time. The 1981 UN resolution was intended to draw attention to the fact that many millions of households in developing countries had no housing. They were unhoused, homeless. They needed adequate housing. But by 1987, the focus of the International Year had shifted to include homeless people in the developed nations of the world, including Canada. In that year, several academic and professional conferences focused on the growing number of unhoused people in Canada, not those in developing countries. Before the 1980s, people in developed countries did not know what it was like to be unhoused. They had housing, even if that housing was in poor condition. Some transient single men in cities were referred to at times as “homeless.” But the term had a different meaning then.

From Street to Stability: a Compilation of Findings on the Paths to Homelessness & Its Prevention

2009-02-17T01:57:41

The final report of Rising The Roof's "1999-2001 National Strategy on Homelessness Prevention". his report was developed with information and insights gained from the project's research, focusgroups and stakeholder consultations. Particular attention was paid to the factors that create a situation of homelessness and recommended measures -- whether policy or practice, general or specific to sectors such as housing, child welfare, legal/criminal justice, employment, financial, education and health -- that may assist in its prevention and reduction.

Homelessness and Health in Canada: Research Lessons and Priorities

2009-02-17T01:57:41

This article was for prepared for an international think-tank on reducing health disparities and promoting equity for vulnerable populations. Its purposes are to provide an overview of homelessness research and to stimulate discussion on strategic directions for research. We identified studies on homelessness, with an emphasis on Canadian research. Studies were grouped by focus and design under the following topics: the scope of homelessness, the health status of homeless persons, interventions to reduce homelessness and improve health, and strategic directions for future research. Key issues include the definition of homelessness, the scope of homelessness, its heterogeneity, and competing explanations of homelessness. Homeless people suffer from higher levels of disease and the causal pathways linking homelessness and poor health are complex. Efforts to reduce homelessness and improve health have included biomedical, educational, environmental, and policy strategies. Significant research gaps and opportunities exist in these areas. Strategic research will require stakeholder and community engagement, and more rigorous methods. Priorities include achievement of consensus on measuring homelessness, health status of the homeless, development of research infrastructure, and ensuring that future initiatives can be evaluated for effectiveness. [abstract]

Narratives of Identity: Re-Presentation of Self in People Who Are Homeless.

2009-02-17T01:57:41

It is important for the complexities of homelessness to be considered when constructing policy or practice relating to people who are without safe and stable accommodation. These complexities can be loosely categorised around the definitions, causes and experiences of homelessness. While definitions and causes are topics of current debates, study of the lived-experiences of homelessness remains an area that is largely under-researched. This paper explores some of the implications for social work and social workers when the individual's understanding and experience of her/his identity as a 'homeless person' and consequent relationships with service providers are not factored into policy and practice. This article draws on the findings of a study of homeless adults in inner city Adelaide to illustrate the author's arguments. It outlines the importance of listening to service users' perspectives in order to assess whether dominant constructions of social work, homelessness and ‘homeless people’ are meeting the needs of and improving outcomes for individual clients. More broadly, it is hoped that making these perspectives visible will assist in the development of ‘client-focused’ practice and policy. (excerpt from the source)

“A Story I Never Heard Before”: Aboriginal Young Women, Homelessness, and Restoring Connections

2010-11-09T12:57:15

The study focused on the assets homeless youth used to survive while homeless and to transition out of homelessness. This focus on assets was innovative; there is little longitudinal research on homeless youth and even less that is both longitudinal and qualitative in nature.

Homelessness Myths

2012-10-24T09:54:38

Christine Schanes wrote a series of articles regarding the myths surrounding homelessness originally posted on the Huffington Post. Below you will find links to her articles which address some of the judgments that people make and the stigma associated with homelessness. Myths are just widely held thoughts or beliefs that are not generally true and addressing these helps to clear up misconceptions.