Sunshine Haven is a virtual nonprofit organization that seeks to address homelessness and the same effects. The organization strives to offer shelter, resources, and support for persons needing permanent housing who will eventually become a productive part of society (Sunshine Haven Inc – GuideStar Profile. n.d.). Sunshine Haven operates mainly through an online platform and communication tools such as emergency shelter placement, case management, and access to healthcare, mental health counseling, job training, and other options for affordable housing. This agency focuses on the client-centered trauma-informed philosophy, which acknowledges the diversity of their clients’ needs and backgrounds. The virtual existence of Sunshine Haven enables it to capture the wider market segment, hence promoting inclusivity and availability of people who are in dire need of social welfare services. Nevertheless, the phenomenon of power, stigma, and cultural diversity greatly impact homeless people.
The client is a 42-year-old from Sunshine Haven who recently has faced several unfortunate situations like being jobless, losing their home and having a family breakdown. He was homeless and was trying to cope with the intricacies of living on the street. The presenting problem for the client is twofold: short-term shelter and provision of food clothes among other basic needs and long-term shelter and income generating activities. The client’s psychological health has also been impacted by the stress of homelessness manifesting in the form of depression and anxiety (Isobel et al., 2020). The intervention that Sunshine Haven provided for the client included emergency shelter placement, linking the client to case management for housing assessment and mental health support to address the emotional toll of homelessness. The agency’s help is going to be important for the client to get back to normalcy and strive towards independence.
The client at Sunshine Haven sought someplace to sleep and get some good food. Nevertheless, as conversations continued, he indicated that he was ready to find a proper house and get settled financially. In retaliation, Sunshine Haven created an intervention program that included shelter and basic supplies as the first step. The client was paired with a case manager who collaborates in making a housing choice, developing a plan that deals with employment and income issues. Depression and anxiety are also included in the mental health support services. The agency works together with the local employment program, as well as housing authorities for quicker client access to affordable housing and job opportunities respectively. The client’s immediate problem was homelessness, but this intervention involved addressing the issue at hand as well as finding solutions for the long term.
My social work practice with the client as a Sunshine Haven prompted diverse feelings and thoughts. In the beginning, I had feelings of sympathy with the hard situation he was experiencing at the time of living in the streets. This urgency led to the immediate provision of shelter and essential needs for the client. However, I noticed an element of hope and determination in the client’s voice where he spoke about the aspiration for a long-term stability which was a motivation that could not be ignored. The initial reactions of the client to the intervention plan included a sense of relief mingled with anxiety. Visible sigh of relief after getting immediate shelter and food, but the anxiety for the journey yet to come could be felt. He clearly had low self-esteem because of the stigma around being homeless. There were instances of doubt and skeptics on whether long-term stability was achievable at all. Furthermore, I saw high levels of trust and dependence on the case manager as the exercise of identifying housing options and creating personalized plan continued. The client started to open up about the emotional strain of homelessness, and it was clearer that he needed to see a mental health specialist. This was a vital element in dealing with the symptoms of depression and anxiety (Ranjbar et al., 2020). The complexity of homelessness issues was revealed during interactions with the client and wider client system that involved shelter staff discussion and local service providers. While undertaking the different programs, I could not fail to feel frustrated and concerned as I sought holistically to assist the client. The client’s reaction equally reflected the power dynamics, which was due to the fact that the client’s situation required a high level of external dependency.
As a social worker, I have learnt a lot from my helping experience with the client at Sunshine Haven. The fact about homelessness was that it involved emotional, systematic, and socio-economic aspects, and not only lack of accommodation. That was a sharp reminder that the dynamics of that work are skewed in favor of clients who look forward to my expertise for the way towards equilibrium. It brought out the significance of trauma-informed care. The client’s emotional difficulties were inherently tied to the experience of being homeless, highlighting concurrent mental health issues beyond immediate material needs. Homelessness, stigma, and mental health intersected to make the challenge of offering wholesome support complex. The process saw cultural competence and sensitivity becoming pivotal. Their background and experience had to be taken into consideration and respected. Additionally, the wider cultural dimension of homelessness and its interaction with the social systems was evident. It was a great experience which taught me a lesson of a lifetime on what it takes to eradicate homelessness by changing the system. It pointed out the need for cooperation and synchronization between different divisions for the purpose of providing customers with holistic assistance (National Association of Social Workers, 2021). The whole experience of helping with this client highlighted the complex nature of our social work and the effect it generates, but without exposing the client’s identity.
References
Isobel, S., Wilson, A., Gill, K., & Howe, D. (2020). “What would a trauma‐informed mental health service look like?” Perspectives of people who access services. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 30(2), 495–505. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12813
National Association of Social Workers. (2021). Social Workers’ Ethical Responsibilities to Clients. NASW – National Association of Social Workers. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English/Social-Workers-Ethical-Responsibilities-to-Clients
Ranjbar, N., Erb, M., Mohammad, O., & Moreno, F. A. (2020). Trauma-Informed Care and Cultural Humility in the Mental Health Care of People From Minoritized Communities. FOCUS, 18(1), 8–15. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.focus.20190027
Sunshine Haven Inc – GuideStar Profile. (n.d.). Www.guidestar.org. Retrieved October 18, 2023, from https://www.guidestar.org/profile/74-2873742
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