The public is generally unaware of the systemic causes of homelessness, the breadth of its reach and the scope of its consequences.
This is according to the May 2018 report Reframing Homelessness by FrameWorks Institute and Crisis on changing public thinking about homelessness.
The report finds that the public tend to define homelessness as rough sleeping and the result of individual choices. But a broader understanding, which appreciates housing insecurity and the structural causes of homelessness is needed.
FrameWorks offer tested strategies for experts and communicators to reshape the narrative on homelessness. These focus on:
- People’s fundamental commonality
- The lived experience of homelessness
- The role of systems.
The report finds that the use of values, storytelling and metaphors can move public thinking towards issue salience, support for significant policy change, a sense of collective responsibility and a willingness to engage with the issue in meaningful ways.
Find out more about the report, or download the report in full (pdf).
