Resource A2: Case Scenario #10 – Supporting the Homeless

You are a CSW practicum student and you have been placed at a non-profit organization that helps the chronically homeless get off the streets. During your first few weeks, you spent some of your time shadowing your practicum site supervisor, Rashid, in meeting with clients who stop by the centre for help. He assists clients to access programs and services by providing information and referrals, as well as guiding them through any required processes. In addition to shadowing Rashid, you have also familiarized yourself with the many programs and services available in the Edmonton area that can help individuals and families who are facing challenges of homelessness and poverty.

In the short time that you have been on practicum, you have met and worked with people from all walks of life, ethnicities, cultures, and races. The day comes where Rashid puts you in the lead and will shadow you to observe, provide feedback, and be there to assist if you need help in working with a client.

Scenario

The first client you meet is a middle-aged man named Gus who has been homeless since the age of 41. He has known about the organization for a long time, but this is the first time that he has ever come to the centre. A number of recent conversations that he had with the community outreach team prompted him to come and talk with you today. As you build rapport with Gus, he shares his story with you.

Gus had once worked as a successful businessman and was married to his best friend from college. He worked hard and put in long hours, but he also had a very active social life. His whole life changed in a moment when he and his wife Sylvia got into a terrible car accident on their way to a celebratory dinner with friends. Sylvia died on impact and Gus survived with barely a scratch. In the months that followed, Gus struggled with feelings of guilt and depression. In order to cope, he started drinking. He was no longer seeing any of his friends and he was missing work most of the time. He refused any kind of help and eventually he lost his job, his friends, and his home.

Now it has been nearly 18 years since Gus began living on and off the streets. In the past year he stopped drinking, as he has come to realize the toll that it is having on his health. He says that he is constantly getting sick and is becoming more concerned about how unsafe it is to live on the street, especially during the winter. He hinted at the many creative ways that he has kept warm, such as making his way to Vancouver during winter months, as their winters are not nearly as cold or as long as they are in Edmonton. He also shared stories of how he obtained food or his next meal in his younger days, but feels that those strategies are no longer enough. He doesn’t want to spend another season, especially winter, living in the streets and worrying about where he’ll find his next meal. He really wants to change that and is looking to you to help him to attain his goals.

Case scenario by Nadine Konyck.