There is someone homeless on the street...

Soldato
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There is a dude that sleeps in a doorway near my work who is quite obviously not a chancer - he doesn't want to change his lifestyle though
 
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Soldato
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There's a danger in giving to make yourself feel better.

Lots of people give money to feel better. That's exactly why the majority of charity adverts do their very best to make you feel absolutely **** so that you can give money and make the bad feels go away. A turtle wrapped in plastic. A starving child standing crying. People dipping into a puddle of muddy water. A dog cowering in a corner, wet and terrified. Etc etc.
 
Soldato
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*sigh* - you help because their vulnerable individuals and you are an otherwise functioning individual with spare resources to more than survive.

Such a Tory sounding attitude.

Did you even consider the mental stress of people homeless? Truly homeless I mean and without hope .....have you ever been in that position? Do you think you would handle it perfectly with a clear mind ? Or would you be human and seek comfort or feeling better?.....

And how does me giving them money to buy drugs/drink actually help them?

Give money to charities - that will help them.
 
Don
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Once again ocuk’s attitude to poor people shines through.

Not sure that's fair

I have friends that work hard and struggle to make ends meet but do the best they can and I have a lot of respect for them, while it probably would be patronising to help with bills etc and more than one occasion (different people) I have given them money on condition they use it for a night out or a treat for the family
 
Soldato
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Not sure that's fair

I have friends that work hard and struggle to make ends meet but do the best they can and I have a lot of respect for them, while it probably would be patronising to help with bills etc and more than one occasion (different people) I have given them money on condition they use it for a night out or a treat for the family

Agreed. I go biking with one of my best mates, and as the organiser out of the two I end up booking Eurotunnel and accommodation. We normally taken turns for paying for fuel and rounds of drinks etc, but I never ask for the cost of the travel and the accommodation. We talk about it, and he's fine, but I earn four or five times more than him and the cost for him means far more than it does to me. I don't mind though - he's 15 years younger then me and when I retire I imagine that the situation will be reversed!
 
Man of Honour
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As per Steve Hughes video is the impression I get of people on here from what they write...... give homeless people cash and food, don’t give it to registered charities who take a 50% cut to pay their ceo 250 grand a year. Homeless people are human as well and never choose to be in that position !

I'd always advocate being selective about charities you give to but not all are bad and there aren't a lot of people who have the skillset and experience to efficiently run a charity and prepared to take a significantly below industry average pay cut.

I used to work for a company that provided business solutions to primarily charities and seen first hand the different sides of that one and it has made me very wary of charities.

I doubt even half the "homeless" in the town I just moved from were genuine homeless - a few years back the council had a crackdown and claimed only 1 in 4 were genuine and while I can't find the news report quickly a quick google turned up a few similar reports from councils in other towns.
 
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some can't help it for mental health reasons but most could get a job it they wanted to.

.

And where are they getting a suit or presentable clothing from? A good nights sleep to turn up at interview looking half decent?

How many employers have you had whose first question on the application is your name and address? Do you think the postman will deliver any correspondence to the doorway beside Gregg's ?

I've worked as a detached youth worker dealing with young people on the streets up to age 21. Not one of them were there through choice, not one of them were work shy, not one of them didn't want a home and a job and a life.
 
Soldato
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Recently on a night out I was walking for a taxi and there was a homeless man in the doorway of the shop next to the kebab house, I nipped in and bought him a burger and chips and then gave him £2 for a hot drink, I did it because I have empathy for my fellow man, admittedly I did feel good about it after but I didn't do it for that, I did it because the bar I'd spent most of my night in charged £5.50 a pint and the burger and chips were only £5 so effectively it meant I had 1 less pint so really in the grand scheme of things I hadn't missed out.

Whilst we were living London I frequently bought a bacon butty and coffee from subway for a guy who I walked past and whilst working in Sheffield I would 'lay' a coffee on for the Big Issue seller so when he had a break he could go and sit in the cafe for 10 minutes and have a warm drink, I didn't do this for personal accolade but because sometimes people are worse off than me and although I'm not rich by any stretch of the imagination I do have a roof over my head and regular meals.

