Home Is Where You Draw Strength and Rest: The Meanings of Home for Houseless Young People
Description:
This qualitative study examined the meanings ascribed to the construct “home” by 208 youths defined by mainstream society as “homeless”. Youth narratives on the topic of home ranged across a continuum with home as state at one end (i.e., home is a state of mind, comprised of one’s friends) and home as place at the other (i.e., home as a physical dwelling). Youths employing the former meanings had typically been on the street for longer periods and identified with counterculture-type ideologies. For youths who defined home as place, home was constructed in direct opposition to street experiences. For both of these groups, control emerged as a central theme in their narratives. The implications of these findings for engaging youth and goal setting regarding exiting the streets are described.
Type of Resource:
Journal
Publication Date:
2010
Volume:
XX
Issue:
X
Pages:
1-22
Location:
Toronto, ON, Canada; New York City, NY, USA