Behind every conversation about homelessness is a person with hopes, strengths and relationships. The words we choose can reinforce stereotypes or build understanding, shaping public attitudes and the solutions we’re willing to support.
We need to think carefully about how we talk about people experiencing homelessness.
This reflection was prompted by a recent headline, but it is really about something much bigger. It is a reminder of how far we still have to go in the way we understand and discuss poverty and homelessness in Australia.
Too often, our public conversation remains centred on crisis rather than solutions, and this allows stereotypes and misconceptions to fill the space. The issue of homelessness deserves thoughtful, balanced and informed discussion. While the pathways into homelessness are often complex, we know far more than we sometimes acknowledge about the pathways out.
Long-term solutions exist. We have evidence of what works, and we should have the confidence to invest in proven approaches that prevent homelessness, provide stable housing and support people to rebuild their lives.
The way we talk about homelessness matters because it shapes the willingness of our communities and governments to back those solutions.
For us at The Big Issue, this is deeply personal.
Over the years, we have lost many vendors. In just the past fortnight, we have lost another two.
They were people with families, friends, colleagues and ambitions. They were valued members of our community who worked hard to build greater stability, connection and opportunity in their lives. They are remembered with affection by our support teams, who know all too well the challenges that can accompany life on the margins.
Their passing reminds us that behind every conversation about homelessness is a human being with hopes, strengths and relationships. It reinforces why the words we choose matter.
Journalism has enormous power. It can deepen understanding, broaden perspectives and bring lived experience into the centre of public discussion. It can shine a light on the barriers people face while also highlighting the solutions that are working.
At its best, it helps communities move beyond assumptions and towards informed, constructive conversations that lead to meaningful change. It’s not only a healthy sign of a community that cares for one another, it also makes sound economic sense.
Homelessness Week provides an opportunity for exactly those conversations.
It is a time to listen to people with lived experience, to examine how our systems can better support those facing hardship and to recognise the role every part of our community can play in creating pathways out of homelessness.
Most importantly, it is a reminder that every person deserves to be seen first as a human being, not as a problem to be solved.
The way we talk about homelessness shapes the way people experiencing it are treated. It influences public attitudes, political priorities and ultimately the solutions we are prepared to pursue. Let’s choose conversations that build understanding, inspire compassion and strengthen our commitment to investing in proven solutions, so that fewer Australians experience homelessness and more people have the opportunity to build safe, secure and fulfilling lives.
Steven Persson
Chief Executive Officer of The Big Issue
Image from iStock