Cycles of Risk
People who grew up in precarious home environments are more likely to raise children in similar contexts, although that’s not necessarily their intention. The risk factors associated with homelessness are especially dangerous in this way; they get passed down generationally. Studies have found a strong relationship between the amount of childhood maltreatment and family dysfunction that homeless parents experienced and the amount that their children were experiencing. Poverty has also been also associated with child maltreatment, indicating that young people are growing up exposed to the same risks their homeless parents did.
For example, women who were abused as children are more likely to become targets for violence as adults through no fault of their own. If they have children with abusive partners, then their children are at risk for poverty, abuse, residential instability, foster care placement, and many other predictors of future homelessness, creating a cycle of risk that’s extremely difficult to break out of.
The Toiletries Delivery is enabling a couple of our HACA members to build, test, and develop a toiletries delivery service that fills the gaps they see in the existing homelessness system. This process is helping us understand how we can proactively enable people experiencing homelessness to help themselves by developing opportunities for them to help their community.
The Toiletries Delivery is enabling a couple of our HACA members to build, test, and develop a toiletries delivery service that fills the gaps they see in the existing homelessness system. This process is helping us understand how we can proactively enable people experiencing homelessness to help themselves by developing opportunities for them to help their community.
Life University
At "Life University", people experiencing homelessness can learn personal self-care skills, professional development skills, and housing and life skills. Classes can be taught by service providers, community members/mentors, and other people experiencing homelessness. Classes can be hosted in underused spaces that are temporarily repurposed for pop-up classes.
Impact:
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People stay emotionally, mentally, and physically healthy through learning, and increasing self-efficacy, self-care, self worth, coping skills, and mindfulness.
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People are able to self-resolve their homelessness through gaining skills, connections, development of support networks, and creating/identifying opportunities.
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People are better at maintaining housing and jobs because they have the skills to integrate into society.
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Volunteer opportunities for community members are more meaningful when they can connect with people experiencing homelessness through teaching of skills.
We asked members of Austin's Homelessness Advisory Committee to participate in a poster activity where they came up with possible classes they'd like to see at Life University. Here are some of their ideas: