May
HSC Community and Family Studies
Core 2: Groups in Context
Module 3: Researching Community Groups
Detailed studied of a community group
HOMELESS
May
Areas of study
Legal and Social definition of specific groups
Legal:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Social:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Identifying Characteristics
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Primary:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Secondary:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Tertiary:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
May
Specific Needs
People who are homeless have many specific needs. Three
that would be a priority for most homeless people are;
Housing, safety and security, Health, and Access to Services
- Housing:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
- Security and Safety:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
- Health:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
- Access to Services:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
May
Government Policies and Regulations
-
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
May
Community Responsibility
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
May
Rights of the Group
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Safe and Secure housing:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Education:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Privacy:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Non-discrimination:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Legal assistance:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
May
Access to Resources
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Societal attitudes towards the group
Societal stereotypes relating to the homeless, including who they are and why they are homeless,
often overshadow the real reason behind homelessness and the problems that cause people to
become homeless.
2006 survey (Hanover- Melbourne) into community attitudes towards the homeless found:
- People primary perception of a homeless person were of
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
- There was a _________ of the homeless
- The homeless were categorised into the ______ ________ __________.
- Due to a lack of awareness of the size of the problem, people generally didn’t ____________
___________________________________.
Negative attitudes towards the group can directly affect the wellbeing of these people.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
May
Issues of concern for the group
May
Why is safety and security an issue of concern for the homeless?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Why is health care an issue of concern for the homeless?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
How or why do people become homeless in the first place?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
May
Conflict between group and community interests
One of the main issues of conflict between homeless and the rest of the community arises from the
fact that those who do not have accommodation often loiter in public places, causing concern for
other members of the community about safety issues.
Mental issues
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Drug or alcohol addiction
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Reputation of suburb
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Government support
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
May
Power within the group and community
Power within the homeless is very limited, as their main concern is with everyday survival rather
than having power over anyone else. For people who are homeless, power comes from those who
provide the resources and services to assist them. Reasons why the homeless have less power than
other members of society include;
Limited financial resources
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Lack of knowledge
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Limited resources
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
May
Positive contributions the group makes to the community
The contribution of the homeless is often limited by their lack of resources and by their own
significant needs. People who are homeless are often more concerned with providing for
themselves- with housing, food and clothing- than with contributing to the rest of the community.
Human rights:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Employment:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
The big issue:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
May
Extent to which community service groups assist in meeting the needs of specific groups
People who are homeless require community service groups to assist them in meeting their needs
because, due to a number of factors, they are unable to meet those needs themselves. Without
community service groups, many homeless people would find it difficult to survive.
How do community service groups help the homeless?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
How is community housing provided?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Programs to assist the homeless:
May
Watch Fr Chris Riley excerpt and the DVD ‘Oasis”- The Salvation Army
Community Strategies and Community Service groups:
o The Big Issue
o Community street soccer program
o Lighthouse Foundation
o Wesley Mission
o Salvation Army
o Salvation Army Oasis Youth Support Network
Using the internet, research the following community service groups to find out the following about
each service;
1. Name of the service (what is it?)
2. Services provided
3. How do these services help the homeless?
4. Positive and negatives about the service?
5.
May
The Big Issue 1. What is it?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. Services provided
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
How do these services help the homeless?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Positive and negatives about the service?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Community street soccer program
1. What is it?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. Services provided
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
How do these services help the homeless?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Positive and negatives about the service?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
May
Lighthouse Foundation 1. What is it?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. Services provided
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
How do these services help the homeless?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Positive and negatives about the service?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Salvation Army Oasis Youth Support Network
1. What is it?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. Services provided
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
How do these services help the homeless?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Positive and negatives about the service?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
May
Wesley Mission
1. What is it?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. Services provided
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
How do these services help the homeless?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Positive and negatives about the service?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Examine two community strategies or service groups.
a. Identify how the strategy or service group facilitates the satisfaction of the
needs of the homeless.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
b. Outline how the strategy or service group empower the homeless and assist
with making a positive contribution to the community as a result.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
May
c. Evaluate how each strategy or service group assists the homeless to overcome
issues of inequity such as reduced access to resources or unemployment.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
After viewing these to support services answer the following question.
“Evaluate the extent to which two community service groups assist in meeting the needs of the
homeless”
Planning space
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
May
Write a response
“Evaluate the extent to which two community service groups assist in meeting the needs of the
homeless”
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________