UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS A CREATIVE TOOLKIT
1 WELCOME CONTENTS HOMELESSNESS IS AN URGENT SOCIAL ISSUE THAT DESERVES OUR ATTENTION What is homelessness? 3 This pack – aimed at teachers, youth groups, and other voluntary organisations Case study 4 working with people aged 14 and above – is designed to help you help others The context of 5 approach the complex issues around homelessness. homelessness The pack contains information, things to discuss weather in order to get the key to their own home. Along The broader context 7 and a range of exercises to develop written, visual the way there are ‘moments of pause’ when players are of housing and drama-based responses that could be used invited to share their views and offer advice on ways for Active Citizenship, Tutor Time, PSHE and within forward for those experiencing homelessness or for those The importance of mental 8 the curriculum. who want to help. The game encourages collaboration as, health & safety from harm although the objective is to get the key to your own home, This pack is based on a pilot board game we developed the requirements to win as a single player are higher than Being part of a social fabric 10 called ‘Homeless Monopoly’, which was created as those to win working in collaboration with another player part of a collaboration between Coventry University, with whom one can house-share. Difficult personal 12 CU Coventry and the University of Warwick, working in circumstances partnership with Coventry Cyrenians. The game is based This pack is based on the game - but stands equally well on its own. It looks at the wider context of homelessness, The Big Issue 14 on ‘real life’ experiences of homelessness with its aim being for players to gain an appreciation of the many the triggers that can lead to homelessness, the support that is available for those experiencing or at risk of Homeless people and 15 different routes into and out of homelessness and of the homelessness, and different social and cultural responses creativity: making various support agencies that are available to help people to homelessness. and participating faced with these circumstances. The game aims to raise awareness and encourage empathy in young people. Cultural representations of 16 We hope you enjoy using this pack and find useful homelessness: who is During the game, for up to eight players aged 14+, suggestions for ways to explore sensitive themes speaking for whom? players try to gather resources, collect Coins and make with your group. it through real-world trials and tribulations such as Professor Nadine Holdsworth ‘Homeless Monopoly’: 18 bereavement, addiction, difficult relationships and severe Dr Jackie Calderwood Our game exploring homelessness CAUTION: When using this pack with a group of people, please be aware that some within your group Further information and 20 may have had experience of, or be experiencing, homelessness - or be heading towards or out of some support organisations of the difficult situations that arise in this pack.Many of the exercises and themes in this pack will need handling with sensitivity and may trigger unexpected responses from your group. Please be prepared with information and courses of action in anticipation of such situations, particularly where we flag up a Trigger Warning.
2 NEXT THERE’S NO WHAT IS PLACE LIKE HOME DRAMA EXERCISE Age 14+ HOMELESSNESS? 3-5 people Aim: Use drama to appreciate the 25 min FORTUNES CAN CHANGE IN AN INSTANT difference between a house and home
There’s no place like home. Home is where the heart is. Resources required: Print out of estate agent listings for various houses Home sweet home. But what is ‘home’ exactly? Is it always a positive place? And what have you lost if you are homeless? • Teacher / group leader distributes one of the two tasks below to each small group. The groups do NOT know that there are Legally, having a ‘home’ means that there is some People can be considered homeless because they two sorts of task. permanence to the place you live; you don’t need are living in poor or unsafe conditions, which might a) Make a live ‘through the keyhole’ to own it, and it doesn’t have to be a house - it could affect their health, also if they are living separated scene based on an estate agent’s be a mobile home or boat – but you need to live from their family because they don’t have a suitable advert for a house, as provided. Show there regularly. place to live together. what you like about the house? How is it furnished? Who might live there? When we talk about home, we are often talking According to Invisible People there are three sorts of Who might visit there? What is the about a concept rather than a geographical location. homeless people recognised in the UK. atmosphere like? What sort of events Home is, to many people, the place they feel most • Rough sleepers - the most visible and vulnerable might happen there? comfortable; where they feel safe and warm and people experiencing homelessness. b ) Make a live ‘through the keyhole’ scene sheltered by those who love them. • The hidden homeless - people who can live for one of your own homes. Show inside and off the streets, but don’t have their own what you like about the home. How is Of course that isn’t everyone’s experience of their residence; they might ‘sofa surf’, live with friends it furnished? What is in it? Who lives home, and often homes ‘break-up’ or people move or in hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, and other there? Who visits there? What is the out and homes can be places where dangerous and types of non-permanent housing. atmosphere like? What sort of events abusive behaviour occurs. Home can become merely • The statutory homeless - those who are eligible have happened there? a roof over your head, rather than an emotional for assistance from their local authority for a variety • Note to groups: You don’t have to show shelter. Some people might rely on friends or a of reasons. every room, just create an overall feel for hostel / hotel to accommodate them on a temporary the house or home. basis; some people may not have friends to rely on, Aside from the structural issues of a housing • Share the ‘through the keyhole’ dramas or money to pay for accommodation. system, which we will explore further on P7, there with the larger group. are also personal circumstances that might lead to According to Shelter, one of the UK’s leading • Afterwards, consider whether there homelessness and we will explore some of these charities dealing with homelessness, the definition were differences in the way groups later in the pack e.g. mental health on P8; difficulties of homelessness means not having a home. You are described their places? What do in communicating on P10; and domestic violence homeless if you have nowhere to stay and are living you think is the difference between and substance abuse on P12. These structural and on the streets, but you can be homeless even if you a house and a home? personal circumstances intersect to amplify the risk. have a roof over your head.
