The first time I had ever heard of the Calgary Street Talk newspaper, I was a student in the journalism program at Mount Royal College. The editor of the newspaper at that time had come to try and recruit new volunteer writers and I had selfishly thought that writing for Street Talk would be a great way to build a portfolio of my writing. I also liked the idea of being published in a newspaper that was not distributed exclusively on the campus. I decided to volunteer, but at the time I knew next to nothing about homelessness and even less about the issues that I would report on.
That was 12 years ago and it’s hard to believe the time has gone by so quickly. Writing in Calgary Street Talk literally changed my life and it also changed the way I see the world. When I first started with the paper I was given monthly assignments to write about local service agencies and programs that assist those who are experiencing poverty and homelessness. I learned about the incredible selflessness that many people in Calgary possess and how they give of their time and their resources to both feed the homeless and create housing options for those who need them. I saw a lot of great effort but I also saw a lot of duplication and gaps in the services that were offered. Over the years, I believe we’ve come a long way, as agencies have participated together in Calgary’s 10-year plan to end homelessness and worked toward a housing first model that is steadily being accepted. Yet, there is still more work left to do to reduce the service gaps and fine-tune the services so that clients receive the help they require.
While writing for Street Talk, I found out what it was like to personally know someone who has slipped through the cracks. I’ll never forget the day, as I was researching a story, when I came across a young man I had attended Sunday School with who was living on the streets. At that time, I had naïvely believed that homelessness was something that happened to other people. I’d believed it only happened to people who had quit on life or who had made terrible life choices and refused all help available. I’d never really understood that a person could become homeless even as they are doing the best they know how to do.
Sometimes, the cycle of homelessness where a person can’t get a job because they don’t have an address and they can’t get a place to live because they don’t have a job is all it takes to put a person on the streets. Other times, a set of circumstances far above and beyond anything I could ever imagine happening comes into play and homelessness becomes just one of the results. For people in these situations, being homeless is actually what keeps them from being able to address the real root issues. For example, you can’t easily overcome an addiction while living on the street when you are totally socially segregated amongst people battling similar issues and when alcohol and drugs are more accessible to you than food, milk or a stable place to sleep.
Yet, despite those factors I’ve also learned how resilient and strong the homeless can be. A few years ago I volunteered as a tutor in the Storefront 101 program. Storefront 101 was designed to foster a love of learning and a desire for social change among those living in poverty. Over four months, the participants completed a university-level course in the liberal arts taught by a professor from a local university. The purpose was to raise awareness on the social issues that cause homelessness and poverty and teach them how to become better self-advocates. As we worked together, I was impressed with the effort that many students put in. Despite the fact many were battling addictions and poverty while they were taking the course, almost all of them could be counted on to do the work required. By the end of the course, many could identify the problems they were facing and could also articulate a plan about how they intended to overcome it. It may not sound like a lot but being able to develop problem solving skills and implement them can sometimes be the difference between having a home and not having one.
Through my experience writing for the paper and through volunteering, I’ve learned that the little things make a huge difference. Smiling at a homeless person, being friendly to them and acknowledging their existence by not avoiding them are important ways to communicate that there is hope and that there are people who care. Donating to food banks, consignment stores and other agencies mandated to serve the homeless also helps in improving the situation for many. But, more importantly, it’s in spending the time volunteering directly with those who need the assistance that helps the most. There are many in our community who do a great deal more of this than I do and I appreciate their example and dedication.
For me, volunteering with Calgary Street Talk has been a life-enriching experience. I have learned so much about my community and about all the work that goes on right across this city to try and make it more inclusive, accessible and affordable for everyone. For many years, I’ve also had my own column to express my thoughts on homelessness, poverty and disability issues. I’d like to thank CUPS for that opportunity and my readers for listening to what I’ve had to say. Thanks for reading!
