Uniformity Of The Shelter System.
For discussion:
Aside from the enormous risks and damage governmental budget cuts foster, one big problem across Canada is the patchwork way adult homeless shelters are managed. Minimal standards could negate much of the property theft, corruption, psychological abuse, religious proselytization, and inadequate staying times. I propose these basic criteria:
-All shelters maintain private lockers and afford some measure of privacy using cubicles, especially for the growing number of employed homeless.
-All shelters allow minimum two weeks stay for transients to heal from road rigours, two months plus for those wanting to join that local community, giving them time to replace lost ID, do paperwork, etc.
-Keep religious observances out of stay requirements.
-All shelters provide good meals, keep facilities clean, maintain comfortable beds, allow for a reasonable curfew by not forcing clients to sign in early, provide city maps, local info, transit bus tickets, and maintain good relationships with other relevant local social service entities.
IN WHOSE INTEREST HAS IT BEEN OVER THE LAST DECADE TO KEEP POOR FOLKS PSYCHOLOGICALLY, FINANCIALLY, AND PHYSICALLY "OFF-BALANCE"?
right on, man...i totally agree wit ya!!
Thanx peach, guidelines came from experience of a myriad of places...and liked your nicely written poetry over on your blog.
I agree that hostels are in serious need of revamping. They no longer even do the job they were designed to--which was emergency crashing.
Now they've become an overpriced, over-psychologized form of pseudo-housing that makes the government and social services look as if they're providing a needed service when 90% of the time the problem is long-term housing needs--not a quick fix overpriced crash bed.
_______________________________
[Dr. Franklin tells Ivanova about Garibaldi's coma.]
Susan Ivanova: Well then, I'll say a prayer for him tonight.
Stephen Franklin: He's agnostic.
Susan Ivanova: Then I'll say half a prayer.