3 CONTENTS NEXT I HAD TO AVOID A FORCED MARRIAGE CASE STUDY
“I DIDN’T WANT A LIFE WHERE I HAD NO CHOICE”
I came to Britain as an overseas I didn’t want a life where I had no choice so I felt I had This was a scary and exhausting period of my life but I undergraduate student from to stay in the UK and not return to my home in Kenya. still managed to visit a department store sometimes, to Initially I stayed with a friend and her family while I get cleaned up, spraying on some perfume and putting Kenya, the land of the Big Five claimed asylum. We would cook together, go cycling, on my bright pink lipstick. and really good weather. and take road trips to Somerset. Sadly, she went through a relationship breakdown (divorce) which meant that I I went to a few places to seek shelter but got turned I had the most amazing time as a student could no longer live with her and her family. away because I had no recourse to public funds but but in my third year my father told me Cyrenians housed me out of good will and supported he was going to marry me off to a soldier As an asylum seeker I was not allowed to work or get me in securing my current accommodation. - a complete stranger. I tried to reason welfare support so I had no money to rent anywhere and with him, but he was very controlling and I ended up sofa-surfing with other friends, not knowing They also helped me find myself; I really wanted to help insisted that he would forcefully marry me where I would go from night to night, week to week. others in the way Cyrenians had helped me, so I started off as soon as I completed my studies. Some of my friends let me down so there were a few volunteering for them. I also campaign with various nights I ended up staying up in 24hr McDonald’s. other charities trying to empower and enhance the lives of people like myself, and I long for the day I can call Britain my permanent home.
This is a genuine case study, provided by someone with lived experience of homelessness. Aspects of the story have been anonymised for their protection. 4 CONTENTS NEXT THE CONTEXT OF HOMELESSNESS
CHANGES IN SOCIETY CAN TRIGGER RISING HOMELESS FIGURES
In May 2019 Crisis, a national charity for homeless people, released their eighth annual report for England, The Homeless Monitor. Their research showed a slight decrease nationally in overall number of people rough sleeping, but that there were rising trends in parts of the country.
In December 2019, Shelter released Homelessness is very difficult to they were deemed to be ‘in priority research showing an increase of 23,000 quantify. The Government publishes need’ or not; and the introduction of people recorded as homeless since national statistics, but in 2020 an article a new ‘duty to refer’ which required 2016… [that’s] one in every 200 people in The Guardian was headlined: The certain public authorities to refer those without a home. government has been accused of threatened with homelessness to the dramatically under-reporting the scale Council. The extended duties apply These two reports seem to be showing of rough sleeping following council to settings including prisons, youth two opposite things, both an increase data showing numbers almost five times offender teams, probation services, Job and a decrease, but actually it’s all in the higher than Whitehall estimates. Centres, social services, and hospitals. terminology – the language used. In April 2017 the Homelessness The 2019 Homeless Monitor found that, Crisis is referring specifically to ‘rough Reduction Act amended Government most local authorities (62%) reported sleepers’ – those who sleep on the guidance to Councils and Local Housing that the Homelessness Reduction Act streets, whereas Shelter is referring Authorities. This had two major effects: 2017, which came into force in April to people rough sleeping and in Councils and Local Housing Authorities 2018, had enabled a more person- temporary accommodation. were required to take reasonable steps centred approach to managing to help any eligible person secure homelessness in their area. accommodation, regardless of whether
HOMELESSNESS IS VERY TO FUNDRAISE AT SCHOOL FOR CRISIS CHECK DIFFICULT OUT ITS FUNDRAISING WEBPAGE TO QUANTIFY WHICH HAS SOME GREAT IDEAS 5 CONTENTS NEXT Changes to the law can act to the benefit or people think it’s a good thing, making an area more detriment of people facing homelessness, but other attractive to investment, others think it is a form I WAS BORN more subtle changes made by society – either of social cleansing that removes lower class and AND RAISED IN in attitude or in physical geography - can also immigrant families from their homes. Age 15+ THE GHETTO, ON Groups of 2 have effects. WELFARE, TWO 1 hour SECOND HOMES MINUTES FROM GENTRIFICATION Second homes, or holiday homes, can be a real This is a term used when a geographical area problem in some areas, meaning young people HOMELESS receives an influx of more affluent residents and can’t afford to buy or even rent a place of their own will.i.am businesses that drive out the previous residents due in their home area because it is more lucrative to ART EXERCISE to increased rents and higher house prices. Some sell or rent property to prosperous out-of-towners. Aim: to explore your local space and through that attitudes towards homelessness including your own
HOSTILE ARCHITCTURE Resources required: Camera, camera phone, Treating homeless people as human beings and individuals is the first step in being able or drawing materials to help them; however some urban landscapes actively treat the homeless as unwelcome by discouraging them from ‘hanging around’, by using hostile architecture. 1. In pairs, visit your local town and try to find four instances of hostile architecture You can read more about hostility towards the homeless on P8. e.g: sloped seating in bus stops or windowsills; spikes or ridges on low walls and windowsills; long benches with armrests indicating individual seats. Railway stations and bus interchanges are often good places to look. Take pictures, or draw what you see. (Alternatively, research hostile architecture online and select four photos of it in different uses.) 2. Reflect upon why each of these things exist in those particular places? Can you see any benefits to them? What sort of feelings do these instances radiate? NB The reflection could be set as an individual or paired piece of work, or done as a whole group discussion.
