Homelessness among families and youth in Canada

Housing and Homelessness in Canada

In Canada, there is a problem with homelessness. While that is certainly not unique to the country, it is a significant issue which has to be addressed in order to facilitate changes that can lower the number of homeless people in the country. The majority of these people live in the larger cities and do have some access to resources, but the problems with homelessness have still kept growing in complexity and size over recent years. The demographics of the people who are most often seen as homeless are changing, as well, putting younger and more vulnerable people on the streets. There are estimates that 0.5% of the population does not have a home at all, and some believe that those estimates only represent about 1/2 of the actual population of homeless people throughout Canada (Fortin, 2008). Part of the problem with not being certain how many homeless people are in the country is that the definition of homeless has changed in recent years (Koyama 2002; Margaret, et al., 2001).

While the term now means that these people have no home to go to at night, it used to also mean people who were more transient, but who still had a place to live while they were in the area (Fortin, 2008). For example, it could be used to refer to people who did seasonal work and migrated to where the work was each year. While they were not, technically, homeless (as defined by not having a place to live at all), they were homeless in the sense that they had no permanent residence (Fortin, 2008). Depending on how one decided to define homeless, they could fit that description. Now that more people are not using the homeless term for people who are transient but do have a place to stay, the numbers are becoming a bit more accurate. They are more likely to reflect true homelessness, as defined by people who have nowhere to live, and must use shelters or sleep on the streets.

Homeless Families and Youth

Among the most significant problems for people in Canada today is that it is not just single men who are struggling with homelessness. Instead, there are many families and youths who are also living on the streets (Gaetz, et al., 2006; Hulchanski, 2009). Women and children make up the fastest growing subset of the homeless, putting some of the most vulnerable members of the population at risk for all sorts of issues and problems (Hulchanski, 2009). Women and children are generally not able to defend themselves as well as men, and they are also at risk for assault and other crimes when they stay at shelters, because not all shelters are closely monitored or properly staffed (Gaetz, et al., 2006). There is a stigma to being homeless that haunts many of the people who fall into that category, and as such many of them are afraid to ask for help (Fortin, 2008).

This is especially true for women who are trying to take care of their children, because they do not want the children to be taken away if they cannot care for them and provide them with a home. Additionally, youths who end up on the street because they were asked to leave their home or because they chose to leave it may not think anyone can help them or would be willing to do so (Fortin, 2008). The other concern for them is that, if they left home willingly, they may think that they are not deserving of help or must not ask for help, as it would be "weak" of them to do so (Fortin, 2008). When they feel that way, they end up not getting any assistance to protect them from the risks of living on the street, putting them at significant risk of robbery, rape, assault, and other crimes.

Because youth and families are a seriously large group in the homeless community and that group is growing, it is easy to see that something must be done for these people. As they struggle to get services they need and have trouble getting out of the issues they are mired in, they are finding that they are not getting the help they could really use (Hwang, 2001; Koyama, 2002). There are several reasons for that, and several reasons that people end up homeless. With families that end up that way, the most significant reason is a lack of income and/or an inability to pay the rent or a house payment (Frankish, Hwang, & Quantz, 2005). There just is not any money left for anything. These families may have one or more people out of work, or they may have a large number of children. No matter what their circumstances, they simply cannot afford any type of housing. While that is something often seen with families, it is also something that is seen with youth.

These young people do not have the funds for a place to live, and they do not have the education or skills to get a job that pays them well enough to secure a place to live (Koyama, 2002). That can easily prevent them from getting out of the cycle of homelessness and moving into something better. Additionally, many of these youths and families who are homeless suffer from mental illness, so they are not always able to hold down secure jobs and maintain a home where they can stay for a long time (Koyama, 2002). They may have schizophrenia, or they may struggle with other problems like anxiety and depression, or one of the affective disorders. Even one or two people in a family who have mental health issues can mean the family is at a higher risk for becoming homeless (Margaret, et al., 2001; Murphy, 2000). While it can be hard to help these people, it is clear that more needs to be done for them. The number of homeless people continues to grow and has also started to spread out from the inner cities and become a problem for the suburbs, as well.

