The Salvaging of Identities among Homeless Men: Reflections for Social Work

Abstract

This research reveals the social and individual processes that dominate the experiences of homeless men through an exploration of their struggle to achieve ontological worth. Drawing on eight in-depth interviews with homeless men who are experiencing homelessness, this research demonstrates this struggle is because of the situated nature of identities that homeless men continually reconstruct and renegotiate. It proposes that relations to this set of identities are relevant to homeless men, in particular the construction and reconstruction of their identities within homelessness. The central findings of this research reveal that homeless men actively manage their identities to cope with the instability inherent to the experience. The implications of this for social work practice are explored, focusing on the importance of self-conception and the restoration of positive identities.     

Remembering,Apologies, and Truth: Challenges for Social Work Today

Abstract

In 2003, over 41?000 families with accompanying children throughout Australia were assisted by homeless services. Sole fathers with children in their care who are homeless are a minority group within this overall population of homeless families and, as such, little is known about their experiences of homelessness and fathering. The present paper reports on an exploratory study of sole fathers with children in their care who were homeless in the Australian Capital Territory. The study identifies the fathers’ pathways into and experiences of homelessness, and the fathers share their stories of what it means to be a sole father. The paper identifies the issues fathers may experience when dealing with homelessness and fatherhood. An increased understanding of these experiences can contribute to the development of further research and improved practice with such families.     

Homeless identities: enacted and ascribed

Homelessness has been a perennial concern for sociologists. It is a confronting phenomenon that can challenge western notions of home, a discrete family unit and the ascetics and order of public space. To be without a home and to reside in public places illustrates both an intriguing way of living and some fundamental inadequacies in the functioning of society. Much homelessness research has had the consequence of isolating the 'homeless person' as distinct category or indeed type of individual. They are ascribed with homeless identities. The homeless identity is not simply presented as one dimensional and defining, but this imposed and ill-fitting identity is rarely informed by a close and long-term engagement with the individuals it is supposed to say something about. Drawing on a recent Australian ethnographic study with people literally without shelter, this article aims to contribute to understandings of people who are homeless by outlining some nuanced and diverse aspects of their identities. It argues that people can and do express agency in the way they enact elements of the self, and the experience of homelessness is simultaneously important and unimportant to understand this. Further, the article suggests that what is presumably known about the homeless identity is influenced by day-to-day lives that are on public display.     

Talking with the Experts: A Social Justice Approach to Homelessness in Regina

Abstract

Homelessness is a difficult phenomenon to measure. At risk populations can view intrusion from government officials with scepticism and resistance. Also the fluid nature of a homeless population (as individuals move in and out of ‘homelessness,’ and/or homeless situations) makes it difficult to generate accurate understandings of homelessness and the circumstances associate to becoming homeless. In this study researchers engage in a series of consultations/conversations with Regina based respondents over the realities of homelessness. The consultations are heard from various degrees of ‘otherness,’ are representative of members of community, and span a diverse background of ethnicities, situations and ages. Promoting a social justice approach to homelessness the authors advocate that homelessness in Regina must be understood within, definable material and cultural specificities, inaction and inefficiencies on the part of state and community agencies, and neo-liberal management technologies which thwart meaningful redress. Within the highly racialized and classed realities of Regina life amelioration represents a serious policy response, one moving beyond existing mechanisms of remedy. Reformulation then must first examine the phenomenon of homelessness as dimensionally a community challenge petitioning a community response. The project examines avenues of action in focusing and implementing this response.     

The New Sisters of the Road: Homeless Women and Their Children

ABSTRACT

This article examines the growing social problem of homeless women and their children. It provides a historical perspective, reasons for the increased incidence of family homelessness, the negative effects of homelessness on women and children, and programmatic responses. It also makes recommendations for effective program services and policy reforms. It urges family social workers to adopt a policy advocacy orientation. The article concludes that there is a need for further research to separate causes from effects when studying homeless women and children, and that researchers need to attend to the significance of gender for the social problem of family homelessness.     

Attitude Shifts: A Qualitative Analysis of Students' Awareness and Reaction to the Homeless

Abstract

Perceptions toward homelessness among 23 undergraduates were explored through individual, semi-structured interviews. Several higher-education institutions have incorporated non-traditional learning components to promote altruism and empathy among students toward the poor and homeless. We focused on one Midwestern university's experiential approach that had a “poverty-immersion” experience within a selected course. We explored how the poverty-immersion weekend altered undergraduates' perceptions of the poor and persons in homeless milieu. Students evidenced marked alterations in their understandings of the homeless: dispelling assumptions to consider individuals in light of personal and circumstantial situations that led to their states of homelessness, and the holistic nature of their needs. Students were challenged to reconsider the attitudes towards the homeless as expressed by those in the middle-class socioeconomic status.     

