Madam, - John Downes reported on the dire experiences of Dublin's homeless as recorded on film by the Dublin Homeless Focus Group (August 13th).
This is a helpful report in bringing to the fore the plight of people sleeping rough on our streets. The dignity that has been stripped away from the homeless has, in part, been given back to them through the grassroots work of this Focus Group which gave them the opportunity to articulate experiences and solutions in their own words. All too often in devising solutions to social problems we fail to involve those who experience the problem. The video and consequent formation of a Focus Group, that involves homeless people themselves, allows agencies dealing with the homeless issue to hear and take account of the views of homeless people. The question is - will they rise to this challenge?
The report was, however, misleading on the origin of the Homeless Focus Group. To clarify, the Focus Group is part of the City Community Forum, which in turn operates under the auspices of Dublin City Development Board. The Community Forum represents the community and voluntary sector in the city. The establishment of the Homeless Focus Group has helped increase the awareness of communities about the reality of homelessness and has helped homeless people appreciate the concerns of local groups. The strategy for development in the city prepared by the City Development Board (www.dublin.ie) includes a chapter on creating a city of homes and this requires that everyone has not just shelter but the supportive environment of a home and a community.
Only in such a context can we effectively tackle the complex issue of homelessness by addressing the root causes of why individuals become alienated from society in a way that removes their access to a home. - Yours, etc.,
EIMEAR MURPHY, Research and Communications Officer, Dublin City Development Board, Wood Quay, Dublin 8.