Daniel has slept rough for many years. As his support worker got to know him better, it became clear why for Daniel his homelessness has a direct and complicated relationship to his past life experience.
‘The first time I met Daniel he was sitting on a busy pathway and my colleague made a brief introduction of him to me as his new support worker. He made brief eye contact in-between seeking eye contact with passers-by in the hope that they may dig in to their pockets. He had muddy marks on his face; an obvious symptom of sleeping rough, and it became apparent to me immediately that he was not looking after himself. My colleague told that he was excluded from various services which provide housing because he had some offences which meant he posed too much risk. He was barred from accessing other services for the same reasons; although he was never convicted of any offences relating to this alleged risk. This person in front of me who posed so many risks on many levels to many different people and I had the job of helping him make positive change in his life. Yet all the services that could help him had already excluded him. It wasn’t going to be an easy job.
I continuously had the full support of my manager, and it was always reinforced that no matter what limitations there were on the practical support, the emotional support and building a solid relationship with Daniel was always going to be the most important thing. In the months that Daniel and I have gotten to know one another we have talked about space, science fiction, religion, and cooking. I have learnt what interests Daniel and I have caught a glimpse of the things that motivate him.
The average person succumbs to mostly trivial adversities in life, whereas Daniel has dealt with some really hard hitting issues. He was subject to sexual abuse as a child, forced to take class A drugs, as well as dealing with bereavement of his loved ones. I have come to understand that the reason Daniel leads his lifestyle is because of the adversities he has suffered. Daniel uses heroin as it temporarily removes the pain. I learnt that Daniel is a very resilient individual who despite all the difficulties he has endured still has the same humanistic needs that a person who leads what we call a ‘normal life.’ One rainy day I met Daniel for a coffee and after a night of trying to stay asleep in a wet tent he said that the only thing that could make him feel better would be a hug from his mum. This went beyond what Daniel shows on the surface and the stereotypes that may be held of people in his situation.
Daniel has been sleeping behind some shops in an area which is not accessible by the public, but he is on the receiving end of regular dispersal notices from the police; if being homeless is a crime then Daniel needs to be convicted in the highest court of the land. One afternoon I had a discussion with Daniel about this and he said that he could find a warmer place to sleep where he has more shelter, but he can’t move out of the city centre as it gives him protection. CCTV is a means of enforcement too and makes people who beg in the city centre the subject of dispersal notices; but for Daniel it also provides protection. Due to past experiences, Daniel feels safest when he is under the watchful eye of the law. For Daniel, this is a confused and emotionally fuelled belief. If someone chooses to give him money that is fine, but it is also fine if they walk straight past him, he is not an aggressive person and despite being a street homeless heroin addict he firmly believes that harming others to meet his own needs is morally unjust. It is not often someone in a situation as desperate as Daniel’s, is considerate of how they affect others.
It is only through the platform of Simon on the Streets that I have had the countless opportunities to build the necessary rapport with Daniel to be able to understand his situation. In supporting Daniel I have built up a quality relationship and defeated those judgmental perceptions I had initially. Along the way some mainstream services have also come to see Daniel from the person he actually is without looking only at the risks he poses on the surface.