6 CONTENTS NEXT A BUDGET IS MORE THE BROADER CONTEXT THAN JUST A SERIES OF
NUMBERS ON A PAGE; Age 14+ OF HOUSING Groups of 5-10
IT IS AN EMBODIMENT 30 min HOMELESSNESS CAN AFFECT ANYONE OF OUR VALUES Barack Obama DISCUSSION EXERCISE To understand homelessness, we need to explore Aim: to explore the issues around the how the housing system works. allocation of Council resources
There are two main ways that people usually secure Local Council finances were worsened during the Resources required: None, but research in a place in which to live after they leave their family Government’s Austerity programme 2008-2018 advance will be required home. Usually they will rent somewhere, paying a which has had long-lasting effects on local social monthly fee to a landlord to live in a place that the service provision including: homeless support; • Each group is a local Council committee, landlord owns. These people are called tenants. school budgets; care home financing; police; road meeting to decide how to spend a windfall maintenance; youth services; social housing; leisure of £500,000. Tenants have rights while they are contracted with services; youth support etc. • Before the meeting, each group member is the landlord; for example, they must be given allocated a Council service to champion e.g. notification of a rent increase or of being required to As people get older, they sometimes buy a property homeless support; schools; care homes; move out. When a contract expires, a landlord can by getting a mortgage. This usually means borrowing police; road maintenance; youth services; increase the rental amount and the tenant can accept a large amount of money from a bank and repaying social housing; leisure services. that rent rise or move out. In some countries renting it over many years as a monthly amount. The loaning • Members might research their local is the norm and, as a consequence, tenants’ rights organisation charges the borrower an annual fee for Council’s activities in their allocated area are strong. the loan, called interest, and that rate of interest can – what services do they run? How are increase or decrease depending on your agreement they financed? As an example, Coventry’s Landlords might be private individuals, or they might with the loaning organisation; so your monthly budgets are here. be larger organisations. As little as 60 years ago there repayment can swell or shrink. Although mortgage was plenty of ‘social housing’ available, provided by holders are often called property-owners, in reality • The group then debates how the money local councils to people who needed a rent subsidy – until that loan has been fully repaid, sometimes in should be spent, with each member making (a reduced rent due to their circumstances). 30 years time - the property belongs to whichever their case for how a windfall of money will organisation made the loan. improve their service. Now there is much less social housing, because in • A budget is then agreed, ready to share with the early 1980s these houses were made available You can see that both tenants and property-owners the larger group. to tenants to buy and own, but Councils did not are, to varying degrees, at risk of homelessness due • Group Reflection: Which services did you replenish the housing supply. They needed the to external factors: rental and interest rates can rise; start off thinking were most important? money raised from the sales to cover other gaps landlords can decide to sell their property, especially What influenced your decision-making? in their budget caused by central Government if an area seems lucrative for student rentals or Did you change your mind during reducing their income. gentrification; your income might drop or you might your research or the debate? lose your job.
7 CONTENTS NEXT THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH & SAFETY FROM HARM
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE AT RISK AND FACE GREATER RISK
People with poor mental They may distance themselves, or be humiliating acts such as being urinated health can lead fulfilling distanced, from family and friends and spat on. This risk of violence causes and so have fewer social connections huge stress to mental health, with abuse and happy lives with the (see P10). They may be unable to hold often leading to physical violence. appropriate support, but down employment and so have little, may have fewer resources or no, income. Poor mental health In January 2019 the Coventry Telegraph may also impact upon a person’s reported that a homeless person had to draw upon, emotionally STREET and financially, and may lack decision-making, and lead to riskier and his hands doused in lighter fuel and set more dangerous behaviour both for alight whilst he slept in a park. This was SLEEPERS resilience when faced with a themselves and toward others. not a lone incident. WERE ALMOST decline in their mental health or difficult circumstances. There are demonstrable links between In 2016 the homeless charity Crisis poor mental health and the risk of released research that found street 17 entering the criminal justice system; sleepers were almost 17 times more some people advocate separate mental likely than the average person to have health criminal courts where, ‘You are been the victim of violence, and 15 TIMES not seeing a criminal who is mentally times more likely to have suffered verbal ill. You are seeing a mentally ill person abuse. MORE who is engaging in criminogenic behaviour.’ And there is a huge risk of Homelessness increases the risk, and homelessness on leaving prison. the severity of, poor mental health. It LIKELY brings stress, anxiety, fear, depression, Homeless people are often the victims difficulty in sleeping, and can be a THAN THE AVERAGE of violent, abusive and anti-social gateway into substance abuse to blot PERSON TO HAVE behaviour including physical attacks, out misery (see P13). BEEN THE VICTIM OF sexual assault, verbal abuse and VIOLENCE
WHY NOT ORGANISE A SLEEP OUT FOR CENTREPOINT
8 CONTENTS NEXT YOUNG PEOPLE, FORUM THEATRE HOMELESSNESS AND IT IS NOT THE PLACE OF THE THEATRE Age 12+* MENTAL HEALTH TO SHOW THE CORRECT PATH, BUT ONLY Min of 4 30 min TO OFFER THE MEANS BY WHICH ALL Centrepoint, a national homelessness charity supporting young people, say more POSSIBLE PATHS MAY BE EXAMINED *Depends on subject chosen than a third of their clients have a mental Augusto Boal, Theatre of the Oppressed health issue such as depression or anxiety, DRAMA EXERCISE and another third are tackling issues with substance misuse. Aim: to explore multiple points of view and decision-making
