Why we're NOT a "Homeless" Charity.

A quick google of ‘homeless’ shows us the typical media representation of people living on the street.

When discussing Ben’s Centre - the work we do, the people we support, one word tends to come up again and again: homeless. It’s a word that people will often use to describe people that seem down and out, living on the streets. But there are many issues with the word homeless. For one, just because you don’t have a stable housing situation, doesn’t mean you have no home. Similarly, you might have a place to rest your head each night, but be hundreds of miles away from the place you’d call ‘home’. Further, many of the people Ben’s Centre supports do have homes. Some even with supportive networks of family and friends. Homeless works as a broad description, however, to be clear on the types of issues we provide support for, we need to be a bit more specific in the way we refer to our clients.

Another issue with the word homeless is what comes to mind when people hear it. Media representations of homeless people can create a lot of stigma; the first thing a lot of people think when you say homeless is a grubby looking man with mismatched clothes and a scraggly beard. Whilst a lot of our clients are men, and substance abuse & street life can make finding fresh clothes and access to hygiene facilities difficult, our clients are much more diverse than your standard TV show ‘hobo’. People can often also associate homeless with laziness or criminality - harmful stereotypes blame people for the situation they’re in. By using terms which are specific to an individual’s circumstances, we can provide a clearer understanding of the challenges they face and highlight the need for targeted support services i.e. damp centres.

In the Day Centre - A place clients can relax and enjoy themselves away from the chaos of the street.

When describing someone who’s living and sleeping without proper shelter - i.e. on the streets, in stairwells & under bridges, we use the term rough sleepers. Sleeping rough can be quite common for people struggling with substance misuse, as misuse can create barriers to staying in employment and maintaining relationships, making it more difficult to remain in stable housing. Living on the streets, substances are easily accessible, and can provide a quick way to numb feelings or make street life more comfortable. To describe someone who uses substances (particularly alcohol) whilst on the streets, we use the term street drinker.

Another phrase we frequently use to describe our clients is vulnerable people. It’s even in our tagline: A place of sanctuary for the vulnerable. Whilst this is just as broad (if not more) as homeless, it’s an easy accurate way to sum up what Ben’s Centre is about at its core - giving help to people that need it. Regardless of their history or current circumstances, all our clients are vulnerable. It doesn’t matter if that’s due to bad decisions in the past or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time - that is not for us to judge. So whilst many of our clients do face homelessness, we are not a “homeless charity” - we provide stable support to those vulnerable people affected by it.