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.
Public Engagement Guide
Download an Engagement Guide for yourself or your organization with the links below!
What we did:
There have been several City council resolutions in the last couple of years intended to curb panhandling and encourage giving to charities as an alternative. Through research with AHCA, the iTeam learned that panhandling is a complicated, two-sided transaction. In most cases, the donor participates in the transaction to make a direct connection with someone in need. People panhandling can feel stigmatized because of their work and also seek connection and affirming, positive interactions.
For these reasons, it is unlikely that the City is going to be able to significantly curb panhandling transactions through a campaign but we could influence people to use these small interactions as an opportunity to engage more meaningfully with people experiencing homelessness and consider alternatives to giving cash. Based on what we learned in our discovery process this ultimately can be valuable in solving someone's homelessness because affirmation and encouragement supports people on a resilient path.
The Public Guide is a poster with information about how people in our community can help people experiencing homelessness in Austin, including alternatives donating to panhandlers. The campaign encourages the public to practice habits that can impact the issue on a system-level, like donating, volunteering, and advocating.
What we learned:
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When people are aware of the small ways they can help, it will increase confidence when interacting with people experiencing homelessness and decrease negative emotions about homelessness.
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Exposure to the guide will increase the likelihood that someone will show kindness to someone experiencing homelessness.
Recommendations:
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We encourage the City and other organizations to used and promote the Public Engagement guide to improve interactions with people experiencing homelessness and address and redirect generous instincts away from giving cash to other affirming and impactful contributions.
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Content from the guide should be used in efforts to improve community commitment (see the endorsed Action Plan to End Homelessness, Objective 5.2) or other campaigns like the Empathy Building Campaign.