In December 2019, their Christmas Report No Place to Stay estimated that over Resources required: None 22,000 young people in England would be homeless or at risk of homelessness with 1. Divide the group into pairs (or a three will work if you have an odd number) the vast majority of these young people 2. Give each pair a scenario to improvise around e.g: being part of the ‘hidden homeless’. • Your friend becomes very withdrawn and you’re worried about where they’re going when you leave each other. How do you speak to them about it? They could be staying on a friend’s • You are sofa-surfing at your friends. You don’t know what their opinion on LGBTQ issues is. sofa, spending nights on the back You want to be honest with yourself and your friends, but are anxious to come out to them in of a night bus or sleeping in a tent case they react badly. What happens when you tell them? hidden from public view. • You’re a bystander who sees a homeless person being abused in the street. How do you interact with the homeless person, after the event – or do you simply ignore it? Young people may fall into homelessness 3. After the pairs have run through their situation a few times, have one set show their improvisation through many complex circumstances, to the whole group. but events like school exclusion and 4. After that, have the whole group discuss together how the situation might have been handled family breakdowns, or leaving care, can differently, or turned out differently – this doesn’t necessarily mean a ‘better’ outcome, it could be triggers, as can getting involved with be worse. substance abuse and criminal activities 5. Then, keeping the original actors in place, ask if anyone wants to swap with ONE of them. such as gangs; young refugees can also 6. Run the improv with one new actor, and discuss the scene. be especially vulnerable. 7. Repeat with other situations.
NB: If your group can make longer improvs, around 4 minutes, you can, after running the simple version above, explain to the rest of the group that when the improv is run now anyone can shout STOP after the action has started and swap with one of the characters and that this can happen twice in a performance.
Theatre company Cardboard Citizens use Boal’s techniques in their work, read more on P15.
9 CONTENTS NEXT BEING PART OF A SOCIAL FABRIC
WEAVING THREADS THAT STAY STRONG ! ! ! ! People who are experiencing homelessness aren’t always estranged from family and friends, but often they are – sometimes through a definite break and other times through a slow inexorable move towards estrangement.
Being part of a ‘social fabric’ and having support Friends might be more inclined to accept behaviour ! ! networks (family, friends, teachers, colleagues) is that family or school cannot cope with, and can be essential for human wellbeing; we need to be heard, a great source of support. But, equally, friends who listened to, able to express ourselves, and receive make bad choices may encourage others to make comfort. If your family rejects you, or you reject them, similar choices. Some friends may be people only you lose a whole chunk of support that other people associated with school and if a pupil changes school take for granted. they may lose touch, even with social media. If you’re young, and a family breakup is a potential When you’re homeless, a phone is invaluable, but outcome for your situation, then the Council may without a permanent home you can’t have a phone allocate you / your family a social worker; they are contract so you have to use PAYG. If you’ve got no there to support you and your family through a money, you can’t top your phone up. And without difficult time, recognising vulnerabilities. They act your phone allowance and data you can’t use the as a conduit to other services to which you might internet or contact people. It is so easy to lose be linked: your school or FE college; mental health communication with any support networks HAVING specialists; educational psychologist; local housing you might have. SUPPORT authority etc. NETWORKS IS
Schools try very hard to support vulnerable young SOCIAL FABRIC people; the local Council and social worker will work ESSENTIAL closely with them both to try to minimise disruption If you imagine all your friends and family as to education. However, schools also have to bear in threads, your ‘social fabric’ is made by how they all mind the whole school environment and if a young interact with you, how the threads weave together. FOR person’s behaviour is a risk to themselves or others Tight weaves make solid cloth – the more positive they may suspend or exclude a pupil. Councils are interactions you have, the more solid is your social HUMAN supposed to make educational provision for all fabric. Loose weaves fray, become loose, and tear – young people under 18 but the reality is that they as do poor relationships. can fall by the wayside. WELLBEING 10 CONTENTS NEXT IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THERE’S NOBODY OUT THERE, *must be entire group IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT I’M ALL ALONE Age 14+ Under the Bridge, Red Hot Chili Peppers Groups of 5-14* VISUAL PHYSICAL EXERCISE Aim: to explore the importance of ‘social fabric’ 30 min
Resources required: A ball of wool, string, or twine, and a pair of scissors CAUTION: This exercise must be done in a whole group and must be moderated by an adult leader. It is otherwise known as the String Exercise and is often used when working with foster carers to show the effect of multiple placements on children in care. It can be
extraordinarily emotional and may raise issues for many of your participants; allocate plenty of time to discuss how people felt. 1. One member of the group sits on a chair. They are called George and hold a ball of wool. 2. Other group members will make a circle around George as they enter George’s story representing various characters. Members can represent multiple characters if necessary.
• Age 17, George lives with their two parents and sister
11 CONTENTS NEXT PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES
THERE IS A STEREOTYPE OF HOW PEOPLE BECOME HOMELESS
There is sometimes a perception that people who are homeless have done something to deserve it: they have abused alcohol or other drugs; they are in some way criminal; they are nasty people who will not change.
