On Homelessness
- What is the scale of homelessness in the area?
- What are the main obstacles which prevent people reconnecting with society?
- What are the main causes of homelessness?
- Is Government doing enough?
- What about the dogs?
- Is the problem getting worse?
What is the scale of homelessness in the area?
On most evenings all 18 of the beds in the Julian House night shelter are full. Recently an Overflow Shelter has been operating next door in the basement of Manvers St Baptist Church. Even with this extra capacity, some clients still have to be turned away and have no other alternative but to sleep rough. For these men and women all that the staff can offer is a couple of blankets to make their long night a bit more comfortable. Other clients stay away – some because they are uneasy about coming in to Julian House and others because mental health issues have alienated them from any semblance of authority. Because some clients don’t want their ‘safe’ sleeping spots to be found it can be difficult to gauge numbers accurately. Best estimates suggest that on any given evening 40-50 men and women will be sleeping rough, using someone’s floor space or lucky enough to have a bed in Julian House. Over the course of a year over 300 different individuals will use the Julian House Night Shelters.
What are the main obstacles which prevent people reconnecting with society?
For anyone who finds themselves on the streets, getting back into mainstream society can be a very significant challenge. This can be made worse by any of a combination of issues eg drug and/or alcohol dependency, mental health problems, poor literacy and numeracy skills.
In some cases the perceived shame of their plight stops people seeking help before things spiral out of control. This makes the process of addressing the main problem issues more difficult. Likewise untreated mental health issues will lead on to other problems. Very often it is only by treating the root cause of their problems that a lasting solution can be found.
All of this is made more difficult by a lack of affordable housing. In most parts of the UK there is a dire shortage of affordable housing. Bath and North East Somerset is the same. Things are made worse in the area by very high property prices and a growing student population which is further fuelling the hike in prices.
What area the main causes of homelessness?
Certain issues are common amongst the men and women who are forced to seek help from Julian House - drug and/or alcohol dependency, a background of institutional care (youth justice system, prison, foster care etc), mental health problems, family breakdown, loss of employment, domestic violence or ex-armed services. However even this list doesn’t completely cover the range of problems which might have pushed someone into homelessness.
It is for this reason that providing a bed is only part of the solution. Addressing the underlying problem is often the most challenging part of working with clients.
Is the Government doing enough?
Over the past few years there is no doubt that significant resources have been directed towards tackling homelessness but the problem is still very significant – made worse by some big issues in society. The ‘right to buy’ concept may have been a very empowering process for thousands of tenants but its continued implementation has meant that the stock of affordable social housing is decreasing each year. Falling prices and the increasing supply of class A drugs is also having an impact on homelessness. Alcohol too is contributing to the problem. Many commentators maintain that society is paying a higher price for alcohol misuse than drugs; its effects are just less obvious.
What about the dogs?
One of the great urban myths is that homeless people get extra benefits for having a dog. This is nonsense. They have dogs in most cases for exactly the same reasons as anyone else i.e. companionship and a love of animals.
Although limitations in the accommodation means that clients cannot stay in Julian House night shelter with dogs, this does not stop them using the day centre. In addition, several local vets will provide veterinary care free to clients’ pets.
Is the problem getting worse?
Julian House is able to report many successful examples of clients who have moved on from its projects and are now supporting themselves in their own accommodation. However there is still significant demand for its emergency night shelter beds. As mentioned elsewhere some of the big issues which contribute to homelessness are proving difficult to eradicate.
Projects & Services
