Why Can’t Homeless People Get Jobs?
In today’s society, homelessness is an all too common issue. With the rise of poverty and unemployment, more and more individuals are dealing with a lack of housing. Furthermore, these homeless individuals are often unable to find gainful employment- making their situation even more difficult.
What are the Barriers to Employment?
When considering why homeless people can’t get jobs, there are a few primary barriers to consider. These include:
- Lack of Possessions: Homeless people often lack clothing, transportation, and housing- all necessities to work. Without these, homeless people simply cannot access jobs.
- Discrimination: Unfortunately, homeless individuals may face discrimination from potential employers. Even if they are qualified, a potential employer may judge a person solely based on their housing status.
- Difficulty Obtaining ID: To become employed, an individual’s identification and social security number is often required. When homeless, these documents can be difficult to access.
- Mental Health: After experiencing homelessness, many individuals suffer from mental health issues, making it difficult to pass job interviews and to focus on the job.
What Can We Do to Help?
To help address this issue, there are a few measures we can take:
- Offer access to education or training- oftentimes, a lack of education can make it harder to find a job. Offering homeless people free access to vocational, educational, or job-training can increase the chance of them finding a job.
- Provide access to resources: Making resources such as a change of clothing and transportation available can be incredibly helpful to homeless people searching for a job.
- Work on creating affordable housing: Providing affordable housing to homeless people can reduce their stress levels, and make it easier for them to focus on finding a job.
- Support mental health services: Mental health is a huge issue surrounding homelessness. Support mental health services to help homeless people manage their mental health and find gainful employment.
Ultimately, helping homeless people find jobs is an issue that needs to be addressed. Through increased resources, support services, and education, everyone can do their part to help make this a reality.