Famous, Rich and missing the point…
Blog entry July 2009
I can’t help feeling slightly disappointed by the content of the BBC’s Reality TV programme ‘Famous, Rich and Homeless’ (24 and 25 June, 9pm, BBC One).
The programme has missed the point, which is what puts people, real people that is, in this position in the first place. The shear desolation felt by people living on the streets and total lack of compassion by our politicians and society in general cannot be easily explained. One would need a fairly thorough understanding of the discriminatory nature of our country’s laws relating to homelessness and an understanding of why many of our fellow human beings end up in this situation. This is not something that the shows producers would want to even start to explain as it may bore the viewers and reduce the impact of the sensationalism in the programme.
Mr Bird, creator of the Big Issue, on the other hand has been a vociferous critic of what he calls the “homelessness industry”. What Mr Bird does not seem to mention is that he has grown rich and become a minor celebrity himself through what he calls the ineptitude of the sector. That is, putting people in hostels and not doing very much with them. If all Mr Bird can suggest as an answer to end rough sleeping is for people to sell his publication ‘The Big Issue’ then the government can save Billions of pounds and shut all the hostels in the country tomorrow. I hope you can sense the sarcasm in this.
The real problems that force people onto the streets are many and varied. Relationship breakdowns and associated mental health problems, addiction to drugs and or alcohol, being abandoned by the state after a life time in care, poor support for some people leaving the armed forces and people being released from prison with weak or non existent support structures are all causes of the vulnerable situation people find themselves in.
Many of the above situations are compounded by the lack of support and at times knowledge and expertise within the statutory sector. Gate keeping by health services and some housing authorities condemns some people to a life on the streets or sofa surfing.
The homelessness sector has changed dramatically over the past 10 years. Hostels are places where people can be stabilised, link into treatment services, develop support structures, become fully independent and included in their community. The sector is regulated and is driven by a combination of professional pride and strategic thinking, willed to help people find themselves, friends and where possible be reunited with their families.
We do not set out to keep people in a state of limbo; we get fantastic results despite the lack of political will, sniping comments of self proclaimed advocates and the seeming desire of the media to reinforce stereotypes.