The reality is that behind most homeless prove their identity let alone provide Traumatic Stress Disorder. Sometimes people lies a complex story merging an address. They may not be believed veterans may struggle to adjust to structural housing issues with their by friends, family, and authorities civilian life and their relationships with personal circumstances, which might who might financially support them. family break down under the stress include a mix of family break-up, poor They may end up in temporary leading to a homeless situation arising. mental health, and unemployment; accommodation such as a refuge. sometimes alcohol and drugs have THE ‘GIG ECONOMY’ played a part, sometimes they are Victims of domestic abuse will bear the a coping mechanism people have scars of their partner’s behaviour for the Centrepoint’s policy report Young, developed for their circumstances. rest of their lives, and may turn to drugs employed and homeless explored and /or alcohol to cope. a new strand of homeless young people – those who are employed DOMESTIC ABUSE but on such precarious contracts that Domestic abuse can come in many VETERANS they are unable to afford permanent forms; Women’s Aid defines it as, In September 2019, the No Homeless accommodation. This sort of an incident or pattern of incidents Veteran campaign run by Stoll launched employment, casual, zero hours, cash of controlling, coercive, threatening, to address the fact that at least 3% in hand, offer little or no job security degrading and violent behaviour, of homeless people in the UK are or consistency in hours worked, and including sexual violence, in the majority ex-military personnel. Official figures while they offer flexible hours the wages of cases by a partner or ex-partner, but released in January 2020 by the Ministry rarely cover the cost of rent and basic also by a family member or carer. It is of Housing, Communities and Local needs such as food, bills and travel. very common. In the vast majority of Government (MHCLG), showed housing cases it is experienced by women and is allocations for veterans fell by 10.74% in perpetrated by men. 2018-2019.
Victims of domestic abuse may flee According to the Centre for Mental their family home with nothing more Health, the most common mental IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO FUNDRAISE than their children and the clothes on health issues for veterans are alcohol FOR WOMEN’S AID, THEY HAVE their back. They may have no access problems, depression and anxiety SOME GREAT IDEAS ONLINE. to financial support, with no ability to disorder. They may also suffer Post
12 CONTENTS NEXT ADDICTION IS MY DOWNFALL CASE STUDY ROUTES INTO AND OUT OF Age 14+ HOMELESSNESS Group of 4 ideal “FROM SOFA SURFING TO STREET HOMELESS; IT’S BEEN 30 mins AN EMOTIONAL JOURNEY WITH HURT, PAIN, SADNESS, MIND MAP EXERCISE AND JOY NOW I’VE COME OUT THE OTHER END.” Aim: to imagine some of the ways one could end up homeless, and Addiction is my downfall, always has been, always wherever the wind took me. I ended up in court to understand some of the support will be. I was drinking, taking drugs, and living in for shop lifting and assault, and finally went to mechanisms that are available. homeless hostels from a young age. prison for breaking my long list of suspended sentences. Being inside, believe it or not, really I learnt to hustle on the streets; I have ‘the helped me overcome my addiction. gift of the gab’ as we call it in Ireland and it’s This exercise is based on the fabulous a technique I used to get money to feed my I have secured beautiful accommodation, and PSHE resources offered by Railway habit. I also stole from shops and sold my items a fantastic job joining AA. I want to help other Children, and you can access them by to buyers, on a daily basis. Everyone on the addicts and I will always have a soft spot for signing up here. streets has a story but, trust me, from experience homeless people as I know it’s no walk in the everyone is out to get what they need to get park. I’ve seen some horrible stuff in my time and through the day whether that be drugs or drink. I’m so thankful it’s behind me. Resources required: Paper tablecloths, or rolls of paper, felt pens Before I came to Coventry I was in Liverpool, I’m now three months clean and I’m high not on It would be useful for the group leader sleeping at the back of a pub; I ended up going drugs but on life. Coming to Coventry was the to have seen the Circular Journey mad, ended up in hospital and left with the drip best move I’ve ever made; the homeless team are and the Linear Journey shown by the still attached. I went off to end it all by jumping in excellent at Cyrenians and at Steps for Change Railway Children charity in their Street the Mersey river, but the police saved my life. too. These people well and truly saved my life - Level work. along with my new partner who is my soul mate. My homelessness took me all over the UK: I’m at the best and strongest part of my life. • In small groups, using all the Liverpool to Blackpool to Birmingham, and knowledge you have acquired so far, draw a visual representation of routes into and out of homelessness. It might be a route map, or a diagram, I WAS DRINKING, TAKING DRUGS, AND LIVING IN or a story-board, or a cartoon strip, or a word map, or any other visual HOMELESS HOSTELS representation that you can think of. FROM A YOUNG AGE