Social Programs

There is a public housing program in the Northwest Territories (NWT), but it is not for everyone. It is designed to help people by providing them with affordable housing that is suitable and adequate for their needs (Murphy, 2000). While the housing that is offered by the NWT Housing Corporation is not "fancy," it can certainly be safe, warm, and dry -- which is what is needed and desired by the majority of people who are currently homeless. Of course, there are guidelines that have to be met for people who want to qualify for this type of housing (Murphy, 2000). If people make too much money, they cannot qualify. Some people choose to be homeless, as well, and those people would avoid signing up for housing even if they were able to qualify for it, because they do not want to have the responsibility of a home. Social programs cannot help those who do not want to be helped by them (Murphy, 2000). They also cannot help a number of people who "fall through the cracks."

These are people who want to have a home but who cannot afford it, yet they make too much money to qualify for the housing help. While that might sound far-fetched, there are many people in that predicament (Murphy, 2000). Many people who are homeless, either by misfortune or by choice, have jobs and some form of income. It may not be enough to pay a house payment, but they may be able to rent or eventually buy if they have some assistance. However, not being able to get that assistance because they make too much, yet still not having enough to get something on their own, can be hard on a person's self-esteem and can lead them to give up when it comes to trying to get away from being homeless (Fortin, 2008; Frankish, Hwang, & Quantz, 2005).

Social Class and Status

Another significant problem with homelessness in Canada is that social class and status is often tied to home ownership (Fortin, 2008). People who have homes are often seen as being "above" those who rent, and people who cannot afford to do either are not looked upon favorably. Some people take pity on them, but most people seem to find them to be a nuisance, or they choose to look the other way because they do not want to be reminded of the many ways in which so many people struggle (Frankish, Hwang, & Quantz, 2005). Those who have more social status may donate to charities to help the homeless, but it is unlikely that they are actually out on the streets, attempting to help the less fortunate. Of course, that is also a generalization. Some of the people with higher social status may do exactly that, in an effort to make things better for their fellow man. No matter whether they help or not, however, people who more money and those who belong to a higher social class are viewed differently -- and more favorably -- by nearly all of society.

That can make it very difficult for the homeless person to get out of that lifestyle, because it can be very hard to get funding to go back to school or even to get a job. People view the homeless as being unreliable, and do not want to hire them in most cases (Fortin, 2008). While some of them do have mental health issues or other problems that would preclude them being a good worker, that is not the case with all homeless people. Even though they have little social standing, they can be quite a valuable asset if they are hired to work at a job they can do and that they enjoy or take seriously (Fortin, 2008). If they are seriously focused on pulling themselves out of homelessness, they will generally work very hard in order to make that happen. Giving them a break can make all the difference in their lives.

Conclusion

The problem of homelessness in Canada cannot be overlooked. It has been growing by leaps and bounds over the last few years, instead of shrinking. That indicates that social programs designed to help people avoid becoming or stop being homeless are not effective. It is time that these programs are examined, in order for a determination to be made about why these programs are not effective and what can be done in order to make them work better for a larger number of people. Overall, it is not just that the problem of homelessness is growing. It is the way in which it is growing. More families are homeless today, as well as more women and children. These individuals are more vulnerable when living on the streets or in shelters than a single man would be, so they are being put at a much bigger risk. Additionally, they are spreading out into the suburbs, where they do not have access to as many shelters, hot meals, and other help they might need. The people who live near those who are homeless can feel as though they are at risk from criminal activity, too.

Certainly not all homeless people are criminals, drug addicts, mentally ill, or anything of the sort. However, a significant number do have a mental health issue, and many do drugs or turn to crime for various reasons. Having a smaller homeless population would benefit those who were able to get off the streets, and would also benefit the people who live nearby and may be worried about their own safety. It is a winning situation for everyone involved, but the main concern is how to pay for it and make it effective. There are no good answers to either one of those issues, but it is clear that what is being done now is not working and that something has to change in order to help the homeless. With more families and youths on the streets, the problem of homelessness is only getting worse.