Can we prevent deaths of homeless persons? Police led public health approach to prevent homeless deaths

Abstract

Research on homeless populations demonstrates that homelessness in itself is an independent risk factor for death. However, there is a dearth of detailed data on homeless decedents and the situations surrounding their deaths. This lack of knowledge, a desire to understand how and why homeless individuals were dying, and a sentinel event death led the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Homelessness and Panhandling Unit to partner with a local researcher and begin conducting homeless death reviews. The approach is modeled after the evidence-based, public health approach of the Fetal and Infant Mortality Review process (FIMR). The FIMR model is a systematic approach to understanding system gaps and obtaining insights into the factors that resulted in homelessness and ultimately death. This article reports on the process to develop this unique multi-agency, police-led review of homeless deaths in Indianapolis, Indiana and resulting recommendations for action to decrease these deaths.     

The benefits of information communication technology use by the homeless: a narrative synthesis review

Recent studies have suggested that technologies are becoming an increasingly ubiquitous element in the lives of individuals experiencing homelessness. With both Canadian and US researchers reporting staggering levels of homelessness on both sides of the border, an understanding and synthesis of the current literature exploring how technologies are being utilized by homeless individuals and how it may impact their well-being is of relevance to policy makers and social service organizations. The study explored and synthesized literature to examine the ways in which individuals experiencing homelessness utilize information and communication technologies (ICTs), and how the use of ICTs influences the health and social outcomes of individuals experiencing homelessness. The study examined 16 peer reviewed articles using a narrative synthesis systematic review, following three elements of the narrative synthesis approach: preliminary synthesis of findings; exploration of relationships between studies; and assessment of the robustness of the synthesis. In relation to what ICTs are used for by homeless individuals, three major themes emerged: social connectedness, identity management, and instrumental purposes. Furthermore, there was some tentative evidence about a positive relationship between ICT use among individuals experiencing homelessness and health outcomes. The paper discussed limitations, future areas of research, as well as some policy directions.     

Transportation and homelessness: a systematic review

ABSTRACT

Transportation disadvantage can negatively impact access to employment and educational opportunities, healthcare, and social services. Cost of transportation, in particular, has been found to prevent individuals’ upward mobility out of homelessness. Given the vulnerability of persons of color and those living below the poverty line and the negative implications of transportation disadvantage, the author undertook the current study to assess the extent to which scholars are analyzing transportation and its impact on adults experiencing homelessness. An exhaustive search yielded 3102 potentially relevant studies. Thirteen of these studies met the inclusion criteria for further analyses. A priori inclusion criteria included studies: (1) published between 1997 and December 2017 in refereed academic journals; (2) published in English; (3) sampling a population of adults who self-identify as currently or formerly homeless; (4) conducted using empirical quantitative or mixed methods (excluding purely qualitative, theoretical and policy analyses), and; (5) which analyzed transportation as a primary variable of interest. Findings of this research demonstrate that transportation is a critical, although under-researched, variable in the lives of individuals experiencing homelessness. Homelessness service providers, therefore, should work to shift the conversation from transportation as a privilege to transportation equity for all.     

Anatomy of a Mean City: Including People Experiencing Homelessness in the Discussion

Abstract

In January 2006, a survey released by the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty named Lawrence, Kansas the second “meanest city” to people who experience homelessness in the United States. The survey focuses on the increase in ordinances that make behaviors such as panhandling and sleeping on sidewalks illegal. A critical perspective missing from the 2006 study were the views of those experiencing homelessness. Therefore, this study was developed with the intention of providing a voice to individuals in the homeless community and to encourage other advocacy efforts to include those absent voices. Findings indicate that Lawrence may not be “mean” in terms of ordinance enforcement but suggest that homeless individuals encounter negative attitudes from the community at large and face barriers to employment and participation in community life. Implications for social welfare practice, policy and research are discussed.     

Identity in transition: how formerly homeless individuals negotiate identity as they move into housing

It is unclear what happens when stigmatized individuals undergo status transitions into non-stigmatized groups. This paper explores changes in housing status, identity, and social relationships over time and their impact on formerly homeless individuals. Drawing on longitudinal qualitative interview data collected over six months from seven individuals transitioning out of homelessness and into government supported housing, this paper examines identity changes during such a status shift. Analysis shows that individuals distanced themselves from both homeless and formerly homeless people, and connected with others through groups not affiliated with homelessness or shelter life. When exiting a stigmatized status, like homelessness, social distancing may be particularly important as it helps redefine the self as apart from that previously held stigmatized status. Implications for research and policy are discussed.     

The role of local businesses in addressing multidimensional needs of homeless populations

ABSTRACT

Contrary to the perception that the business community can be hostile and exclusive toward individuals experiencing homelessness, local businesses can and do serve homeless populations at multiple levels. This article proposes a theoretical framework that links the versatile roles that local businesses can play in addressing various dimensions of human needs. This theoretical framework is illustrated through two models in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, which focus on the role of business improvement districts (BIDs) and a social enterprise intervention (SEI), respectively. These models demonstrate that the business community can meet not only physical needs but also the emotional and self-actualization goals of homeless individuals. This article suggests that social work education and field education curricula can benefit from engaging the business sector in addressing complex social issues, such as homelessness.     