This is a genuine case study, provided by someone with lived experience of homelessness. 13 Aspects of the story have been anonymised for their protection. CONTENTS NEXT THE BIG ISSUE READ ALL ABOUT IT! JOURNALISM EXERCISE Age 12+ PROVIDING A PATH OUT OF Individual / pairs Aim: to think about what attracts someone HOMELESSNESS FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS to buy something; and if there is a 1 hr / homework balance between promoting a cause and being attractive. Can you do both? The Big Issue Foundation is one of the UK’s leading social businesses. It helps homeless and vulnerable Resources required: Pen and paper, or word- people by offering them legitimate employment and processing or desktop publishing software offering support and advice in areas such as health, It would be useful to have sample copies of accommodation, finance, and substance abuse. Big Issue seller, Covent Garden The Big Issue to share with the group, or you can look online for covers. The Big Issue street paper was launched in 1991, CONTROVERSY modelled on New York’s Street News. By 1993 it was Some other street newspapers think The Big Issue 1) Design a front over for The Big Issue. so successful that it went to weekly publications. By is too commercial in its approach, feeling that its • You can pick any time of the year, so 2016 it had achieved over 200 million magazine content should be written by homeless people consider what issues you might raise. sales and currently operates in nine countries and be more socially aware and politically based. Is it hot weather? Cold? A time of year around the world. They think less should be spent on production for giving? and design. • What sort of content are you going to With the motto A Hand Up, Not a Hand Out, the promote? Are there celebrity articles, paper is sold on the street by vendors who are The Big Issue takes the approach that they need political pieces, or commentary on homeless, vulnerably housed, or marginalised in to publish something attractive that will sell, so current affairs? some way. Vendors receive training, sign a code of they make the magazine look very professional. • Are there puzzles? Competitions? Prizes? conduct, wear a tabard, and carry badges which They do have some homeless people contributing • Compare everyone’s covers – which would include their photo and vendor number. to the content but they also invite celebrity guest you buy and why? contributors such as the footballer Joey Barton They are given five free magazines, then they buy and illustrator Axel Scheffler (The Gruffalo). more from the organisation at a reduced price (currently £1.25) to sell on to the public (current sale The founders of The Big Issue have said, “[it is] price is £2.50) keeping the profit on sales. They can possible to be both profitable and ethically correct”. work the hours they want; there are no fixed hours although they are given a fixed position to sell from. FAME! The publication is more of a magazine than a You might have read the book A Street Cat Named newspaper now and offers a subscription service. Bob which was written by a Big Issue vendor and During the 2020 Covid-19 crisis, it was also sold via made into a film. Read more about it on the supermarkets with proceeds being distributed to next page. vendors who were unable to trade. Big Issue Malawi and Big Issue seller, High Street, Oxford. Wikimedia Commons. 14 CONTENTS NEXT HOMELESS PEOPLE AND A STREET CAT NAMED BOB CASE STUDY CREATIVITY: MAKING AND Published in 2012, A Street Cat Named Bob is the memoir of James Bowen, a former homeless busker and heroin addict who took in a stray PARTICIPATING cat and began to make positive changes in his life. A sequel, The World According to Bob, arrived in 2013, and was followed by picture book and young adult adaptations. A film version was released in 2016. THE WORLD ALWAYS SEEMS BRIGHTER The Big Issue (see P14) features prominently WHEN YOU’VE JUST MADE SOMETHING in the book as, after busking on the streets THAT WASN’T THERE BEFORE becomes a problem, Bowen becomes a Big Issue vendor with partner Bob the cat helping Neil Gaiman attract sales. Bowen has been a contributing writer and Bob has even been its cover star!
Being able to be creative is James Bowen and his cat Bob. Wikipedia Commons. really important for good DISCUSSION mental health. POINTS: What are some of the issues CARDBOARD CITIZENS The opportunity to express yourself around homeless people can come in many forms; you might engaging in creative activities? Cardboard Citizens work with people who have think of creativity as drama, art, experienced homelessness, or are at risk of or writing, for example, but more • Do you think homeless people homelessness, to create theatre that makes a real everyday activities such as gardening, need access to creative and positive difference to society and those living in its margins. cooking, or decorating a room to your activities? They use techniques based on Theatre of the Oppressed, which was taste are also creative endeavours. • Are there any benefits to developed by Augusto Boal, and use theatre as a tool for liberation and engaging in creative activities? empowerment. One of the techniques, Forum Theatre, sees audiences You might be surprised, perhaps, by • Are they a good use of money? became ‘Spect-Actors’ who are invited to play the part of different how many homeless people keep characters at key points in a drama. some sort of diary or sketchbook, • What might be some of the Cardboard Citizens say they, make theatre for social change [and] empower proving how central expressing difficulties? people with lived experience of homelessness and strive to change society’s yourself is to coping. See the panel • Who is getting the benefit from perceptions of homeless people. about A Streetcat Called Bob. the activities? • Are homeless people’s To commemorate the half centenary of an iconic film about homelessness, Some organisations specialise in experiences and creativity Cathy Come Home (see P17), Cardboard Citizens recreated it as piece of enabling homeless and vulnerable being exploited? theatre using a community company with members who had their own people to access ways to be creative, experience of homelessness. You can watch the show here and also watch and in changing perceptions of a post-show discussion (40mins) about the performance, with Cardboard people who are homeless. Citizens joined by the Director of Cathy Come Home - Ken Loach, and the (then) CEO of Shelter here. CASE STUDY
15 CONTENTS NEXT CULTURAL REPRESENTATIONS OF HOMELESSNESS: WHO IS SPEAKING FOR WHOM? STREETWISE OPERA BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?
