Homelessness is the situation of not having permanent, secure, and appropriate accommodation. Few societal issues are as apparent as the situation of the homeless. Homeless people, who were formerly nearly invisible and frequently forgotten, are now a familiar occurrence in metropolia, neighborhoods, and some countryside. Men traverse the sidewalks, dragging whatever they have in trash bags or supermarket trolleys. Women are huddled on seats, passageways, and under arches. Parents, mostly mothers, and infants are trying to scrape bread and hunt for sanctuary. Homelessness can take numerous forms, but the majority of homeless persons have one common factor: they are poor.
In Canada, as in many other affluent nations, homelessness is a major societal issue. According to the State of Homelessness in Canada study, at least 235,000 Canadians are unsheltered in a year (The Homeless Hub, n.d., para. 1). The accurate figure might be significantly higher because many houseless persons reside with family and friends and do not get in touch with emergency accommodation. The amount of Canadians who are homeless on any nightly basis in Canada is believed to be at least 35,000 people (The Homeless Hub, n.d., para. 4). even though the average duration of stay in emergency housing is about 50 days, more people are homeless for a couple of weeks and end up leaving on their own, generally with minimal help (The Homeless Hub, n.d., para. 4). Individuals who are chronically homeless (for a lengthy period) or occasionally homeless (going in and out of adversity) make up a lower proportion of the total homeless population. However, they consume more than half of Canada’s supportive housing capacity and are frequently the most frequent users of public services.
The problem of homelessness could be discussed at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of society. Microsocial work is concerned with assisting individuals, spouses, households, and smaller units. Hence, at this level, homeless people represent particular persons who have specific issues and needs. Individuals may collect money on a more minor and profound level and commit the cash to a person to assist them in acquiring a house to live in and expand from there. Another alternative would be to consider adopting the homeless for a set amount of time until they become prepared to support themselves. Addressing the issue on a micro-level should include coaching and counseling. As such, it might be necessary to accompany a homeless person to counseling organizations or a clinician who can oversee and administer medications for an individual’s physical or mental health problems. Depression, substance misuse, and special needs are a few examples of obstacles that prevent homeless people from acquiring sustainable living conditions.
Mezzo social work focuses on sessions that are used to help people across broad categories rather than individual therapy. Frequently individuals inside the group have difficulties, and other times the group as a whole, such as a community or a district, has troubles. In case of such an issue, local governments and localities should look at launching cheap programs for homeless sufferers, as well as constructing neighborhoods or building new facilities to accommodate more people. Finally, the macro-social level (and associated work) is concerned with the national problem, which is often resolved via governmental programs. On this level, the administration can guarantee employment and welfare programs to give new opportunities to homeless people.
Reference
The Homeless Hub. (n.d.). How many people are homeless in Canada? Web.