While it is generally agreed that family homelessness is rapidly increasing, there
is very little research to find out how families have exited homelessness and become
stable. There is even less research to investigate the strengths that were employed by family members as they journey toward housing stability. Is it possible that this
potentially dis-empowering experience can be enriched by the care and support of fellow
community members and helping professionals? More importantly, can family members
draw on this experience to recognize their inner strengths and move toward greater
happiness and self-sufficiency?
This thesis shows how families who have been displaced from their community due to an experience of homelessness can be better supported to return to a stable life. A
narrative lens was used to investigate the findings from semi-structured, one-on-one
interviews with three mothers. One of the main criteria was that they found and retained stable housing for at least one year. The families in question currently live in Victoria, B.C. Canada, where this research took place.
Examination of participant’s narratives revealed a five-stage process in which
inner strengths and outer community supports combined to assist them in moving toward
their goals. Participant mothers were able to access new ways to view the situation that
did not leave them feeling marginalized. They also built both material and social assets that led to greater happiness and stability. Participants were able to develop resilient behavior by drawing upon past experience for knowledge, insight and inspiration. They overcame inner and outer barriers to these strengths by communicating their needs and reaching out to family, friends or services in a more confident way.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uvic.ca/oai:dspace.library.uvic.ca:1828/3114 |
| Date | 16 November 2010 |
| Creators | Piper, Melanie |
| Contributors | MacKenzie, Patricia Anne |
| Source Sets | University of Victoria |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Available to the World Wide Web |
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