Fiat500 Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 Try telling people that 99 per cent of people begging aren't homeless, show them the facts, the figures, the views from experts.....they still don't don't want to update their views. It's a very odd one, and I can't work out why people are so unwilling to listen to experts in this area..... I am no expert but I do have views. A few years back i used to walk past the same 'homeless' 'street beggar' young man he even had a sign to say 'homeless'. One day he was talking to someone with bags of shopping and said "drop it at our house and pick it up later". He then got out his mobile and told his girlfriend to expect visitor. You can guess my views especially when his mobile was newer than mine. I am not saying they are all the same some may be genuine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paula4sheff Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 I am no expert but I do have views. A few years back i used to walk past the same 'homeless' 'street beggar' young man he even had a sign to say 'homeless'. One day he was talking to someone with bags of shopping and said "drop it at our house and pick it up later". He then got out his mobile and told his girlfriend to expect visitor. You can guess my views especially when his mobile was newer than mine. I am not saying they are all the same some may be genuine. Most are not genuine 'homeless'. But do have drug/alcohol problems - and need support in that way. Giving an alcoholic/drug addict money for alcohol/drugs is obviously a terrible idea....yet people don't want to see it that way. They prefer to think of them 'just trying to get a hot drink' or 'just trying to get a room for the night' - notions which are almost quaint in their simplicity. Give money to beggars....it goes to drug dealers. People might as well give their money directly to the guy saying crack/spice on the corner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longcol Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 (edited) Try telling people that 99 per cent of people begging aren't homeless, show them the facts, the figures, the views from experts.....they still don't don't want to update their views. It's a very odd one, and I can't work out why people are so unwilling to listen to experts in this area..... A link to facts and figures provided by experts in the subject would be most welcome. Edited July 20, 2018 by Longcol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paula4sheff Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 A link to facts and figures provided by experts in the subject would be most welcome. Oh...there's too many to mention again. Loads in this thread alone. Have a read through, or look at what any charity says. You'll never find anyone that works in that 'sector' (for want of a better word) saying other than 'please don't give money'. Here's one point of view though, from a Big Issue seller in Sheffield that's recent, and interesting. https://www.jusnews.net/there-is-no-such-thing-as-homelessness-in-sheffield-says-a-citys-big-issue-vendor/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiat500 Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 Most are not genuine 'homeless'. But do have drug/alcohol problems - and need support in that way. Giving an alcoholic/drug addict money for alcohol/drugs is obviously a terrible idea....yet people don't want to see it that way. They prefer to think of them 'just trying to get a hot drink' or 'just trying to get a room for the night' - notions which are almost quaint in their simplicity. Give money to beggars....it goes to drug dealers. People might as well give their money directly to the guy saying crack/spice on the corner. I totally agree, having dealt with a family member with drink problems we realised if we gave money to help out with a debt or to buy food it went straight onto drink. We were given expert advise "do not give money". We supported by finding help for them. This young man on the streets I was talking about also had a girlfriend, they used to swap locations during day therefore they were both begging. One of my managers ,feeling sorry for him, used to regularly give him money until I told her what I had heard. She then started giving him a Yogurt or a drink. She stopped this when she saw how he just left the cartons on the floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dacrlit Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 Yes believe so, and I have bought it before, but it's £3 now and full of crap. It always has been, never mind what the price. ---------- Post added 20-07-2018 at 17:29 ---------- I saw Beggars today in Rotherham, I didn't feel intimated, but I did when they were packs of Asian Teenagers roaming around. The first person to say, OH YOU SHOULDN'T SAY THAT, have a free Chocolate Bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longcol Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 Oh...there's too many to mention again. Loads in this thread alone. Have a read through, or look at what any charity says. You'll never find anyone that works in that 'sector' (for want of a better word) saying other than 'please don't give money'. Here's one point of view though, from a Big Issue seller in Sheffield that's recent, and interesting. https://www.jusnews.net/there-is-no-such-thing-as-homelessness-in-sheffield-says-a-citys-big-issue-vendor/ Yes - Ben Keegan's comments "25 street sleepers" are far more accurate than those of Aaron Rooke "homelessness cannot exist". And did he really buy a flat in Low Edges after two years of being homeless? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paula4sheff Posted July 20, 2018 Share Posted July 20, 2018 Yes - Ben Keegan's comments "25 street sleepers" are far more accurate than those of Aaron Rooke "homelessness cannot exist". And did he really buy a flat in Low Edges after two years of being homeless? Who knows? His comments ate broadly accurate though regarding the way the system works in Sheffield to get people off the streets. There are very few homeless people in the city. Those that are are usually there by choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna B Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 A lot of the people on the street have mental health issues, and there's virtually no help for them. They simply can't cope with life. What happened to 'care in the community' that was promised when they shut the old mental hospitals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longcol Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 Who knows? His comments ate broadly accurate though regarding the way the system works in Sheffield to get people off the streets. There are very few homeless people in the city. Those that are are usually there by choice. No. I don't think you understand homelessness at all - they may be "choosing" between being exploited / bullied / robbed / raped by other users in a hostel and taking their chance on the streets. Some choice. ---------- Post added 21-07-2018 at 01:59 ---------- A lot of the people on the street have mental health issues, and there's virtually no help for them. They simply can't cope with life. What happened to 'care in the community' that was promised when they shut the old mental hospitals? Back in the late 80's early 90's "Care in the Community" was a bus ticket from Middlewood to town. Various charities and Housing Associations eg Mencap, MIND, Sheffield Hostels, SYHA, Arches etc etc tried their best. There was absolutely no funding available beyond some dedicated people in "board and lodge" stretching housing benefit regs to their absolute limit - this, along with Hostel Deficit Grant to Housing Associations provided a hotch potch of support - and it happened nationally (this eventually led to the national Supporting People Grant in 2003 - since slashed) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supporting_People Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now