Only yesterday did I nip to our local charity and drop off a load of mens/womens underwear and socks me and the wife had bought from Primark (the lady I spoke said they were absolutely desperate for sanitary products for women so they're next on the shopping list) and on Xmas day we go to a church and volunteer to help give the local homeless and vulnerable a Xmas meal, this is not because I'm a church go'er (I actually hate religion and think personally it's legalised brainwashing) but because I have spare time on Xmas day and some people actually don't really have anybody at all.

This is actually the first time I've sat and listed the things me and the wife do and whilst it's not a huge amount it's a help to people, I don't shout from the rooftops and most of my friends don't know about the stuff we do (they know about Xmas because we collect donations from anyone who wishes to) as I said I don't do it for personal accolade but because we both have empathy (my wife was really upset we couldn't go to help one Xmas because she'd had an operation on her ankle and couldn't walk) and like to help.

Yes I know some of them are on drugs/alcoholics but tbh if I was waking up in the morning on the street I would want something to help the day along, many of the homeless are actually vets who after being 'broken' in conflicts cannot function back in normal life, they have been failed by various governments ever since we started sending people to war, during WWI we executed soldiers for cowardice when they were suffering from shellshock which is now widely accepted as PTSD and is something we as a society should try and force a change through, it's absolutely ridiculous that charity's like Help for Heroes need to exist in the 1st place.

I have a feeling as this is GD that I'm going to get ripped apart for this post but I don't care, I do what I can and will continue to do so and yes I could probably do more but I do a bit and my bit is a hell of a lot more than some people.
 
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Recently on a night out I was walking for a taxi and there was a homeless man in the doorway of the shop next to the kebab house, I nipped in and bought him a burger and chips and then gave him £2 for a hot drink, I did it because I have empathy for my fellow man, admittedly I did feel good about it after but I didn't do it for that, I did it because the bar I'd spent most of my night in charged £5.50 a pint and the burger and chips were only £5 so effectively it meant I had 1 less pint so really in the grand scheme of things I hadn't missed out.

Whilst we were living London I frequently bought a bacon butty and coffee from subway for a guy who I walked past and whilst working in Sheffield I would 'lay' a coffee on for the Big Issue seller so when he had a break he could go and sit in the cafe for 10 minutes and have a warm drink, I didn't do this for personal accolade but because sometimes people are worse off than me and although I'm not rich by any stretch of the imagination I do have a roof over my head and regular meals.

Only yesterday did I nip to our local charity and drop off a load of mens/womens underwear and socks me and the wife had bought from Primark (the lady I spoke said they were absolutely desperate for sanitary products for women so they're next on the shopping list) and on Xmas day we go to a church and volunteer to help give the local homeless and vulnerable a Xmas meal, this is not because I'm a church go'er (I actually hate religion and think personally it's legalised brainwashing) but because I have spare time on Xmas day and some people actually don't really have anybody at all.

This is actually the first time I've sat and listed the things me and the wife do and whilst it's not a huge amount it's a help to people, I don't shout from the rooftops and most of my friends don't know about the stuff we do (they know about Xmas because we collect donations from anyone who wishes to) as I said I don't do it for personal accolade but because we both have empathy (my wife was really upset we couldn't go to help one Xmas because she'd had an operation on her ankle and couldn't walk) and like to help.

Yes I know some of them are on drugs/alcoholics but tbh if I was waking up in the morning on the street I would want something to help the day along, many of the homeless are actually vets who after being 'broken' in conflicts cannot function back in normal life, they have been failed by various governments ever since we started sending people to war, during WWI we executed soldiers for cowardice when they were suffering from shellshock which is now widely accepted as PTSD and is something we as a society should try and force a change through, it's absolutely ridiculous that charity's like Help for Heroes need to exist in the 1st place.