Identity Management Strategies Among Lesbians of African Ancestry

ABSTRACT

The authors present the results from a study investigating identity management strategies among African-ancestral lesbians within their families of origin. The researchers collected qualitative data from 16 African-ancestral lesbians, which were analyzed using the CQR method. From these responses we examined themes relating to the coming-out experiences, familial support patterns, and the integration and management of lesbian identities within African-ancestral families. We found that participants typically reported positive feelings and attitudes about themselves and their lesbian identities. Although levels of distress experienced during the coming-out process were mixed, our participants consistently endorsed the importance of relationships with family members as a means of more effectively managing their lesbian identities.     

Jewish Gay Men's Accounts of Negotiating Cultural,Religious, and Sexual Identity

Abstract

Research on the construction of lesbian and gay identity has represented this process as carrying considerable potential for in-trapsychic and interpersonal stress and conflict. This process may be rendered even more psychologically challenging for those whose identities feature salient components that are not easily reconciled with a lesbian or gay identity. An example of this is the simultaneous holding of Jewish and gay identities. This paper reports findings from a qualitative study of 21 Jewish gay men in Britain. Participants were interviewed about the development of their gay identity, the relationship between their gay identity and their Jewish identity, the psychological and social implications of holding these identities, and strategies for managing any difficulties associated with this. Data were subjected to interpretative phenomenological analysis. All but one of the men reported experiences of identity conflict, arising mainly from the perceived incompatibility of Jewish and gay identities. This was said to have impacted negatively upon their psychological well-being. Those who had received negative reactions to the disclosure of sexual identity within Jewish contexts often attributed this to an anti-gay stance within Judaism and a concern with ensuring the continuation of the Jewish people. Various strategies were said to have been used to manage identity threat, including compartmentalizing Jewish and gay identity and revising the content or salience of Jewish identity. Recommendations are offered for psychological interventions which could help Jewish gay men manage identity conflict.     

Violence Against Homeless Women: Safety and Social Policy

Abstract

Over the past 20 years there has been increasing understanding of the gendered nature of homelessness in Australia. Most significantly, this gendering has occurred through the acknowledgement of the links between domestic violence and homelessness and this has played out in Australian social policy through the funding of specialist domestic violence services. However, not all women are assisted by these specialist services—either because they are not homeless due to domestic violence, or because they fall through the gaps in the service system. Homelessness exposes these women to heightened vulnerability to violence. This article considers homeless women's experiences of violence and their implications for homelessness policy. Framed by Australian and Victorian social policy and drawing on a qualitative study of 29 women, all of whom had experienced violence during homelessness, the article argues that greater policy attention needs to be paid to ensuring homeless women's safety.     

Chronic Homelessness Among Working-Age Adults: Personal Problems and Public Assistance

As rapid changes have occurred in the economic and cultural structures of society, some have found themselves more disadvantaged than others. The mismatch between income and the cost of housing means that some of the poor will inevitably become homeless. Given the economics of the situation, prevention of homelessness is a non-issue; more germane is the question of chronic homelessness. This paper takes the position that determining who is most likely to be chronically homeless is related to the cultural ideology of individualism and, more specifically, that the situations likely to create the greatest vulnerability are problems for which individuals are seen as personally responsible. The distress brought about by societal-level changes is manifested in the “personal” problems of individuals. The social welfare system, acting as a substitute for failed social institutions, recreates their failures by relying on a cultural ethos that blames individuals for occupying positions to which the society has relegated them.     

Homelessness in the 21st Century: The Implications of Spirituality for Muslim Populations

Abstract

Relative to recent immigration trends, Muslim populations in America have emerged as significant among the homeless. Yet the social work manner of attending to homeless Muslim populations has not acknowledged the significance of spirituality proportionate to Muslims in need. Subsequently, homeless shelters must acknowledge the significance of Islamic spirituality vis-à-vis homeless Muslim populations to enable the delivery of services. That consideration should remain constant and viable as a modus operandi for homeless shelters which address homelessness in the 21st century.     

Voices of Homeless Parents

Abstract

Homeless families with children comprise approximately 40% of homeless people and the fastest-growing group among the homeless. However, the pain and suffering faced by homeless parents, especially single mothers, as providers for and protectors of their children has yet to be documented and understood. In this paper, we illustrate the frustrations, guilt, confusion, and hope of 50 homeless parents staying at three homeless shelters in two large northeastern cities. We hope that a clear understanding of these parents' subjective experiences of homelessness will contribute to the evaluation and improvement of the effectiveness of social work interventions for homeless families.     

Strength‐Based Narrative Résumé Counseling: Constructing Positive Career Identities From Difficult Employment Histories

The résumé is a fixture within employment counseling, often viewed as a necessary product for securing employment. Résumés can also be a powerful vehicle for facilitating the development of positive career identities. The complex interplay of negative societal narratives with personal narratives can make the development of a positive identity, and the execution of an employment search, difficult for clients who have work histories complicated by personal and economic challenges (e.g., homelessness, intimate partner violence, histories of incarceration). The authors present résumé counseling as an opportunity for clients to develop stories of strength, reveal stories of difficulty, solidify a positive career identity, and rewrite positive future narratives. This article describes the strength‐based narrative approach to résumé and employment counseling, illustrates its application with a hypothetical case, and offers practice recommendations.