Bringing God's grace and healing love
to people with life-disrupting problems

Pip'n'Jay Church Magazine:
Helping the Homeless

The church meeting with Paul Hazelden of Crisis Centre Ministries on 1st July was well attended and I'm sure we all left, having learnt things we didn't know, but also very much aware that we need to know far more if we want to help homeless and vulnerable people in a responsible, Christian way.

Sheila McKay's report of the meeting:
Paul's starting point was with GOD and what God wants us to do, not with the human need - which is infinite.

Understanding Homelessness
He defined two classes of homelessness:

those of 'no fixed abode' - a large group staying in hostels, squats, bedsits, B&Bs, friends' floors - always on the move.
those sleeping rough - a small number whom we see in car parks, shop doorways, park benches, our churchyard!

Homeless people come from all walks of life. They can previously have been business people, doctors or armed-service personnel as well as those who have been excluded from school and been involved in petty or drug-related crime. Many come from broken families and have relationship problems or mental health problems. 95% have some sort of addiction, but the problem is not the drug itself, but the reason they are taking it. With homelessness, the external problems are easy to solve; the real problems are spiritual and until the reason for their homelessness is addressed, their homelessness will not be solved.

Policy
Paul stressed the importance of having a policy for responding to homeless people so we can be consistent and clear in what we can offer, and also to co-operate with other organisations. A structured policy provides protection by making decisions less personal and limiting the pressure that can be applied. e.g. if someone asks for money, we're not so vulnerable if we can say, "Sorry, I'm not allowed to do that".

Giving Money
Giving money is tempting, and an 'easy' option but Paul confirmed that most homeless people will spend money on alcohol or drugs, so this raises the moral question of:
How responsible are you for the consequences?
What if someone takes an overdose thanks to you?

He outlined two strategies used by homeless people to get help:

They ask for something small - and when they are offered it, they point out how little it will achieve and then tell you what they really need.
They ask for something big (maybe impossible) - and when you can't meet that need and feel guilty, they ask for something you are able to give them. e.g. you can't give them a bed for the night, so they ask for £5.

Times when you just can't help!
He reassured us that there are times when we just can't help at all. We will not be able to find a bed for them late at night; this needs to be sorted out by 9 in the morning! We then need to tell them in a kind and loving way that we cannot help them. We should always treat them with dignity and never promise anything if we are not certain that we can deliver it. They have been let down so many times in the past and their need is for human relationships in which they can trust. If they get violent, safety is the most important factor, so walk away!

Sources of Information
The need for good sources of information was obvious as the meeting progressed. Paul highlighted:

The Bristol Survival Guide, available from Caring at Christmas - a small pocket booklet useful to give to a homeless person wanting help or to keep as a handy reference source
Information and Fact sheets, available from Crisis Centre Ministries, 12 City Road, St Paul's or website: www.crisis-centre.org.uk
BCAN Homeless Forum www.bcan.org.uk (BCAN = Bristol Christian Action Network)
Volunteer Training, organised by BCAN and CCM. A new course will be starting in September and it involves 10 sessions over a year. Each session is available twice -either the second Wednesday evening of the month at 7.30 pm at Crisis Centre Ministries or the second Saturday morning of the month at Trinity Tabernacle.

As I wrote up this report, I accessed both websites which are clear and user-friendly (one links to the other) and I was able to print off sheets showing details of:
Accommodation for Homeless People in Bristol
Food for Homeless People in Bristol

I have put laminated copies of these sheets at the back of the church for easy reference. Please do not remove them! I also have photocopies. If you would like one, please ask.

So where do we go from here?
We need a small group of people in Pip 'n' Jay to:

gather information
write a policy
get some training

so that as a fellowship we will be able to respond with compassion when the vulnerable in Bristol ask for our help.

How will you respond?

Pip'n'Jay Church Magazine: Helping the Homeless

Pip'n'Jay Church Magazine:
Helping the Homeless