Homelessness in UK: Reflections on Experiences and Actions

Homeless in UK

3 stage reflection models: The process of reflection is frequently shown using a simple three-
stage model. Reflection, theory, and action become intertwined in this way. If the experience is
to be learned from, it must be combined with prior information, attitudes, and emotions/feelings,
resulting in a new experience.
REFLECTION 1
Description: Guardian Egyptian is a slab-serif font developed by Paul Barnes and Christian
Schwartz for the UK newspaper The Guardian between 2004 and 2005 and available by their
firm Commercial Type. The Guardian is a British news organisation that publishes a daily
newspaper in the United Kingdom. The Manchester Guardian was founded in 1821, but the name
was changed in 1959.The Guardian is part of the Guardian Media Group, which is owned by the
Scott Trust, along with sister journals The Observer and The Guardian Weekly.
Analyse the experience: I worked with Westminster city council for over seven years, trying to
"decrease rough sleeping," a mission that proved to be far more difficult than I had imagined.
With wide-eyed enthusiasm and probably a little naivety, I stated in my first personal
development plan that I planned to alleviate the problem of homeless people by 2017. At the end
of November 2019, the most recent yearly street census revealed 333 parking spaces. The
council required me to be several things at once as the main commissioner, a self-appointed
position and a rod for my own back. In a town like Westminster, there are many prominent
voices, some friendlier than others. Because a large number of MPs live in the area, they would
frequently have a harsh word or two for the council about individuals sleeping on the street.
They collaborate on occasion. In the field of homelessness services, there is a widely held belief
that if we can categorise, compartmentalise, and identify individuals, we can help them. As a
result, a skewed incentive system has developed. One chunk of money would be set aside in my
position for persons with mental health diagnoses who would be eligible for assisted housing but
would need to relocate away from their familiar surroundings.
Take action: The epidemic has shown us that we are a country that despises being controlled.
However, if you don't have a location to call home, we'll set up a system to handle every aspect
of your life, from phone charging to meal preparation. And you had better appreciate it. There is

hope if we can work together to uncover broken power relations and walk alongside individuals
to help them realise what they can do rather than what they can't accomplish. We must make
decisions in collaboration with others, rather than in isolation from them. We must regard them
as assets, not liabilities, and return control of their lives to them.
Sources: < https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/31/solve-homelessness-
westminster-system>
REFLECTION 2
Description: Pressures on the housing market, stagnant earnings, a growing gap between
housing benefits and housing prices, and mental health issues are all contributing to an
increasing number of individuals in the UK becoming homeless. Rough sleepers—those who
sleep in the open air or in locations that aren't meant for habitation; hidden homeless or sofa-
surfers—those who reside with relatives or friends because they don't have a house of their own;
and statutory homeless—those who are deemed inadvertently homeless and fulfil priority need
requirements, making them eligible for local aid. People who are in the "priority need groups"
include those who are:
When there are dependent children or a pregnant lady in the home
16 or 17 years old
Those between the ages of 18 and 20 who have previously been in care
Analyse the experience: Governments overlook homelessness, which is an issue with a solution.
Crisis, the national homeless organisation, has a proposal that would cost £10 billion, a fraction
of the £205 billion Trident replacement will cost. A homeless organisation claims that beggars in
an affluent town voted Britain's nicest place to live are earning up to £200 per day. A five-day
week, according to that calculation, would net rough sleepers in Royal Leamington Spa,
Warwickshire, £52,000 tax-free each year. Before taxes, the average British wage is £27,600.
Take action: The medical team informed me while travelling to a homeless shelter built in
response to the corona virus outbreak that Steven was eager to share his experience. I was
overcome with emotion when editing this today. Steven's cancer is terminal. He's on his
deathbed. Steven wants to leave a legacy by telling his experience and raising money for street
medical initiatives. I'm honoured that we were able to provide Steven a significant platform to
share his storey. Steven has been a homeless person for eleven years. He is a 70-year-old man.
Steven is open about how his drug addiction led to his homelessness. He slept in a trap-covered