Streetwise Opera was established in 2000 after opera critic and support Artists of all kinds have tried to address homelessness and poverty, worker Matt Peacock heard a quote from some perhaps more successfully than others. a politician, homeless people are the people that you step over coming out On these pages you’ll find examples of books, theatre, television, art, and songs - all exploring homelessness. of the opera house. What do you think about artists using the stories of homeless people? Streetwise Opera are a charity and performance group, working with people affected by homelessness, and stage operas and run workshops that OLIVER TWIST CASE STUDY allow homeless individuals to perform alongside opera professionals and craft DISCUSSION new identities as creative people and POINTS: Many people’s first image of homelessness will be from literally, giving homeless people a voice. What are some of the Charles Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist, either through the original controversies around book or its later adaptation into the musical Oliver! The story Watch a short film (3mins) about their portraying homeless people? of an orphaned boy living among petty thieves in London, show Tell Me the Truth About Love here; both versions show the poverty and deprivations of mid- see an extract (5mins) here; and read a nineteenth century London. review here. • Who is telling whose story? • Who is making the profit from Bleak, dark, and piercing cold, it was a night for the activity? the well-housed and fed to draw round the bright • Are homeless people’s stories fire, and thank God they were at home; and for and creativity being exploited? the homeless starving wretch to lay him down and • Are the voices of homeless die. Many hunger-worn outcasts close their eyes people being heard? CASE STUDY in our bare streets at such times, who, let their crimes have been what they may, can hardly open them in a more bitter world.
16 CONTENTS NEXT CATHY COME HOME CASE STUDY STILL LIFE CASE STUDY
Artist Franko B works in several mediums but his project Still Life included photography which considered the notion of ‘still life’ from a range of formal and conceptual perspectives in fine art, the body as sculpture, and the still life of sleep, and the ‘Still Life’ of a life that seems to go nowhere.
ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE CASE STUDY
In 1991, musician Phil Collins won a Grammy for his song Another Day in Paradise, but he was also widely criticised for alleged hypocrisy i.e. singing about homelessness when he himself was very wealthy. Songwriter Billy Bragg said, Phil Collins might write a song about the homeless, but if he doesn’t have the action to go with it he’s just exploiting that for a subject. Collins himself said, When I drive down the street, I see the same things everyone else sees. It’s a misconception that if you have a lot of money you’re somehow out of touch with reality. You can listen to the song here.
This hard-hitting television play, written by Jeremy She calls out to the man on the street Sandford and directed by Ken Loach, was first ‘Sir, can you help me? broadcast on the BBC in 1966 and hugely raised It’s cold and I’ve nowhere to sleep, the profile of the issue of homelessness. Is there somewhere you can tell me?’ Whether all the ensuing discussion actually He walks on, doesn’t look back effected change is a hot topic, and Cardboard He pretends he can’t hear her Citizens (see ) revisited the subject 50 years P15 Starts to whistle as he crosses the street later to find some things hadn’t changed. Seems embarrassed to be there The story follows the descent of Cathy and Reg into Oh think twice, it’s another day for you and me in paradise poverty and homelessness. After Reg loses his job Oh think twice, ‘cause it’s just another day for you. and Cathy gives birth, the family are forced to leave their flat, and struggle to find a home that permits Ed Sheeran wrote his debut single, The A Team, after doing a gig in a homeless shelter, I was children. After being evicted from a temporary 18 at the time and kind of quite naïve So, I was a bit taken aback by some of the stories that I home and forced to leave a shelter, their children heard. I got home that night and I just wrote a lot of the lyrics. are taken away by social services. What do you think about songwriters, rich or poor, writing songs about homelessness if they haven’t experienced it? Cathy Come Home - Jeremy Sandford. John Shepherd.
17 CONTENTS NEXT ‘HOMELESS MONOPOLY’: OUR GAME EXPLORING HOMELESSNESS
LISTEN AND PLAY
The aim of our board game, for The game was designed for Coventry and the Image c Simon Peter Green up to eight players aged 14+, is board represents recognisable Coventry locations, grouped in to five themes: for players to gain an appreciation • Iconic places e.g. Cathedral; Herbert Art Gallery of the many different routes into • Shops e.g. Nandos; Starbucks and out of homelessness and of the • Problem places e.g. Police station; A&E various support agencies that are • Support e.g. Night Shelter; Job Centre available to help people faced • Grey zones e.g Stairwell; Park bench. with these circumstances. The four corners of the board have benefits or The game aims to raise awareness and penalties where you might gain or lose a turn, or encourage empathy in young people. collect Coins, Resource Tokens or Choice Cards.
During the game, players encounter various There are four locations with Cards that change scenarios that have contributed to a person the game’s direction: Opportunity; Choice; being homeless or impacted on their experience Weather; Utility. Opportunity Cards fall into of homelessness. Along the way there are two categories: events that change game play ‘moments of pause’ when players are invited to for single and sometimes multiple players; or share their views and advice on ways forward characters in positive and negative scenarios. for those experiencing homelessness or for those who want to help. The game encourages • Cyrenians distribute donations received, collaboration as, although the objective is to get collect three Resource Tokens the key to your own home, the requirements to • City-wide flooding. All players lose all win as a single player are higher than those Resource Tokens unless they are Sofa Surfing to win working in collaboration with another or have a Roof Token. IT’S COMPLETELY RELATABLE, player with whom one can house-share. • You have a pet dog for company, but the The game’s currency is Coins, and all players Night Shelter won’t let your dog come in with you – return to the Park Bench. A VERY LIVED start with Coins and Resource Tokens; the latter hold essential Roof Tokens, needed to win alongside Resource Tokens and Coins. EXPERIENCE
18 CONTENTS NEXT Choice Cards are the heart of the game. Each Choice Card creates a ‘moment of pause’ and asks players to discuss a situation on the card or to ask other players for advice e.g: • A hostel for homeless people is planned next door to your home. Your neighbour has started a petition against it. They invite you round for tea and ask you to sign. Ask your fellow players what points they would make to counter or support the petition. • In the run up to Christmas your parents decide that they would like to volunteer at a Homeless Shelter on Christmas Day. How do you feel about this? Ask one of your fellow players to make a positive case and one to make a negative case about this situation.
