Better Days Ahead: “Telling” Stories: from The Streets
People experiencing homelessness can’t be boxed into a few stereotypes; they’re as diverse and deserving of our love and support as anyone else. And the best way to help is to start by making eye contact and listening to their story.
It’s a sobering adventure getting to know people on the street. You quickly realize that the issue of homelessness is quite complex, everyone is in a unique situation, and everyone thinks differently about their situation. Each individual story will serve as a bittersweet reminder that we have little to no grasp on the sheer depth of an issue that many of us thought to be well understood.
The thought may cross your mind that maybe it’s those of us who live in the way society has prescribed with a job, a car, and an apartment or house, that are bothered by homelessness because it doesn’t fit neatly into the picture we have in our minds of how someone should live. If people are fine living on the streets maybe some of us need to be more ok with it.
That being said it’s reasonable to believe that deep down no one wants to sleep beneath an underpass and beg for food. That everyone is entitled to have their basic needs met and that we should be doing much more than we currently are to provide food, shelter, healthcare, education, and opportunity to all those who want it. There’s no silver bullet for homelessness but no effort to help goes unnoticed. Sometimes even a simple conversation can brighten someone’s day. But what if went beyond that simple conversation by listening closely to their stories and amplifying their voices “for good”?
Let’s Listen to the Streets | Interviewing the Homeless
Sharing the stories of the world’s homeless is essential in reshaping the way our society views the issue of homelessness. Beyond that, forming personal connections and hearing the stories of struggling strangers is an incredible and mutually beneficial experience. Which is why we’ve embarked on a journey to compile stories from the street to include in our “for good” vs for-profit Book Anthology: UNSHELTERED: VOICES FROM THE STREET. But we need your storytelling help when it comes to gathering stories from the street.
Help Wanted: Story Gathering with Care
While we’re seeking help across the globe to gather stories directly from the street, we want you to do it with care for your sake and that of the homeless people you encounter. First and foremost, for safety purposes, do not approach strangers on the street. Instead, reach out to local shelters in your area to let them know about our MISSION below and your interest in interviewing some of their residents.
Our quest is to rally our collective talent and resources to materially amplify the voices and visibility of the unsheltered population while breaking down the stigma associated with homelessness. We listen, gather, and share their stories. We change the world by changing the narrative, one person, one story, one day at a time.
It’s important to remember to respect the privacy of both the people working in the shelter and the residents. Be sure you have full permission from both the shelter and the interviewee to record the discussion and photograph the subject before proceeding forward with an interview. If the homeless people you encounter do not wish to be photographed or to share their names, do not fret! ‘Anonymous’ interviews can be just as heartfelt and eye-opening. Always remember that these people are in the midst of facing incredible hardships; empathy and understanding on your behalf are absolutely essential!
Your Approach Matters
These discussions can be a nerve-wracking, emotional process for both parties. After all, your goal is to encourage people in great distress to open up about their outstanding struggles to a complete stranger. Some people are more than happy to share while others may be more reserved. You need to be willing to dive outside of your comfort zone while being careful not to force them to leave theirs. We’ve put together our special guide below to provide you with two distinct story-gathering approaches, along with Tips and a selection of prospective Questions to ask:
Be mindful of your body language and eye contact. Provide them with your undivided attention. They deserve it. Just because life’s hardships are essential to discuss, doesn’t mean they are easy to share. A list of questions is helpful, but not required (see our Guide above for two different Interview approaches. The goal is to use their answers as jumping-off points to guide the direction of the discussion. Look for the story behind the philosophy and the philosophy behind the story, always. Focus on building a bond and never be afraid to ask the tough questions and dig deep.
With their permission, snap a photo when the interview is complete. Thank them for their time and demonstrate your full appreciation for telling their story. And don’t forget to provide them with some food and/or a donation. When you’re back home, transcribe the recorded interview and remove filler content that you feel takes away from the story. Be careful when paraphrasing to maintain accuracy and avoid reframing the context of their words! And when it’s time to send your story to us here, so we can begin the process of review/editing/final approval for inclusion in our special Anthology Book:
It’s time to close the gap between public perception and reality. We aim to foster the realization that there is more to homelessness than being homeless by creating an emotional bridge between readers and the struggling strangers they walk past every day.
While each individual story aims to humanize the homeless through emotional connection, the compilation of stories will serve as a testament to the sheer diversity of the homeless population. These are stories that want to be told and need to be heard. And along the way, these are the stories that will debunk the myths about homelessness, while changing the narrative “for good”.
Originally Published on https://www.bizcatalyst360.com/author/dennisjpitocco/
