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Many of the homeless people I've chatted to have been totally fucked over by the social services; names of family have been blanked out on their files and deaths etc covered up because the social services people don't think it's beneficial to them to tell them the true details of what's going on. Victims of this abuse of responsibility then gain a distrust of social provision and would rather avoid it as much as possible.
And organisations like Shelter and Crisis are fantastic in what they aim for but even they have to stick to social policy in what they do, so they're restricted in what ways they can provide help. Plus, mainly due to people who are ignorant and bigoted and/or scared, they don't have enough volunteers and staff to run many shelters and hostels etc.
Most mental health provision etc will only be provided to people who have been clean from drugs and alcohol for 6 months; that's enough of a struggle for addicts who have a support system, let alone those on the streets, stressed and uncomfortable and surrounded by drugs and other addicts. And if you ARE menally unhealthy it's normally family and friends who notice problems and check you in; the homeless rarely have that available.
The drunk tramp who looks like santa that sits outside blockbusters in Banbury, and will reach out and try to grab your legs
A scruffy, smelly man who tried to get money from me at York station (scared me a bit)
Reading Jaqueline Wilson's 'Bed and Breakfast Star' when I was younger
Seeing lots of people huddled in doorways in York last night.
Hearing that the reason the bus stop seats are uncomfortable and steeply sloped in Banbury is so that homeless people don't sleep on them. I don't know if that's true or not though.
Honestly, I don't give change. Usually I don't have any change. Thing is I don't know HOW to help people, giving to charities is great and all, but it drives me crazy when I see problems that could be solved/helped by the right people, but I can't figure out a way to sort things out. You think: build more homeless shelters. Ok, so a few more people will be able to sleep inside in the warm, but then what? It's a short term solution. Where do you go from there? You can't house them in a hostel forever, but what can you do to get them a home and a job? Also, where is the money for staffing, maintenence etc going to come from? It just... I just can't see a solution. And that's where my mind starts to ache.
(not meaning to continue this tangent)
What do you mean "the right people" Why can't you be the right person? Giving change might not do much in the long run but it can mean the difference between a cup of coffee at night and not.
*awaits flames*
Yes the Government doesn't give much help to these people.
So while everyone isn't expected to jump out of their chairs and rush to the local charity to volunteer to help these people, giving a quid here and there will suffice to some degree.
ever heard of rightous anger?
i think thats where blag is coming from ast the moment.
i feel his anger and despair when hearing that so many people ...especialy young people ...are so ignorant of what is REALY happening in the world.
but ...all power to you lucifer devil for sticking it out.
blagsta can be quite intimidating.
i'm convinced of his sincerity though ...on all the issues he fights and rants about ...
I understand that the pull your socks up and you could have a house, a job and three grand in savings by the end of the week attitude is annoying because the real world is not like that unless you have mummy and daddy paying your way when your still fourty. However, I can't feel guilty that I am in a good situation and others are not every time I see a homeless person or people dying on tv because I would just shrivel up.
The its not my problem attitude may offend people but if I made every injustice in the world my problem then I wouldn't have much else and my head would explode.
so just 'cause i think some of them could do something about it, this makes me a spoilt snob? my mummy and daddy do certainly not pay my way, i get by with my student loan and i have a job. that's how i manage.
Apathy and the 'it's not my problem' attitude are exactly the problem. No, you don't have to jump up and fight every problem in the world, but if only people would recognise their abilities to make a positive difference in the world and start acting on that even in little ways - letter writing for Amnesty, for example - then the differences that could make are unfathomable. People sit in their lounges and look at images of genocide, tut to themselves, have a whinge about Tony Blair, and then go and put the kettle on. THAT is what allows so much injustice to perpetuate itself, and what drives me up the proverbial wall.....
i am chilled!
sorry thought you were responding to mine.
As for those who think homeless people are 'lazy'... Well think about it, why would somebody be so lazy as to get themselves thrown out on the streets? Who would want to live on the streets?
We don't know what these people have experienced, they could have lost their wife and kids in a housefire, they could have had a nervous breakdown, they could have never had somebody hold them in their arms and say "I love you" in their life.
I don't mean to jump on you at all... But how many services do you know of to help homeless people and where do they need to go?
I have no idea, apart from the Shelter shop in my home town and I'm a literate young woman with access to the internet. If we don't know where to get help, how the hell will they?
I wasn't refering to you.
Get over yourself. I never said any of that. People like you are why I'm rude. You're being a twat.
And a few about Lucifer. Did you really forget that quickly?
fair point, i only really know of shelter and i think crisis is another one. i don't even know where there is a homeless shelter in my area. i know there are helplines like the samaritans and childline but i know from watching bluepeter that with childline, for every call that is taken, it stops another coming through and they just provide advice don't they.
I buy the big issue, and after reading Blagsters thingy, I'm gonna part take in helping the homeless from now on. Even if it is just giving them a couple of quid.
oh fuck ...that means i'll have to buy the beer all night if i ever meet him ...oh well ...some good came out of the grumpy old twat at last.
Yup, people aren't sure wha their rights are, or where to get help.
I don't know why... I guess the government don't give a toss.