Weather Cards are simply events that have been affected by the weather eg: • There’s a heatwave, you get sunstroke go to A&E.
Utility Cards are either positive or negative. • Mobile Phone - A friend gives you their old phone, collect three Coins and a Phone Token / Screen breaks on your phone, pay two Coins and repay any Phone Tokens.
The game is played with two dice, with players taking turns to move around the board collecting cards and taking actions as directed. There are two ways to win: Image c Simon Peter Green • An individual player can get the key to their own home by acquiring: a Roof Token (of which there are five among the Resource Tokens); five additional Resource Tokens of any kind; and a PLAYER FEEDBACK minimum of 25 Coins. “The game is very informative. Great idea to ask advice from players. Helps people • You can also get the key to your own home by problem solve.” collaborating with another player - between you, you will need: one Roof Token; eight more “I don’t think these issues around homelessness are openly discussed…so this game Resource Tokens of any kind; and a minimum of really encouraged me to dig down on my own opinions and prejudices.” 40 Coins.
19 CONTENTS NEXT SCHOOL RESOURCE PACKS FURTHER INFORMATION Shelter https://england.shelter.org.uk/support_us/schools Railway Children https://www.railwaychildren.org.uk/get-involved/communities/ AND SUPPORT schools-and-youth-groups ORGANISATIONS WATCH Shelter: A Look at Manchester’s Homeless We have referenced lots of organisations https://vimeo.com/45260069 throughout this pack, but we have gathered them A short documentary (13mins) examining Manchester City Council’s treatment of here with visible links along with some other homeless individuals. Released: 2012. Directed by Mike Staniforth. information we think you might find useful. The Homeless Film Director https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/9kx9xa/watch-homeless-film-director-david- russell-mystic-demon-killer Coventry Cyrenians http://www.coventrycyrenians.co.uk This documentary film by VICE tells the story of David Fussell, a filmmaker who Shelter https://england.shelter.org.uk spent four and a half years of his life sleeping rough outside a London department store, while by day creating and editing a film in the offices of a homeless shelter. https://invisiblepeople.tv Invisible People Released: 2019. Directed by Grant Armour. Crisis https://www.crisis.org.uk Life is a Circus Centrepoint https://centrepoint.org.uk https://oldfirestation.org.uk/project/life-is-a-circus Women’s Aid https://www.womensaid.org.uk Told over the course of a year, this BBC Four documentary follows the creation Stoll https://www.stoll.org.uk of a new play by homeless individuals. The play was a result of Hidden Spire, a project run by the Old Fire Station in Oxford and Crisis Skylight Oxford. It brings The Big Issue https://www.bigissue.org.uk professional artists and homeless people together to create performances with the St Basil’s https://stbasils.org.uk entire process – including devising, design and front-of-house jobs – a collaborative process between artists and homeless individuals. Originally broadcast 19 May 2019.
Homeless at Christmas ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGCqQRtPZXg We know schools like to encourage Active Citizenship, so here are some Documentary (1hr 25mins) following journalist James English as he spends a week of the way you could include the issue of homelessness in your activities. living amongst the Glasgow homeless community around Christmas. Originally • Approach local charities and support organisations to ask them how streamed 4 November 2018. your school or organisation can best support them • Invite local charities and support organisations into your school to speak, READ e.g. in Assemblies, Tutor Time, RE, or PSHE The Lady in the Van chronicles writer Alan Bennett’s relationship with Miss Shepherd, • Take part in things like The Big Sleep out, either nationally or find a local a homeless woman who for more than fifteen years lived on Bennett’s driveway in a one like this from Birmingham’s St Basil’s https://stbasils.org.uk/events/ series of dilapidated vans. Bennett adapted the story into a stage play and a funny bigbrumsleepout2020/ and very moving film.
20 CONTENTS NEXT THANK YOU We thank the University of Warwick and Coventry University for funding the creation of the original ‘Homeless Monopoly’ game and this creative toolkit. We also thank Coventry Cyrenians, particularly James Forsyth, for playing a full part in the game creation and supporting this creative toolkit with case studies.
‘HOMELESS MONOPOLY’ We would also like to thank Brittany Black, M. Bogdanis, and Rachael Till who generated the illustrations for the board game. We are grateful to many people who helped to make the game possible including pilot players at Cardinal Newman School and Mr Rhys Davies; students from Coventry University, CU Online, and the University of Warwick; staff from Coventry University’s Disruptive Media Learning Lab; and Coventry City Council.
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS: A CREATIVE TOOLKIT Huge thanks to Flo Swann for her work bringing this pack together, Ian Farnell who did initial research and to Frances Yeung who has provided original artwork funded by the Coventry Creates Scheme.
USAGE AND COPYRIGHT Copyright University of Warwick, 2020 The cards from the ‘Homeless Monopoly’ game were used with kind permission from Coventry University. Understanding Homelessness: a creative toolkit was created by Professor Nadine Holdsworth, University of Warwick Illustrations: front cover, page 4 copyright Frances Yeung 2020
The creative toolkit is available free of charge for non-commercial use only. Should you wish to use it please visit this web page (see full link below) to obtain permission to use and access the toolkit (available in a downloadable pdf format) as well as see further information about the projects which led to its creation. https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/scapvc/theatre/applying/postgraduate/maat/case_studies/homeless-monopoly
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