Does homeless mean helpless?

By Tommy Coyne

Welcome to my home page, part of the 'Lesser Heard Voices' project. Having been homeless myself, it seemed natural for me to look at various aspects of that situation, both good and bad. People can have misconceptions about homeless people: they are all scruffy, cider-swigging louts cluttering up our pavements, good for nothing but selling "The Big Issue".

Well, I won't pretend that some homeless people don't fit that description. However, if you use the links on this page you might find yourself surprised at the opportunities available to homeless people in this City, and the people who do make use of them to better themselves. The ex-bus driver, the people using training facilities and work placement projects (and the people providing them) are featured here: so, too, are some of the less fortunate who rely on soup runs (and, yes, "The Big Issue"!) to survive from day to day.

It hasn't been easy getting everything I wanted for this tour: homeless people can be a bit publicity-shy, but I hope that the tour gives you some idea of what homelessness can entail. Have an open mind, and you might be surprised at what you find out.