Leaning against the wall of Central bank, bearded and rugged, Darren
depicts an almost stereotypical figure. His jeans are ripped. He wears
gloves but no hat. He likes listening to Aslan and his favorite movie
is the Shawshank Redemption a film based on being institutionalised in
the hope of salvation.

But ironically unlike the four walls of an institution, Darren is
homeless. He feels that today’s society hands him no option to redeem
himself.

On the outside, he seems an intelligent young man, whose interests seem
painfully normal. On the inside, an angry resentful man estranged from
his family, these are harsh facts that explain his situation- he has no
home to go to and nobody to help him.

It is very hard for someone who has a warm, safe home to try to even
contemplate what it must be like to be really homeless. But for over
5,000 people living on Irish streets and emergency hostels, this is the
harsh reality they face day in day out.

For the young, this can be a very dangerous transition. That’s why
Focus Ireland has tailored campaigns towards the help of children and
young people. “We provide one on one key working and hostel
accommodation for young people and we offer childcare for families who
are homeless.”

In reality being without a home means not having shelter or a place
where you can feel settled. “It means not having a place where you can
be yourself.” It means not having your own bed, clothes or furniture,
or somewhere safe to keep things that are important to you. If you have
children it means not having anywhere for them to play.

In 2002, a count held identified 1,140 children as homeless in Ireland.
Imagine what it would be like if you couldn’t go home every night.
Where would you wash? Where would you sleep?

“It’s really that sense of having your own place, being able to lock the door behind you” describes Darren.

So who is homeless and why? Homelessness is usually caused by the
experience of some form of personal crisis — many people wind up in
their situation due to violence, sexual abuse or alcohol and drug abuse
within their home. Family breakdowns, financial crisis or the death of
partner can also play a major part.

“I know loads of people who are on
the streets and the way they have to live is inhuman. I drink. It is
because at night time you need the drink so it will knock you out. It’s
hard for people who have safe homes and families to imagine what it’s
like. I’m even counting the days to Christmas, because it’s depressing
me what I’m even going to that day,” says Darren.

It’s funny how it takes harsh cold weather or something bad to happen
to us within our own lives before we reflect upon the misfortunate.
Let’s be honest, how many of us enjoy the security associated with a
warm bed against the howling wind and the perfect storm? Now imagine
what it must be like for the people lining our streets, cold, and
miserable.

This Christmas we see focus Ireland taking action with the launch of a
national TV and radio campaign. The campaign will support their efforts
to galvanise a greater political support and more important some well
needed public awareness in the hope to breakdown stereotypes associated
with homelessness.

Some people argue homeless people are homeless by choice. That the
money they make begging, or what is known as ‘tapping’, results in them
being ‘better off’ on the street. This has to be seen as nothing but an
absolute fallacy to say that anyone chooses to be homeless.

What’s shocking is the reality that once you are homeless, it’s
virtually impossible for people to get the help and support they need
to rebuild their lives. This problem will continue to snowball until
more is actually done to help those who end up in this dangerous and
out of control situation.

In fact it is us, the Irish society that helps to make this choice. Our
failure to eliminate homelessness in the second richest country in the
world (based on GDP per head) is nothing short of a scandal.

Homelessness and housing lists both doubled during the Celtic tiger
years when this country had more money than we knew what to do with it.
While economic growth in Ireland has created rising income for some,
the overwhelming numbers of people in contact with homeless
organisations are financially destitute.

The public’s usual reaction is one of two very strong feelings, ‘Why
should people help, when families have their own mortgages to look
after’, or ‘Homelessness is a government issue’. The opposite response
is people strongly feel “Charity starts at home, and who better to help
than your fellow Irish man”.

However the general public response to helping the Irish homeless is
usually a positive one. How many of us have walked passed a homeless
person and dropped a small bit of change into their cup?

A home is definitely not just about a roof and bricks. It is about the
right to live with dignity and to participate within your community. It
is the most extreme form of social exclusion.

People who are homeless are also poets, actors, scientists, trades
people, musicians, parents and friends. Not having a home denies them
the opportunity to be who they are, and Irish society is poorer as a
result.

- Aisling Hearne