Homelessness in Canada Essay -- Social Work

Throughout this paper I will be discussing the issue of homelessness and how it is steadily becoming a more serious problem as time progresses. I will discuss issues that surround homelessness such as the NIMBY, not in my backyard, issue and how it is causing the homeless to not receive the help that they need. This is an issue that needs to change, but due to NIMBYism, it is very difficult create such change. â€Å"One diverse population that has continued to increase over the quarter of a century is composed of people who are homeless† (Baggerly & Zalaquett, 2006, p.155). Homelessness has become a growing problem in society because more and more people are finding themselves to be homeless and not knowing where to turn. Many people do not feel the need to help them and carry the ‘not in my backyard’ attitude, and due to this attitude, there are not enough homeless shelters around to provide shelter or food for those in need. Many neighborhoods refuse to have a shelter built in their community because they simply do not want the homeless in their neighborhood. â€Å"It [appears] that NIMBYism was based on the unwarranted fears and prejudices of a neighborhood† (Gilbert, 1993, p.7), and some of these fears and prejudices are pressed upon the homeless. The negative views that society has upon them create barriers as to where a shelter should be located, and also l essen the urgency to make them. If less people in society carried these negative views, the easier the issue of homelessness would be to deal with. Change could finally happen because more people would want to fight for that change. Due to ‘NIMBYism’, society as a whole causes the issue of homelessness to be a less serious case to deal with simply because not enough people h... ...nment would start putting more money into funding that would support this cause, instead of making it even more difficult for someone to help themselves. Works Cited Baggerly, J., & Zalaquett, C. (2006). A Descriptive Study of Single Adults in Homeless Shelters: Increasing Counselors' Knowledge and Social Action. Journal of Multicultural Counseling & Development, 34(3), 155-167. Retrieved from SocINDEX with Full Text database. Gilbert, D. (1993). Not in My Backyard. Social Work, 38(1), 7-8. Retrieved from SocINDEX with Full Text database. Homan, M.S. (2008). Promoting Community Change: Making it happen in the real world. (5th Ed.). Belmont, CA. Nelson Education, LTD. Rahder, B. (2006). The Crisis of Women's Homelessness in Canada. Women & Environments International Magazine, (70/71), 38-39. Retrieved from SocINDEX with Full Text database.