After an article was published in a local newspaper recently, shedding a hugely negative light on a vulnerable section of our society, I wanted to find out what it's really like for those living on the streets of Windsor.
What are the biggest issues facing homeless people in Windsor at the moment?
In the past 18 months we have reduced homelessness in Windsor by about 99% by helping 34 street homeless to get into accomodation. We are now focused on prevention of homelessness. The biggest issue once people are housed is battling the loneliness.
That's an amazing figure to have reached in just 18 months!
It must be really difficult for people to adjust to living in accommodation after spending time on the streets.
What are the biggest misconceptions about people that are homeless and homelessness in general?
The whole idea of homelessness is a misconception.
My aim has been to lift the veil of what people think they know about homelessness, as many people's beliefs simply aren't true.
But here's a few:
1. That people become homeless because they use drugs/drink.
In actual fact, about 85% of the homeless contingent start using heroin because it warms the body instantly, therefore, it's easier to deal with the cold nights. Alcohol of course, also numbs our senses.
2. That all homeless people must have brought it on themselves.
There are a multitude of reasons why people become homeless. Family breakdown, business going bust, death in the family, illness and mental health are just a few of them.
3. That all homeless people are dirty and not very nice people.
It's actually quite rare that a homeless person doesn't care about their hygiene but if you had two people sat next to each other on the street, one dressed in nice clothes and fresh from the shower, the other, dirty, ripped clothes and unkempt, who would you give money to?
As for 'not being very nice people', I disagree. 99.9% of the guys and gals that I work with are some of the nicest people I've ever met. They just have issues.
If you're told enough times that you're worthless, you start to believe it.
Following on from what you said about 'who would you give money to?'... I think one of the questions that people are often keen to know the answer to is the age old argument of, should people give money to someone that asks for it?
There are many different stances on this.
I have always been told (whilst working in treatment services) that you should never give money.
However, my answer to this question isn't such a simple and definitive one.
The answer you generally get is "don't give them money because they'll just spend it on drink and drugs".
If someone is an alcoholic, they need alcohol in their system otherwise they will quite literally die. The alcohol is as important to their body as oxygen.With regards to drugs, they will never die from not getting drugs but as I said previously, the drug warms their body.
Now, I'm not saying this is a reason to give money, I am saying, don't let that be a reason not to give money.
Either way, have your own reasons for the decision you make. After all, once you give that money away, it's no longer yours and you cannot/should not want to dictate what it's spent on.
The other answer people give is "I don't give money, I prefer to buy them a sandwich or a coffee".
Al I will say to that is, do you think you're the only person that has said/done that in the last hour? How many sandwiches/coffees can one person eat/drink and if they don't eat/drink it, you have wasted your money that you so badly didn't want to give to them.
I was in London last weekend and chatting with a cabbie on my way into town. We got talking about just being nice to people and how everyone deserves just a bit of your time if you can spare it and he said "I'd love to be the kind of person that sits down and chats with one of the homeless guys I walk past, but I don't want them to think I'm being patronising".
Do you think dropping a fiver in front of someone is more beneficial to their day than sitting down and having a chat?
I think both are as important as each other but in totally different ways. The one thing that they have in common though are they both show that you care.
For those people that want to help, how can they get involved with the Windsor Homeless Project?
We're always on the lookout for volunteers in different capacities. We need fundraisers, people to make food for the lunch drop in sessions on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (12.30-2.30) at Windsor Baptist Church, as well as other exciting new roles within the project.
Anybody wishing to know more about the different ways in which they can help should contact Jane, our volunteer coordinator at jane@windsorhomelessproject.org or visit our website http://www.windsorhomelessproject.org/
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| Sally Wright and Murphy James advertising The Windsor Homeless Project's annual SleepOut Fundraiser Don't forget that you can also pay for a suspended coffee or sandwich at The Treehouse Cafe at Windsor Baptist Church. You simply pay for a hot drink or sandwich and if someone is in need, the staff can give them a drink or sandwich free of charge! |
