Beggars, homeless, street drinkers & drug users in Sheffield!

[Puggie]

It is sad. But what's the solution?

 

The solutions are difficult to swallow politically. Many jurisdictions are seeing positive outcomes by breaking away from the US/UK approach to the problem.

 

If you haven't already please watch the video [

].

[monkey104]

It is common knowledge that the majority of so called homeless in the city centre are not homeless, most of them have social housing flats around the corner on Victoria street.

Take a look around town on a Friday/Saturday night and see how many ' homeless' are scamming drunken students or vulnerable drunks for a few quid.

Then have a look after the drunks have gone home and see how many are still there sleeping rough.

There are obviously a couple of genuine homeless people but the majority are jhost scammers with 'social issues' for want of a better word.

[sgtkate]

It is sad. But what's the solution? Hostels? Many of them won't accept people under the influence of drink and drugs. A tenancy? That means benefits have to be spent on rent, council tax, water etc. Not everyone is able to cope with what most of us are used to. It is obvious though that not everyone can access the mental health or social services they need.

 

The majority of families support each other, if adult children fall on hard times parents step up and vice versa. But that's not the case for all, or for those with no families.

 

Like many solutions, no one thing will work for everyone. It's a case of trying to find the reasons for the homelessness, the ones for whom simply giving them a stable place to live will almost certainly already have that, so the focus needs to switch to why can't the others be helped in the same way? For many it's going to be a case of mental health issues and addictions that stop them (many through absolutely no fault of their own) being able to function how the rest of us do, paying bills on time, cooking food etc. It's these people who we need creative solutions for on their terms and not ours, and the way to get those solutions is to start by asking them what they want. It might not be possible to sort every person out as life isn't like that, but it might help to stop the problem for the next generation if we start to fully understand what makes someone end up in that situation. Noone WANTS to be an addict and noone WANTS to be homeless.

[Stranza]

The beggars or tramps or homeless or rough sleepers or addicts aren't some new species.

 

They are Us too many people assume it's got to be some fault of the person that they end up on the streets self medicating.

 

It's easier to blame people at their lowest ebb, they rarely argue back.

 

The most vulnerable becoming even more vulnerable through addiction but instead of society protecting them we condemn and criticise.

It's blatant that they aren't living it up on champagne and canapes but to read some responses you could be mistaken to think that.

[sgtkate]

It is common knowledge that the majority of so called homeless in the city centre are not homeless, most of them have social housing flats around the corner on Victoria street.

Take a look around town on a Friday/Saturday night and see how many ' homeless' are scamming drunken students or vulnerable drunks for a few quid.

Then have a look after the drunks have gone home and see how many are still there sleeping rough.

There are obviously a couple of genuine homeless people but the majority are jhost scammers with 'social issues' for want of a better word.

 

There are only a few people who sleep on the streets that is correct, but many sleep in bin stores behind West Street and Division Street. Even looking at ones who do have a place to stay, the accommodation you refer to are not stable and are allocated on a night by night basis meaning they have no where to leave any items, get post sent or start to register officially on government systems to get help to help themselves. This is one of the first things I'd fix, that people of no fixed abode can get access to a free registered address or mailbox that allows them to apply for anything that requires an address. That would make some of these people a part of the system not outside it, and that in itself fixes a lot of the problems.

 

And all of the people saying that begging must be easy work, off you go then and let us know how much money you manage to make in a day and how many times you get kicked and spat on or insulted.

[monkey104]

There are only a few people who sleep on the streets that is correct, but many sleep in bin stores behind West Street and Division Street. Even looking at ones who do have a place to stay, the accommodation you refer to are not stable and are allocated on a night by night basis meaning they have no where to leave any items, get post sent or start to register officially on government systems to get help to help themselves. This is one of the first things I'd fix, that people of no fixed abode can get access to a free registered address or mailbox that allows them to apply for anything that requires an address. That would make some of these people a part of the system not outside it, and that in itself fixes a lot of the problems.

 

And all of the people saying that begging must be easy work, off you go then and let us know how much money you manage to make in a day and how many times you get kicked and spat on or insulted.

 

Hi Sgtkate, the accommodation I mention on Victoria's Street are studio apartments allocated on a permanent basis and also further down the road on the right.

Quite a few of the street drinkers et al are based there and also on Westfield terrace.

[sgtkate]

Hi Sgtkate, the accommodation I mention on Victoria's Street are studio apartments allocated on a permanent basis and also further down the road on the right.

Quite a few of the street drinkers et al are based there and also on Westfield terrace.

 

Apologies, for some reason I thought your were referring the Salvation Army place off Charter Row.

[Anna B]

The beggars or tramps or homeless or rough sleepers or addicts aren't some new species.

 

They are Us too many people assume it's got to be some fault of the person that they end up on the streets self medicating.

 

It's easier to blame people at their lowest ebb, they rarely argue back.

 

The most vulnerable becoming even more vulnerable through addiction but instead of society protecting them we condemn and criticise.

It's blatant that they aren't living it up on champagne and canapes but to read some responses you could be mistaken to think that.

 

Well said.

[The Manager]

not read all this thread but its hard to know who are homeless and who are conning you . I know a friend who came across one at (Morrisons Hillsborough) felt sorry for him bought him a Hot drink and sandwich in the morning . late on in afternoon saw the begger again only for him to get up off floor walk towards a van and drive off .

 

On another note they are some genuine ones out there as well .

[Mister M]

not read all this thread but its hard to know who are homeless and who are conning you . I know a friend who came across one at (Morrisons Hillsborough) felt sorry for him bought him a Hot drink and sandwich in the morning . late on in afternoon saw the begger again only for him to get up off floor walk towards a van and drive off .

 

On another note they are some genuine ones out there as well .

 

To be honest it's something that puts me off giving. Those who feign homelessness are doing a disservice to those who are destitute, and those who are destitute need every bit of support and help available. Like you I've seen people who are begging on the street only to drive off in a car they had parked in an alleyway near where I live.

 

I don't know what the answer is. I'm certain that if people were aware of who was genuinely in need, then people would be more forthcoming in offering help.