Bshs 442 - Advocacy with Specific Population

Advocacy with Specific Population

BSHS 442

Dr. Elizabeth Thompson

Advocacy with Specific Population

In this case, the target population is the homeless people. The first thing to determine is how to locate these people or families in available shelters so they can establish a routine. We can start by routing these people to have a healthy life; this is getting a better quality of life and healthy.  This article also aims to encourage people to take action on this, to assume a position of guardianship and protect this population, who lack full capacity to assert their own rights.  

The number of people who roam the streets of our countries is increasing. People mostly have problems with addiction to drugs or alcohol, are physically disabled, immigrants, AIDS patients, and elderly people, without sufficient income or devoid of economic aid. Moreover, they are human beings who have fallen into that lifestyle family problems, depression, unemployment and economic problems, among others, and live on charity.  

Empowerment is a vital part in this process. Empowerment aims to use specific strategies to reduce, eliminate, combat and reverse negative valuations by powerful groups in society affecting certain individuals and social groups (Payne, 1997). Advocacy for the homeless help them to meet their goals, educate them about all the support available for them and how to get transportation and also offer different places of temporary housing, but even more so by laws that give them access to such aid.  

The barriers that stand in the way of these people are innumerable either because of their appearance, the form they dress or because they have some kind of disease. Another barrier that we cannot forget is that the majority do not have the economic stability to make those changes in order to achieve what is necessary, which is why it is so important advocate for the homeless. These barriers can only be demolished with proper guidance and direction to meet all these goals.  Some of the organizations responsible for helping the homeless population are:

        The Homeless Planning Council which advocates for services for the homeless, as well as funding and other needs of the homeless service providers. They work with other advocacy organizations so that there is one voice speaking for the homeless population in Delaware (Homeless Planning Council of Delaware, 2013).  

        The Sunday Breakfast Mission shelter for more than 280 homeless men, women, and children nightly.  Long-term substance abuse programming for 90 homeless and addicted men and women.  Community meals for over 200 men, women, boys and girls nightly as well as food boxes for over two hundred needy families monthly, breakfasts for homeless men and lunch for program people (Sunday Breakfast Mission, 2013).