I have a feeling as this is GD that I'm going to get ripped apart for this post but I don't care, I do what I can and will continue to do so and yes I could probably do more but I do a bit and my bit is a hell of a lot more than some people.
I won't rip your apart.
If anything, I doff my cap to you.
 
Soldato
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Yorkshire and proud of it!
Do you refuse to give money?
I usually don't but sometimes do. It depends if I recognize them, think they're new and struggling or habitual and / or criminal.
Do you only give food/drink?
This is what I prefer to do, but it depends on whether I happen to encounter them just as I'm going into a supermarket. In which case I'll say 'I can get you something from there if you like". It helps the genuine ones and it annoys the fakers. So it's a win-win.
Do you assume they are on drugs?
No. But I'm not naive.
Do you think they could be fake beggars?
Certainly. I mean fake is a vague term though - they're begging so they're beggars. But yes - some are just people from a squat out getting money for drugs, etc.

So I was wondering, is being kind important than being right?

I've given money knowing full well the likelihood is they're just scrounging for drug money. But if there's sufficient chance I'm wrong, I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. I usually do most of my support for the homeless through recognised charities rather than directly.

It's society's problem not mine,

No Man is an Island.

Even you.
 
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Soldato
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I don't have a problem with a homeless person being on drugs. They have a **** life, and I'm sure a brief period of happiness, while they are high, makes all the difference. Imagine how depressed and sad you would be if you were homeless? I'm sure the allure of quick temporary fix in the form of drugs would be very appealing.
 
Soldato
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People may end up on the street because of drugs or alcohol, so what, no one is in a position to judge someone based on decisions they have made, which may have led to them becoming homeless, some people may have even lost their jobs, partners, home etc, even a army vet and again the system just lets them rot on the streets, then we have the media who paints a picture for everyone that homeless are just drug addicts, homeless people are scum, you should never help them, but, they are human beings and they need help. But I guess it's tough when the media portrays them in a bad manner, when they make it illegal to help homeless people as "it encourage homelessness" seriously!!?? Sorry for the rant but I hate the system and the society we live in that demonise people and doesn't help them.

Of course i am in a position to judge. I am responsible for everything in my life, so i work hard, earn money and do not squander it on nonsense.
 
Associate
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Oxford has lots of homeless people at the moment. There was one woman the other week who could barely speak because she was drunk as a skunk on cheap alcohol. As is the case with lots of things, mental health issues and addiction play big parts in a lot of cases (not all, but arguably the majority). I used to go out binge drinking a lot at the weekends and you get to know names and faces and some stories. I'm also friendly with some police (friends) and you hear a completley different story from them...

I occasionally give spare change if it's in my pocket, but won't actively go into my wallet for it.
 
Soldato
Joined
7 Aug 2004
Posts
10,987
I don't have a problem with a homeless person being on drugs. They have a **** life, and I'm sure a brief period of happiness, while they are high, makes all the difference. Imagine how depressed and sad you would be if you were homeless? I'm sure the allure of quick temporary fix in the form of drugs would be very appealing.

Exactly that. Fed up of the comments of 'well I'm not gonna fund a drug habit' from all the comments here:

1) how very presumptuous of people

2) exactly what you just said, those commenting from their £4000 pc's (as I type this in my £1200 iPhone!) have never ever been on the streets with nothing.....can't even begin to imagine how that feels day to day never ending, would I take a pill to feel amazing for a few hours in that situation?

3) sometimes they will buy food and brews with the money! (I like to give both food n brews n money)

4) in that situation a human is vulnerable mentally and physically, no one should judge them based on their chemical habits, understand them instead.

5) a significant number of this forum use alcohol, some are probably highly paid alcoholics that abuse it to get through the week, alcohol is by far a worse drug than anything on the street. It's just years of social engineering from the gov has taught us to look down at the homeless and it's working, just look at the comments.

If you wanna help a homeless person give them food n brews and money.

The on thing iv not done yet is check local temp accommodation or helped accommodation, and see what the situation is there, will do when I'm next back home......at least I have a home, I'm so silly lucky to have what I have.
 
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