Lent Contemplation: Monday 27th March what I have learned about homelessness

According to DePaul charity 62% of homelessness is hidden and may not show up in statistics.

Talk to friends today about homelessness and share what you have learnt.

What I have learnt

Homelessness Numbers

I have learnt it can be hard to put numbers of homelessness, in particular not sure how the DePaul charity is able to put a figure of 62% on hidden homelessness when it is hidden as opposed to visibility of some rough sleepers.. Examples of hidden homelessness include:sleeping on friends sofas or at strangers houses where there may be a risk of abuse, or in cars or on public transport. Shelter says hidden homelessness involves 120,000 children in hostels or living in cramped conditions including sharing with strangers.

However, I do have some statistics found on BBC website relating to a report from Crisis. Crisis have recently said more than thousand people a night are sleeping rough in England. Which is 16% increase on last years figure of 3569. It is double 2010 figure of 1,768. The following figures were also mentioned:

509 female

288 under 25s

714 other EU countries

194 from countries outside EU.

I therefore deduce most homelessness in Britain affects British men.

The numbers sleeping rough on a particular night for individual places between 3rd October and 30th November were counted. The following in ranked order had highest numbers.

1. Westimster
2. Brighton
3. Cornwall
4. Manchester
5. Luton
6. Bristal
7. Croydon
8. Redbridge
9. Beford
10. Birmingham

In the capital, homelessness has risen by 3% since 2010  and outside capital by 20%.

Problems of those that are homeless according to St Mungo’s homelessness charities

• 4 in 10 rough sleepers have mental health problems.
• 41% need help with alcohol dependency.
• 31% need help with drug abuse.
• Sleeping rough increases risk of abuse by 17% according to Crisis.

St Mungo homeless charity believe cut in welfare services covering mental health, alcohol abuse and drug abuse have contributed to these figures.

Spice

A risk for homeless people is the drug Spice. Spice or Black Mambo is the street name for synthetic cannabis i.e. it stimulates same parts of brain as cannabis. It was previously a legal high but has been banned since 2009. It is possible to make a splif out of spice for a little as £1. It has caused deaths in the US amongst homeless people. Side effects include vomiting, seizures and psychosis.

What is behind done by the Government

Government is investing 550million to tackle the problem between now and 2020.

How individuals can help

Sign in the Winter Gardens Sheffield

• Common advice is not give mony to those begging as it might be spent on drugs or alcohol.
• Instead could give food directly.
• Could give 5minutes of time to talk to ease loneliness of homelessness person.

I have come across a number of homeless charities:

• These blog posts are based on a post from DePaul website.https://uk.depaulcharity.org/forty-nights-nightstop
• Shelter
• Crisis
• in Sheffield Archer project supports homes people in a number of ways including breakfast clubs for homelessness, soup kitchen, annual shoebox collections at Christmas time for homeless people and their pets.
• St Mungos
• The Hope project provides free and subsidized veterinary treatment to dogs for those who have housing problems.