Essay Sample on Homelessness and Service

Due to the decades of faulty and misguided procedures, homelessness has become a severe problem. On a single night, around half a million individuals are homeless in the United States. Approximately 65% stays in homeless shelters while 35% are found in the streets unsheltered. In most cases, homelessness often involves the people being faced with various desperate conditions and extreme hardships. Nevertheless, most of the homeless individuals are usually in the context of untreated mental illness, substance abuse disorders, extreme duress, and unintentional consequences from well-intentioned policies. The issue of homelessness has been faced by many controversies, including policies and different opinions on if it should be allowed or not.

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Advocates argue that the homeless should be permitted to make camps as a form of shelter. It is cruel to deny them that without giving them a reasonable alternative to where they should go or stay. On the other hand, critics argue that homeless camps are a nuisance and health hazards. For instance, the Las Vegas City council passed on an ordinance that deems it illegal to stay or sleep on the streets. This ordinance led to numerous controversies in the society and those against protested against it to ensure their voices are heard. The council proposed to fine the individuals got sleeping on the streets around $1,000. The homeless individuals reported that being on the streets is not their choice, and the government should help them through housing and jobs to get them back up. The issue of homelessness is rising at an alarming rate. Though some of the people become homeless due to drug addiction and mental illness, more than 75% simply cannot be able to afford a place to live. In the United States, there are only 12 counties where an employee or worker is paid a minimum of 7.25 dollars hourly in order to be capable of paying for a one-bedroom house on their own. Besides, the issue of homelessness is being increased by the shortage of homes, which in turn causes a surge in rent. Moreover, the issue of homelessness has been accelerated by the gentrification of neighborhoods where the deprived people used to stay. In most of the cities, the housing demand surpasses the supply at a greater extent. For instance, in New York, between 2011 and 2015 around 62345 housing units were added but were not enough to house approximately 125000 individuals. Also, during the same period, the total population in the city increased by more than 300000 people.

Due to the little or no signs of the homelessness controversy declining, some communities and states are turning away from using punitive approaches to address the issue. Rather than razing the homeless encampments, Oakland has begun to provide portable bathrooms and trash pickups for the homeless. Furthermore, private donors and charities came to the aid of Southern California's homeless community by building three bridge shelters after being ravaged by Hepatitis A. Moreover, for the past decade, Seattle sanctioned permanent encampments with eleven authorized camps that receive city funding. Most of experts believe that the best strategy to solve the homelessness controversy is by merely putting the homeless into free or low-cost apartments devoid of having prerequisites. The controversy of homelessness does not seem like it will end soon since some of the homeless have a job. Though most of the people that are associated with homeless are viewed as beggars, around 25% of the homeless people have a job or are employed.

The ordinance in Las Vegs was faced by protests by homeless people, residents, and activists who wore buttons that had statements that "Poverty is Not a Crime." The move by Las Vegas city council was deemed unethical. Julian Castro, a Democratic presidential candidate, indicated that it is a lie to believe that getting homeless people out of sight is an improvement. Elizabeth Warren, another Democratic presidential candidate, condemned the ordinance and urged the public to fight back against the measures implemented to criminalize homelessness. On the other hand, the city believed that the directive is of benefit to the homeless population and also will protect the safety and health of the whole community. Nonetheless, homeless advocates fear that outlawing the homeless will make it more challenging to support them. The advocates indicated that it takes around a dozen interactions between a homeless person and an outreach worker to build trust. The Nevada Homeless Alliance reported that the homeless would disengage themselves from street outreach if they fear that they will be fined or arrested. As a result, this will make it difficult for street outreach agencies to connect homeless individuals with essential services.

Concept of Service Learning

Service learning is an uncommon tool for learning. It is mostly used in countries like; the USA where education is advanced. By definition, it's a form of learning where; students are actively involved in a variety of activities and experiences that are of benefit to others and society while also helping them achieve their curricular or academic objectives. A unique advantage of this system of learning is that; it allows students to apply theoretical knowledge in practical activities. As the saying goes, 'Experience is the best teacher.' It also creates a sense of civic responsibility among the students as future citizens.

Service learning possesses six qualities that make it that much more effective or a valuable supplement to conventional learning. They are; Integration, Reflection, Contextualization, Reciprocity, Life-long durability, and Strength-based Integration entails the interconnection that forms when one uses theoretical information to deal with practical situations, i.e., the students are able to get an understanding of real-life situations, not only as learners but community members. As such, they are able to grow at not only academic but interpersonal levels.

Reflection is about thinking things over. It is a key component of service learning. Almost like drawing a conclusion and formulating the recommendations of a report. It involves taking time as a learner to form assumptions, beliefs and conclusions about a given experience or action so as to get a deeper understanding and decide the impact or meaning it will or may have on future situations.

Contextualization implies that students are able to connect theoretical knowledge in an isolated classroom environment with that which resides in the context of a community. This creates valuable exposure to complex, dynamic and unpredictable real-life situations outside the four walls of a classroom. It essentially helps students to create an open-minded attitude and also to think outside the box, i.e., be proactive, not reactive to situations. They are able to meet professionals and community experts who will provide mentorship and coaching.

The term 'Strength-based' implies that the students do not look at what the community or society lacks. A community cannot be built from the outside in, i.e., knowing the strengths that a community possesses and working with 'what we have.' A shift in mindset is created where the 'deficit mentality' is replaced with an 'abundance or strength mentality.' Thus students learn a valuable lesson; capitalize on the strengths while working to improve the weaknesses.' As Nathaniel Branden Once said, 'Self-acceptance is the first step towards change.'

Reciprocity is a symbiotic relationship. Everyone that is involved gains from the other. The tutors benefit from the fact that students have a deeper understanding of the learning material. The student, through investing time, talent, and intellectual capital, is able to create a deep understanding of course/study material and societal issues. The community is able to accomplish its goals through the added effort of the students.

Life-Long Durability, is about the creation of strong experiences that will stick in the minds, especially, of the students. They get a meaningful and influential experience that lasts. The students are thus able to solve problems, value the sense of community and create valuable self-awareness. Service learning is such a useful tool and also determines career paths, i.e., a student might discover hidden talents, e.g., public speaking, community policing, etc. It also creates a sense of civic responsibility from a young age.

Social capital is also created. Social Capital is about the networking of students with established professionals in the fields that they have an interest in. It is a little-known but high-value tool that helps novices or newbies to find their niche in a complex business environment. During Service-learning in society, students meet with established experts and professionals in various fields who provide valuable help and advice. This comes in the form of; provision of employment, creation of business ideas, and professional advice for start-up/new entrepreneurs.

Skills and Competencies

Service learning is also valuable in developing skills among the students; some of the skills that students create and benefit from include;

Problem-solving skills

This is about the ability to respond to a problem (a situation presenting unwanted conditions or results). They are taught various maxims to handle a real-life situation, e.g. panic and indecision are two enemies in finding a solution. 'Complaining has no value, and you do something to solve a problem instead of sitting there, feeling as if you are not in control.' (Gary Vaynerchuk)

Interpersonal skills

Arguably, the most important skill a student or young entrepreneur could ever have at hand. Values like; empathy, social awareness, integrity, and conflict management is created and these, in turn, help the student to have the ability to have positive interactions with people who make up the society and in the long run; the market, expert systems, employers or employees of the career that a student is looking forward to venturing into.

Creative/Conceptual skills

By going hand in hand with problem-solving skills, the student can reflect on their experiences and thus form that can create conclusions or even come up with concepts. They are able to observe how things are in real-life through Service to the community at various levels. By questioning why things happen in a certain way and not another, they can improve their ability to 'not' see things as they are.

It's not a surprise that through observation and asking questions that the greatest laws of physics were made. For example, Isaac Newton questioned why an apple would fall down from a tree and not fall upwards or float in the air. Thus the law of gravity was discovered.

Controversy

A story is told of a young man, Moses (not real name), in a specific African Country. He is a student of the 2nd best University in his country. A very bright student. The problem is his University is slack in giving real-life experiences, i.e., service-learning to the students. He feels that something is wrong with the education system. He feels like all he has done in his four-year Strategic Management course is to sit and listen to lectures, read notes, do assignments, and exams repeat. From one semester to the next.

The main problem is not with the student(s). It is with the management of the University. Dare anyone tries to air complaints of an incompetent style of learning, he or she will end up in the university senate. The 'senate' is infamous for sending students for suspension up to 1,000 academic days for such, 'misconduct.' Certainly, any student no matter their status or stature, for that matter, would refrain from causing 'tumults' concerning the incompleteness of the university education style. The consequences are just not worth the risk.