Homelessness is an unsolved issue occurring day to day, worldwide. What the main focus of this essay will be are the homeless youth in Canada dealing with drug addiction and substance use. Homelessness is a rising problem here in Canada, there are 10,000 homeless youth on the street, a guaranteed 2000 on any given night. There are so many different aspects you have to deal with along being homeless, not only are they living life on the streets without a shelter, food or money, but the challenges they face daily just adds to it. They face physical abuse, verbal abuse, police brutality, weather changes, starvation, stress, addictions, mental illness, and other various problems. …show more content…
Homeless youth are always dealing with poor nutrition, victimization, substance use, and abuse. Unfortunately the services provided are very limited and cannot help a huge chunk of the homeless youth. Homeless youth experience more substance abuse and drug addiction than non-homeless youth, this causes them to be mentally unstable and unable to be a functioning member of society. There are many temporary services provided such as shelters, drop-ins, meal programs, literacy improvements, and counselling programs; although these are available and there to help the youth, they are all flawed in their own ways.
What the government does not take into consideration is the long term solutions to put youth in poverty to an end. Solutions such as long term housing, harm reduction services, substance youth treatment and mental health services. These solutions are offered but are uncoordinated or unattractive to the homeless youth. The lack of these efficient service contribute to chronic
Recently, homelessness has become a major social issue in Canada. Throughout the essay, the causes and significance of homelessness in Canada will be discussed as well as the history of the homelessness in Canada. In Canada, the homeless was not significant until 1960s where homeless came to mean the
In the community the attitude towards young people being homelessness is great as they are wanting to help young people in need. There are lots of youth services that help young people that are homelessness due to something that has been tragic leading them to being homelessness. The services value a young person’s personal values and help them out in any way they can. The impact of youth services is a great impact on a young person as they change young people’s lives by providing them with food, education and a job if that is the case. I strongly people that young people being homeless should not be happening to the young Australians.
Imagine feeling lost and not knowing what to do or where to go. You spend each night in the harsh weather on a bench, which you call your shelter. Over the past years, there's been a rapid increase in the number of homeless people. Detailed plans to tackle homelessness in Canadian cities are having little to no impact on reducing the homelessness problem. Most of these homeless people didn't choose to be homeless but it's mostly due to mental health issues, drugs addictions and mainly due to lack of shelter.
Individuals who are homeless experience social exclusion from society, and this results in a lack of knowledge and understanding about this population. Chappell (2014), suggests that "... approximately 80,000 people are homeless on any given day in Canada" (p. 248). More than 47 percent of the homeless population are single males between the ages of 25 and 55; whereas 20 percent is comprised of youth between the ages of 16 and 24 (Chappell, 2014). Additionally, many of whom are of Aboriginal descent and live with mental illness, addiction, or disability (Chappell 2014).
In the class CINT 908 – Homelessness in Canadian Society, an activity called Life with Dignity where we calculated the average of what we think living a life with dignity is financially and it greatly intrigued me in wanting to do this essay. This topic of Life with Dignity is subjective and vague because it varies depending on each person and their culture, history and experiences. However, in this paper, I would be explaining my perspective of what I think it means to be living in a life of dignity based off of my experiences and understanding. Additionally, this paper will explore the systemic structures put in place that prevents many individuals and families from living the life of dignity and yet, making the same individuals and families
Abuse and neglect are one of the top three leading causes of youth homelessness. “Studies show 70 percent of homeless youth have suffered some form of physical, sexual or emotional abuse” and “45.7 percent of street
Youth homelessness. In Canada this is becoming more than an issue, it's becoming a crisis. Every night thousands of Canadians between the ages of 16-24 struggle to survive. In a year around 200,000 Canadians experience homelessness, and youth between the ages of 16-24 make up 20% of that huge number.
For those youth who are unaccompanied there homeless because of mental illness, substance abuse and lack of affordable housing. This also includes youth who are runaway 's, who just left without permission of parent, throwaway 's
Homeless youth can be defined by individuals who lack parental, foster and or instituional care. There is an estimate of 1.3 million homeless youth living unsupervised on the streets, in abandoned buildsings, with friends or with strangers. As a homeless youth they risk being abused in different ways. Some of the ways they get abused is psychical, sexual, substance abuse, and death. Every year there is approximatly 5,000 youth die that was unccompanied as a result of assult, illness, or suicide.
Homelessness can be a detrimental experience as a result of being exposed to constant stress and unpredictable weather. It may lead to families and individuals having to find a temporary refuge in an unsafe environment, or obtain food from resources that can be harmful. Individuals and families caught in these predicaments frequently are ineptitude in areas of housing stability, managing money skills, coping skills, and support systems which would be significant in helping them modify hardships. As a result, a vast proportion of homeless families, individuals, and children have been exposed to a variety of traumatic occurrences such as childhood abuse, domestic violence, combat-related trauma, sexual assault, and the like.
The issue of homelessness in America has been evident since the early 1600’s. Across the country men, women and children spend their nights on the streets not knowing when or if they will ever find a permanent home. States and federal officials or city councils have tried to alleviate or at least reduce the number of homeless over the last several decades at a city, state or national level but it continues to be an ongoing problem. There is a multitude of factors that account for the growing homeless population that affects each state in the country differently. Though there are many contributing factors that contribute to the amount of people living on the street at any given night in the U.S.
Increase the number of the free clinics that will provide some health issue. Homeless population are at risk for chronic illness making them vulnerable to volience and substance abuse. This population has limited access to resources; difficulty in essentials of daily living: food, clothing, shelter. Often these individual has an underlining mental health issues or substance abuse problems. They do not have support outside their homeless community.
It has been estimated that 38% of the homeless population suffers from alcoholism and 26% abuse drugs (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009). This compares to 15% and 8% in the general population (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2006). Alcohol and drugs are used in the homeless community in order to be able to cope with their situations as well as utilized to sleep, especially when the weather is cold. The priorities of these individuals are on survival, finding adequate food or shelter for the night.
Homelessness amongst the youth is a serious issue in America. Homeless youth, sometimes are referred to as unaccompanied youth. Unaccompanied youth are children and youth who are homeless and on their own that is not living with their families. This group includes runaway youth, youth whose parents encouraged them to leave or locked them out of their home, and independent youth from families where irreconcilable conflicts or loss of contact have made it impossible for them to return home ("Homeless Children and Youth," 2015).
CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS: POVERTY AND POOR PARENTING: Prolonged poverty affects a child personality development; poverty causes family dysfunction, stress among caregivers and inadequate parenting. Unemployment may have caused family poverty; some may inherit poverty because of being born into a particular family. Poverty causes family distress and affects the relationship between adults and which intend lead to less effective parenting that involves inadequate surveillance, lack of control over child’s behaviour, lack of warmth and support and inconsistency. DEATH OF PARENT OR GUARDIAN: