Putting an End to Homelessness

Whether it is the direct impact of living in shelters/on the streets, or the threat of losing their home due to issues of poverty, the issue of homelessness affects many individuals throughout Canada. Homelessness in Canada has been growing and is a major issue which is more often than not related to issues of poverty; Laird cites that lack of income and cost of housing are currently the main causes of poverty leading to homelessness (2007, p. 5). There is no exact number to define how many people in Canada are homeless, however it is estimated that there exists somewhere between 200 000 and 300 000 homeless people living across Canada (Laird, 2007, p. 4). The current policies in place, or lack thereof, are not addressing the core issues of homelessness; I will discuss the reasons behind homelessness, how the government has been addressing the issue, and throughout stating the ways in which social democrats view homelessness and how they would address the issue.

                While the many factors that lead to homelessness are typically created by poverty, homelessness can exacerbate poverty; unemployment, addictions, mental illnesses, conflict with the justice system, family problems, and lack of income security can become intensified (Laird, 2007, p. 5). Homelessness thereby creates further problems within the social system. Laird’s research found that all-in-all homelessness costs Canada upwards of $4.5 billion dollars annually (2007, p.5). The problem with this cost is that the money is being placed towards band-aid measures of dealing with homelessness, instead of directly attacking homelessness at its social roots; money addressing homelessness is being spent on a range of emergency programs and services. This emergency type of response is not reducing poverty but instead is covering up the larger issue, and costing citizens more in the long run.

The social democratic paradigm views homelessness as a product of social conflict; poverty and homelessness are forms of oppression used by those whose interests are reflected in the government (Mullaly, 2007, p. 127). The problem then exists because of the way the state is organized; the state reflects the interests of the rich and must be reorganized to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor (Mullaly, 2007, p.127). Once the state has been reorganized, it may then be able to properly address the issue of homelessness. The reorganization of the state would create the focus on the promotion of the collective good. The state should be the agent concerned with redistributing benefits and resources to those who need it, rather than those who deserve it; the promotion of equality of condition then is a major priority which includes living conditions, meaning that everyone should be entitled to have a safe and habitable roof over their head (Mullaly, 2007, p. 123-126).

Work conducted by Gaetz and Laird, recognize that homelessness is the product of economic structural changes and government policies that have cut social supports (2010; 2007). Their reports call for a reformed system (a social democratic system) in order to effectively eliminate homelessness; this would include a major shift in thinking and a reformation of current structural conditions.  As social workers this is an ideal that we strive towards; by addressing the root causes of poverty and implementing policies that address homelessness, this empowers those who are homeless to have the equality of condition that is needed to take advantage of other opportunities to help them grow.

The creation of a better social welfare focused state needs to include income security, a greater investment in affordable housing and the implementation of supportive policy reforms. I believe that a long-term solution is needed to transform the current state of homelessness across Canada, and a shift towards the social democratic paradigm is exactly what is needed to empower all individuals and form an accountable collective. The humanitarian aspect of the social democratic paradigm reflects the goals of social work, treating all individuals with respect and dignity and promoting social justice for all. Homelessness can be erradicated through the implementation of this paradigm to the social welfare system because it is the paradigm  through which social work is founded since it is able to address social welfare issues like homelessness.

Kirsten

 


References

Gaetz, S. (2010). The struggle to end homelessness in Canada: How we created the crisis, and how we can end it. The Open Health Services and Policy Journal, 3, 21-26.

Laird, G. (2007). Shelter - Homelessness in a growth economy: Canada's 21st century paradox. Calgary: Sheldon Chumir Foundation for Ethics in Leadership.

Mullaly, B. (2007). The social democratic paradigm. In The new structural social work (3rd ed., pp. 114-137). Toronto: Oxford University Press.