Community Building: Homelessness

This article discusses the issue of homelessness in Australia, including its causes, categories, and modes of survival. It also presents the government's action plan to reduce homelessness.

Running head: COMMUNITY BUILDING 1
COMMUNITY BUILDING
Name of Student
Institution Affiliation

COMMUNITY BUILDING 2
Community building: Homelessness
Introduction
Homelessness is a situation where individuals do not have a permanent resident in the form a
house or even an apartment. This is mainly because they are not able to obtain and maintain
even, secure and safe as well as proper form of housing. Different countries have different ways
of expressing the idea of homelessness. Several countries also have different statistics on the
population of their citizens who are considered homeless. Australia, for instance, have a major
proportion of the long term homeless individuals located mainly across it major cities in
Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane (Baum & Burnes, 2013). A census carried out in 2016
revealed that there has been a 14% increase in the number of homeless individuals within the
past five years. This represented an increase by more than 14000 people. It is also estimated that
for every given night, there are probable 105000 people who will be homeless and others will
also be spending the night in insecure structures. The statistics are very alarming and prove that
there are a lot that should be done in order to assists these individuals (Rossi, 2013).
Factors Contributing To Homelessness
We carried out a survey in order to determine the major factors that greatly contribute to
homelessness in Australia. A number of factors were listed by the affected individuals that
participated in the survey. We were also able to determine the most supported factor and how
they have an influence on homelessness (Carlen, 2011). The most common factors that were
listed out by the participants were the following;
 Poverty
 Lack of employment

COMMUNITY BUILDING 3
 Drug, alcohol and substance abuse
 Unavailability of affordable housing
 High costs of living
 Poor state of mental and physical health
 Immigrant or refugee status
 Running away from domestic violence and abusive relations
 Neglect from family and friends
 Poor financial management
 Natural disaster
 Personal choice
 Lack of government support
Most of the participants who took part in the survey pointed out that the most commonly
witnessed causes of homelessness is poverty, the unavailability of cheap and affordable housing
as well as lack of government support to reduce the rate of homelessness.
The survey also sought to find out whether the individuals are responsible for their situations.
Form the above listed factors, it is evident that most of the homeless individuals are in that
situation due to unavoidable circumstances and just a few are responsible for their situations
(Fitzpatrick, Kemp, & Klinker, 2010).
Categories of homelessness
There are two major categories of homelessness i.e. sheltered and unsheltered. A sheltered
individual is one who has at least a roof or shelter over his/ her head, albeit on a fairly regular
basis. An individual with completely no shelter or roof on some regular basis. Both the

COMMUNITY BUILDING 4
individuals live in conditions or areas that are not recommended for human habitation. These
individuals therefore come up with modes of survival that may at times also turn out to be
unhealthy and dangerous.
Modes of survival for the homeless individuals.
Despite being unable to afford and live in comfortable and secure structures, the homeless
individuals always strive to maintain a living. All human beings must eat and also struggle to
ensure that they acquire some clothing (Hwang, 2011). Our survey revealed that homeless
individuals always invent different resources and tools in order to safeguard their interests and at
least try and live a good life. Some of the common strategies and practices for survival include;
 Scavenging
 Begging
 Doing minor day jobs
 Donations and charity programs
 Engaging in criminal activities
 Recycling waste items to generate resources
Action plan
The increasing rate of homeless individuals are becoming alarming. The government has been
brought to action in order to try and control and reduce the state homelessness. The government
is therefore responsible for introducing several measures or actions that will help lower the
affordability levels of housing, increase housing policy focus, increase awareness and most
importantly bring the homelessness menace to a near end in future (Robertson, & Greenblatt,

COMMUNITY BUILDING 5
2014). The government of Australia came up with an action plan that will help achieve the above
objectives. It has five key strategies that are as discussed below;
1. Housing
This is meant to ensure that affordable and adequate housing is achieved. This will
involve availing housing system that is up to the standards and needs of the intended end
users. The housing options should be with effective support services.
2. Prevention
This focuses on early intervention and prevention. This will ensure that the individuals at
a risk of becoming homeless receive the necessary support that will see them avert such
chances.
3. A strong and coordinated response
This is about a fully operational system that acts responsively across several
communities. The health support systems should also be properly coordinated so as to
respond effectively (Taskforce, 2015).
4. Data research and targets
Data and evidence based on accountability and operation of health and support systems
should be improved to help achieve the set goals.
5. Building community capacity
Involves seeking solutions from individuals who have experienced homelessness at one
point in their life. The support systems for the vulnerable and disadvantaged will also
broaden their capacity on how to bring homelessness to a stop.
Conclusion

COMMUNITY BUILDING 6
Homelessness is growing menace that should be reduced at all cost. All human beings are
entitled to better living conditions and should therefore not be living in unsafe structures or in
insecure locations. It is each and everyone’s responsibility to ensure that the homeless people in
the society get a meaningful living (Wolch & Dear, 2013). We can all be part of this practice.
The government also plays a role by developing important action plans and strategies that will
help reduce homelessness. The government has also designed new affordable housing strategies
that are aimed at delivering up to 15000 social housing a structure intended to be completed by
2030.

COMMUNITY BUILDING 7
References
Baum, A. S., & Burnes, D. W. (2013). A nation in denial: The truth about homelessness.
Westview Press, 14(27), 19-23.
Carlen, P. (2011). Jigsaw: A political criminology of youth homelessness. Buckingham: Open
University Press, 25(32), 147-156.
Fitzpatrick, S., Kemp, P., & Klinker, S. (2010). Single homelessness: An overview of research in
Britain. Policy Pr, 14(27), 211-219.
Hwang, S. W. (2011). Homelessness and health. Cmaj, 164(2), 229-233.
Robertson, M. J., & Greenblatt, M. (2014). Homelessness. In Homelessness (pp. 339-349).
Springer, Boston, MA, 4(14), 11-23.
Rossi, P. H. (2013). Down and out in America: The origins of homelessness. University of
Chicago Press, 145(271), 319-323.
Taskforce, H. (2015). The road home: a national approach to reducing homelessness. Canberra,
Homelessness Taskforce, Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and
Indigenous Affairs, Commonwealth of Australia, 8(71), 39-45.
Wolch, J. R., & Dear, M. J. (2013). Malign neglect: Homelessness in an American city. Jossey-
Bass, 145(16), 83-98.