Major Project – Research Proposal – 19/10/2018

THIN LINE

I spent my last two weeks researching and finding the perfect topic for my Major project. I came up with an idea to capture the life of homeless people, as this is the topic strongly resonating in todays society. However I was not 100 % sure. To be honest I have never sympathised with dirty, drunk, high people, always asking for your money, living on the street. Research helped me a lot to come with a final decision to go for it.

How I came with this topic in the first place?

First impulse to choose this topic came from the situation I see here in United Kingdom more than in Czech Republic and Denmark where I lived. Every day seeing these people in front of supermarkets trying to save some money to spend a night in hostel disrupts the stereotypes you have in your head.

Second impulse which came after I found a BBC documentary series capturing everyday life and struggles of homeless people.

After I saw this documentary I was shocked by how many people end on the streets without having drug or “dirty” background. One day you have a job, house to live in and another you are trying to keep your self in warm by sleeping in front of the supermarket.

Seeing a lot of young people in this documentary and hearing the reasons why they ended on the street such as family problems let me realize that I was also close to lose a roof under my head. The only difference between me and these people is simple, they just were not lucky.

In the following weeks I am going to go deep into my research by watching more video materials on youtube (documents, interviews, discussion about homelessness).

I am thinking about going to local shelter to get some info from volunteers who works there and if there will be possibility I would like to speak with homeless people face to face.

I would like to focus maybe only on young people under 25 because this age group is closest to me. I would like to work with concept: If government cannot help young people to find a job, home, what ever to start their life normally, how they want to help drug addict, older, sick people who are less eligible for inclusion in the society and labor market.

References:

The Guardian – empty-homes-england-scotland-homelessness

Government – homelessness statistics

The Guardian – rough sleeper numbers

Southampton