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Homelessness
Open your eyes to the reality of being homeless.
Homeless. When you hear this word, what comes to mind? Junkies living in cardboard boxes on the city streets? Cardboard city, lazy bums, drunks, junkies, scroungers, desperate, alone, stupid, mad?
Do you imagine people begging with a McDonalds' paper cup for a little money to get a cup of tea, maybe to feed their drug habit, sleeping on park benches, in doorways of city shops?
This is not the true picture of homelessness. A homeless person is someone who has nowhere to live or who lives in a hostel, institution or a night shelter because they don’t have a home. Different types of homelessness include "visible homelessness" – on the streets, sleeping rough, in shelters; "hidden homelessness" – in temporary and insecure, low quality or overcrowded housing with relatives or friends, bed and breakfasts or squatting. Find out more about homelessness in Ireland here.
There is no single reason for homelessness. Many young people may have left home because of family problems. They may have been suffering from abuse not just verbal, but perhaps physical, emotional or sexual abuse.
They may have decided to rebel against their parents and run away. Maybe they desperately needed to escape. Maybe they have a mental health problem. They may have been thrown out of their homes, maybe they never had a home. They may be living on the streets, with a friend, in a hostel or in temporary accommodation. It might not be immediately obvious that they are homeless.
In most situations the young person might lean on their friends or relatives for support. Staying a few nights here, a few there. But soon they’ve outstayed their welcome and that’s when it starts to go downhill. Before they know it they’re living on the streets, stuck on that tragic roundabout, which is homelessness.
But aren’t there hostels where they could stay? Every night the hostels are overcrowded. It’s done on a first-come-first-serve basis, which leaves a lot of people with nowhere to go. Homeless people have great difficulty getting things we take for granted, such as food, new clothes, laying their head down on a comfortable bed. It is nearly impossible for them to get a job, because they have no permanent address. Homelessness increases the risk of developing a drink or drug problem, and some people are even driven to prostitution in order to survive.
Homeless people are subjected to all kinds of abuse. Most people look down on them and see them as lesser people - different to what they consider 'normal'. Just try putting yourself in their position and see how it feels.
If you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless:
There is support and help available. Contact the Homeless Person's Unit freephone number on 1800 724724 for advice and information on emergency accommodation. You can also contact Focus Ireland’s Advice and Information service on 01-6712555.
If you are considering leaving home, here are a few things you should think about:
- Is leaving home really your ONLY option?
- Is there anywhere that you can get help to sort out the problems that are making you unhappy?
- Running away from your problems does not solve them.
- Are there any other family members e.g. Older brother/sister/aunt/uncle/grandparent that you could turn to for help?
- Have you thought through what you want for your long-term future? Do you want to spend the rest of your life on the streets?
Leaving home is your choice, but make sure you’ve thought it out properly. If you’ve got a problem, talk it through with someone and there’s lots of information at the back of the journal about services which will help you deal with the problem before you have to resort to living on the streets.
Help with housing costs
If you are on social welfare/ income support (the dole), a government training scheme (FAS) or working part time (with a low income) then you might be able to claim for help towards paying your rent.
The amount of a rent supplement or housing benefit depends on how much your income is and how much rent you pay.
You don't automatically qualify for a rent supplement. Young people might be asked why they left their parent's home and you might be refused if your flat is thought to be too expensive or too big. Contact Threshold or your local Welfare Office for more information.
Find more information and support:
Threshold
Web: www.threshold.ie
Email: advice@threshold.ie Tel: 01 635 3623
Threshold gives free and confidential information and advice on housing, primarily private rented housing.
Focus Ireland
Web: www.focusireland.ie Email: info@focusireland.ie
Focus Ireland’s Advice and Information service: 01-6712555. The mission of Focus Ireland is to advance the right of homeless people to live in a place they can call home, through the provision of quality services, research and advocacy.
Daft.ie
Web: www.daft.ie Email: info@daft.ie
Tel: Ireland: 1580 880 880 Northern Ireland: 0906 906 2136 Website for finding rented accommodation and for buying houses.
Thanks to the School Journal
