(cont.)
Homeless not Hopelessness: The Goal
No matter how many doors are opened for them, the extenuating circumstances that lead to one person’s homelessness last year, if not resolved, can continue to impact their housing status in the future, again and again. Feelings of disorientation and isolation can continue even after a person has found shelter. Such feelings contribute to that often harder to cope with sense of being rootless, leading to a sense of (dis)placement no matter their address.
Case Study #2 demonstrates how the impact of lack of family connection and a sense of not fitting in played in a young man’s homeless experience as he searched for a place to belong, a place where he could find value in his life.
Juarez first appears in the database in May 2005. At that time, he informed staff that he had lost his housing due to his alcohol consumption. Out of a total of one thousand one hundred and ninety-seven shelter nights, Juarez was logged in as under the influence once. During the course of his five year residency, he was absent for five hundred and ninety-nine nights. His absences are attributed to his attempt to move out of the shelter for a period of time, and to his decision to find alternative shelter on those nights when his alcohol consumption would have required he stay in Intox, not in his assigned bed on one of the transitional floors.
During his stay, Juarez received no bars from services or facilities nor did he have any warnings filed under his name. He utilized the counseling services extensively to acquire identification including a social insurance number and an Alberta Health Care card.
According to Juarez, he is isolated from his family due to his decision to not complete his degree and his life choices which contravene his family’s religious background, in particular, the consumption of alcohol.
When Juarez arrived at the DI he suffered from depression and suicidal ideation. Subsequent to his arrival, he was prescribed medication for depression but discontinued its use in November of 2007 due to the cost.
An able bodied and articulate man, staff worked with Juarez to encourage him to leave the shelter and to gain his independence. He participated in many of the computer and job readiness training programs at the DI, obtaining training in Microsoft word, Excel and Office Power Point. In addition, he acquired certification in First Aid, WHMIS, Flagger and several other job readiness certificates.
Juarez was an avid volunteer throughout his time at the DI. In total, he contributed 2,639 hours in areas ranging from the kitchen, the computer lab, as well as in the clothing area and maintenance. Juarez felt a need to give back to those who supported the DI and was available for ‘talks’ to groups, in particular school groups, who came to learn more about homelessness and the DI. He also accessed the Employment Office and was sent out on casual labour sixteen times.
In 2007 Juarez attempted to move out from the shelter into independent housing. After a three hundred and fifteen day absence, he returned. Prior to returning, fearful that he would cause himself harm, he admitted himself to hospital. His file notes, “He was suicidal after consuming ten bottles of hard liquor in ten days.” His depression lifted once he joined the DI community again.
Since his return in early 2008, Juarez had been encouraged by staff to reconnect with the community beyond the confines of the shelter. Juarez felt that what was keeping him here was procrastination, fear and low self-esteem.
In January 2009 Juarez secured full time employment at an upscale Calgary restaurant. His success, as well as his fear of being found out to be living in a shelter, gave him the courage to find his own housing in July 2009. As of this date, he has not returned.
Always interesting to hear the different perspecitves of homelessness.
Thanks for giving me a well written description of how life is on the cold and wet streets of Calgary. It took me a long time to finally find an organisation who is doing exactly what our organisation is doing for the past 12 years
If you wish to compare organisations, please do not hesitate and check out the streetlife in the heart of Europe; namely Luxembourg.
I am a canadian who has resided in Luxembourg since 1980 and am an active volunteer in the redaction since the year 2000.
Keep up the good work you are doing in Calgary and try not to give another bald headed man a comb or a toothless man a nice juicy steak. You can help some people, some of the time, but you can’t help everybody, all of the time.
Heads up and I hope to hear from you in the near future.
Yours Truly,
George E. Nixon
Thank you George for your encouraging words! And thank you for what you do. I shall definitely check out the work in Luxembourg.
so true — you can help some of the people, some of the time, but you can’t help everybody, all of the time.
Cheers!
Louise