Description

Homelessness is a trauma that has long-term detrimental effects on the people who experience it  Dr. Naomi Nichols describes three key areas where this is evident. 

1. Homelessness erodes people’s mental and physical health, well-being, and connections to people and places. 
2. Homelessness subjects people to discrimination and stigma in their interactions with other people in society, such as service providers and the general public.
3. Homelessness erodes a person’s sense of safety. 

The communities where homelessness exists also face damaging repercussions related to the negative economic impact as well as the polarizing effect it has on community citizens as they struggle with how to deal with it. Therefore, homelessness must be something that is drastically reduced and even eradicated. But to end homelessness, one must first understand it. We must be aware of how it has come about in the way that we see it today and understand it from the perspective of the people experiencing it. Without that, we will not be prepared to do what is necessary to support people experiencing homelessness on a pathway to change. We must also understand what is required to have the biggest and most lasing positive impact. 

This course provides learners with basic information describing what homelessness is, the causes of it, and methods for dealing with it. Learners will be able to test some of their knowledge and challenge some myths associated with it.

Learning Objectives

• Define what homelessness is including nuances related to the Indigenous definition.
• Learn the current picture of homelessness from a general numbers perspective.
• Understand the typologies of homelessness. 
• Become familiar with the causes and factors associated with homelessness.
• Understand effective homeless support and practices.
• Dispell common myths. 
• Understand the costs associated with homelessness.
• Learn why we need to think differently to solve homelessness. 

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