Breaking the mould.

The steroetypical view of the homeless person as the dirty bearded man drinking cask wine in the park, has been perpetuated to such an extent that the general population has no idea of the eclectic and diverse nature of the homeless population. Most people would have no idea, for instance, of the numbers of women and children seeking assistance from homelessness services. In fact the perception that we are all alcoholics and drug addicts with serious mental health issues has become entrenched in the collective phsychie of the general population. It is also a staple belief amongst many homelessness service providers. It seems we are not allowed to be articulate or intelligent and God forbid if we are because the chances of us getting assistance from service providers becomes nearly impossible. I have presented at services well dressed, clean shaven and with a positive attitude but because i haven't fit into the preconceived mould I have struggled to convince people that I am indeed in crisis. How can this be? Should I pretend to be someone I'm not in order to get the assistance I require? The answer of course is no. It all comes down to a question of power. The us and them attitude of service provision is culturally entrenched and they fear those of us who are able to successfully advocate on our own behalf. I have been austracised in crisis accomadation and overlooked for long term stable housing because of my penchant for challenging the status quo and bringing staff to client power mongering to the surface. The most common thing that homeless people want is to be treated with dignity and respect and if someone who has a reasonable level of intellegence can be held in such disregard were does that leave those who can't adaquetly voice there needs or opinions.
The way forward is clear. A strong, independant, articulate consumer voice that can bring all the issues to the table is absolutely neccessary in order to break down steroetypes and address the disgraceful power imbalances that exist within homeless services and the community at large.

Welcome to the forums, Phantom. :)

Do people really care what we have to say? By 'we', do you mean homeless people, the members of this forum, or people in general? And are you asking people whether they care, or whether they believe some other group of people care? It's impossible to vote on someone's poll unless we know what we're voting for.

You're right, homeless people do need a voice. You have one right here, and you're using it; and you've been heard, because here is your first reply. Promoting this forum is one excellent way of breaking through those stereotypes and letting people know what it's like to be homeless. You might be surprised if you knew who will read your post, and take it into account in various kinds of decision making. That's not just something nice to say - it's a fact. Not all the people who read these forums and learn from them are members. Many people who are not seen on the forums read them, and they pay attention. The things you say here are likely to be taken to a board meeting somewhere, and put forward as a guide to decision-making.

So here you have your chance to be heard - use it well. :cool:

If the "we" are homeless people:
The general public and thus the public opinion (the one displayed in the press and most of the times trough politics) does not want to know about homelessness. It is much easier to accept stereotypes of this group of people. And there are no means to break this ignorance since homeless people have no means of pressure. They are not consumers, or in a very minor degree. Many of them don't want to be consumer. Hence they have no voice in a capitalist society.
Of course there are many people who try to address the growing problem, but in the end the next Joe in the street doesn't give a fuck.
Homeless people are the first to know what it is to be ignored or see the irritation when they break the stereotype.

I only have the POV of my own country, Belgium, which considers itself to be a social paradise. In such a degree that there is a massive disbelief here about homelessness.
I've just begun to work on the supposed frontline against homelessness and poverty in general (and will continue for the rest of August) as an administrative aid but even I can see that the people who should understand the situation most, as they are the ones to solve it, have no idea or perception of the size of homelessness. They question its very existance.
Yes, they often help. But respect? In no way. Even simple understanding seems a luxury.

Welcome to the forums BoxBoy

Regards,
Konstantìn

Welcome to the forums, BoxBoy. :)

I'm looking forward to hearing more about homelessness in Belgium. We don't hear very much from that part of the world - possibly for the reasons you've mentioned.

Well, TNX for the two welcomes. I'll do my best to inform as much as I can with my limited experience (which is very alien anyways) and knowledge. For the time being I'm mainly just reading.

Welcome to both Boxboy and The Phantom.:)

Phantom, There are people who care what "we" say. That is if the "we" is homeless people or members here on the forum. Unfortunately there are just not enough people who care and who are aware of the issues facing homeless people. This forum is one way of "educating" Joe Public about homelessness. I can assure you what our members post amongst these threads gets read by a very diverse range of people including those who are making decisions regarding homeless issues. So here is a place you can use your voice and provide some ideas of how things could be improved in your patch of the world. Of course you get the bonus of an opportunity to get know some wonderful people and make some great friendships here with our members.:D