StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

Homelessness and the Failure of the Welfare System - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
The four articles under discussion in this paper present homelessness from different perspectives and offer an overview of the welfare system that sets forth its shortcomings. The argument as set forth below indicates more shortcomings than positive features and calls for a welfare system that focuses on individuals and offers them the ability to make decisions for themselves…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER96% of users find it useful
Homelessness and the Failure of the Welfare System
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Homelessness and the Failure of the Welfare System"

Download file to see previous pages

In his time on the streets, he speaks of Billy Jack, a longtime homeless person who has recently gotten out of jail after five years. For him, being homeless is a matter of pride and a sense of place. He panhandles, he drinks wine, and he waits every morning for the Sally Ann truck to come by with breakfast and clothing. He is settled in his routine. The Parkdale recreation centre in Toronto is a shelter for the homeless, but, according to Stackhouse, public opinion does not consider these people homeless.

Some have mental problems; some, such as Jim, have at least a part-time job. Jim works to supplement his disability income and believes that working is a way to be healthier. What constitutes a homeless person Is it simply a matter of not have a mailing address or is it based on income Stackhouse says: When I had set out a week earlier to live homeless, I did not expect to be eating pancakes and sausage for breakfast and pastries before bed, or to earn $20 an hour simply by sitting on the ground with a cardboard sign in front of me (233).

On the other side of the coin, Stackhouse goes on to mention his surprise at how much crack passes through the shelters considered representative of public goodwill. He also makes note of the fact that as he moves from one shelter to another, he is apt to see the same people, who are also moving. Some shelters are better than others, for instance in an affluent area of Toronto, Stackhouse talks with an overnight guest, who apologizes for being there and says he knows he shouldn't be. He has a truck, hauls scrap metal to dumps, and makes about $600 to $700 a week.

The problems, Stackhouse has discovered, are more psychological than physical and often not related to simply shelter for the homeless. To be homeless, according to Stackhouse, is to be without a stable environment. He quotes one homeless man in this affluent shelter who says: "This is a real traditional neighborhood (comparing it with his transient existence). I bet these people never have to go anywhere" (232).Refutation of Opposing Argument It is said by some that the homeless do not have the resources, opportunities and skills they need to go back to the main society.

Jack Layton, president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, offers a more academic view of homelessness in his rebuttal of Stackhouse's article. But instead of looking at the specific details of Stackhouse's experience, Layton makes this a personal vendetta, ignoring the underlying implications in the reporter's series. The situations referred to by Layton are that, after one week outdoors, Stackhouse claims, according to Layton, that public resources are used by crack dealers, that beggars earn professional wages and that there is "more free food than the homeless can eat" (Layton, 235).

Although Layton implies that he is quoting from the article, the phrase about free food is not even in it, which immediately weakens his argument. Layton does admit that emergency shelters alone are not the answer, but his only reference to the personal aspects of the homeless is their need for more respect. He seems to consider money and

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Homelessness and the Failure of the Welfare System Essay”, n.d.)
Homelessness and the Failure of the Welfare System Essay. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1519503-homelessness-and-the-failure-of-the-welfare-system
(Homelessness and the Failure of the Welfare System Essay)
Homelessness and the Failure of the Welfare System Essay. https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1519503-homelessness-and-the-failure-of-the-welfare-system.
“Homelessness and the Failure of the Welfare System Essay”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1519503-homelessness-and-the-failure-of-the-welfare-system.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Homelessness and the Failure of the Welfare System

West Lancashire Homelessness Strategy

They are the vulnerable part of the community seeking accommodation, and as to the degree of attention given them by West Lancashire homelessness Strategy is a part of our discussion.... The West Lancashire District Council has been charged with the issuance and publication of homelessness Strategy 2003 - 2006, after it conducted a series of consultations with the various sectors, forums and focus groups mandated by law to help in the formulation of the strategy....
19 Pages (4750 words) Essay

Children and Families Module

Added to the above mentioned, the rationale for the study further emanates from the incontrovertible importance of the problem itself and the imperatives of identifying the causes of homelessness and designing a preventative strategy.... Not only does youth homelessness represent lost potential but it is a contributory crime factor (Choca and Minoff, 2004).... Accordingly, it represents both a… The dimensions of the problem, as presented, cannot be underestimated and, indeed, are only affirmed by statistics which indicate that homelessness figures across England border on the quarter of a million figure It is, thus, that the dissertation shall explore the problem of homelessness in Great Britain, although with particular focus on youth homelessness in the Luton area....
14 Pages (3500 words) Essay

Youth Homelessness in the United Kingdom

nbsp;This research aims at understanding the various kinds of homelessness and also the levels of homelessness in the country.... However, it is essential to understand the difference between homelessness and rough sleeping.... The main idea of this study under the title "Youth homelessness in the United Kingdom" touches upon understanding the meaning of the various types of homelessness.... Also, thorough research on the statistics of homelessness has also been discussed....
8 Pages (2000 words) Research Paper

The Residual System in the US

nbsp;America's social welfare system is called a residual-type of the program compared to other Western industrialized nations where they are a central part of government welfare policies.... In the report “The Residual system in the US “ the author discusses the government welfare policies.... The social welfare programs are intended for individuals who cannot make it on our free market system of competitive employment.... hellip; The author states that the residual system in the US has been put to the test by the severity of the economic downturn and the magnitude of job losses which cut across almost all industry sectors....
7 Pages (1750 words) Essay

The Main Aim of Social Policy

The following paper under the title 'The Main Aim of Social Policy' presents the aim of social policy which is to improve the welfare of society.... Social policy is the laid down rules, guidelines, and legislation that work towards the welfare of the society.... By doing this, Beveridge was convinced that the welfare of the state would be met.... For instance, social services have statutory child care and protection roles which lead to involvement with homelessness and housing policy and legislation (Stewart and Stewart 1992, p....
7 Pages (1750 words) Case Study

Comparing Social Welfare Policies and Programs

They control politics, education system and to some extent the justice system.... This paper Comparing Social welfare Policies and Programs talks that the world is continually experiencing unending problems.... hellip; According to the report social welfare policies remain one of these techniques that have been employed by different countries to control the emergent issues.... Arguably, governments have developed welfare policies and institutions responsible for challenging social eventualities....
9 Pages (2250 words) Research Paper

Vulnerability to Homelessness and Social Exclusion

The main concern of this paper under the title "Vulnerability to homelessness and Social Exclusion" touches upon the numbers of young people who leave care tend to be extremely vulnerable to homelessness, social exclusion, among many other negative factors.... However, there are those who do not have the same advantage within the society and these normally live dysfunctional lives where they have no personal connections with anyone, including family, and these normally end up in situations such as homelessness and social exclusion....
8 Pages (2000 words) Essay

Solutions to Homelessness in the United States

n analyzing the issue of homelessness and how to solve this social problem, it is important to identify the categories of people who are at the highest risk of experiencing homelessness.... This paper 'Solutions to homelessness in the United States" focuses on the fact that one of the problems associated with homelessness is the definition of this social problem.... Considering the severity of the problem in terms of how the nature of homelessness has changed over time....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us