There are definitely homeless people who are very, very difficult to help, resist efforts to help them and in a way are homeless as a lifetsyle choice.
I agree with this. But also at least some portion of the people within this group are there because the only other “choice” offered to them is: “Full-time employment in order to pay a landlord for a place to sleep.”
While there definitely are some homeless people whom are very difficult to help for various reasons, I think at least one of the reasons that some are so resistant to help is because there is an assumption about what “help” looks like that goes completely unquestioned.
there is an assumption about what “help” looks like that goes completely unquestioned.
100%. A lot of the hostels have a very strict ‘no drugs’ policy which, while I understand why, is simply no help to any homeless people with a substance abuse issue… which iirc, and speaking from my own experience interacting with homeless people (I was living on the streets myself at 15 and 17 so try to sit and chat when I can) accounts for a large percentage.
Another one that really boils my piss is Emmaus. They make a big song and dance about how they’re helping people get off the streets, but you can’t claim benefits while ‘working’ for Emmaus. So they get free labour, and the people they’re ‘housing’ are then stuck at Emmaus because they have no income and no benefits. At least, that’s what I found when I dug into it a few years back.
I agree with this. But also at least some portion of the people within this group are there because the only other “choice” offered to them is: “Full-time employment in order to pay a landlord for a place to sleep.”
While there definitely are some homeless people whom are very difficult to help for various reasons, I think at least one of the reasons that some are so resistant to help is because there is an assumption about what “help” looks like that goes completely unquestioned.
100%. A lot of the hostels have a very strict ‘no drugs’ policy which, while I understand why, is simply no help to any homeless people with a substance abuse issue… which iirc, and speaking from my own experience interacting with homeless people (I was living on the streets myself at 15 and 17 so try to sit and chat when I can) accounts for a large percentage.
Another one that really boils my piss is Emmaus. They make a big song and dance about how they’re helping people get off the streets, but you can’t claim benefits while ‘working’ for Emmaus. So they get free labour, and the people they’re ‘housing’ are then stuck at Emmaus because they have no income and no benefits. At least, that’s what I found when I dug into it a few years back.