Homelessness and causes + background of art

HOMELESSNESS, THE CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS, AND ARTE POVERA IN THE UK
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TOC o “1-3” h z u 1.0Introduction PAGEREF _Toc468706714 h 32.0Method PAGEREF _Toc468706715 h 33.0Literature Review PAGEREF _Toc468706716 h 33.1Research on Homelessness and Causes PAGEREF _Toc468706717 h 33.1.1Causes of Homelessness PAGEREF _Toc468706718 h 43.1.2Statutory Homelessness Test PAGEREF _Toc468706719 h 43.1.3Non-Statutory Homelessness PAGEREF _Toc468706720 h 53.1.4Homelessness Eligibility, Priority, and Need PAGEREF _Toc468706721 h 63.1.5Rough Sleeping PAGEREF _Toc468706722 h 63.1.6Localism Act PAGEREF _Toc468706723 h 73.1.7Homelessness Advice PAGEREF _Toc468706724 h 73.2Art Background – Arte Povera PAGEREF _Toc468706725 h 74.0Discussion PAGEREF _Toc468706726 h 95.0Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc468706727 h 96.0Reference List PAGEREF _Toc468706728 h 11

IntroductionHomelessness is an issue that highly affects people living in urban areas. This is especially the case for the UK. More people are becoming homeless as a result of a myriad of causes mentioned in this paper after comprehensive research. The purpose of this paper is to identify the causes of homelessness while determining how art can be used in developing solutions that would empower the homeless. The focus of the paper will be on Arte povera which has been found to be effective with the homeless as it requires little or no financial input on the part of the individuals practicing it.

The research and following discussion of the content collected will show how this art can benefit both the homeless and the society.
MethodThe methods used in the collection of data are qualitative and quantitative. The qualitative methods are used such as research into previous peer-reviewed papers that have delved into the matter. The quantitative research involved the interview of some homeless individuals with the aim of collecting the information necessary to compile the report. Both types of research have helped in compiling a comprehensive report that has helped in the realization of some elements involving both homelessness and arte povera.
Literature ReviewResearch on Homelessness and CausesThe housing act has provided requirements for the provision of accommodation for individuals who are deemed homeless. However, before an individual is provided with the solutions he needs to address the homelessness problem, he will have to go through a series of tests to ascertain his/her homelessness (Whiteford et al. 2016). The level of preference that one receives in the social register will depend on whether the individual in question satisfies all the requirements to earn a place at the social housing register. One of the questions to be asked is whether the individual in question is homeless or whether the individual is threatened by homelessness (Fitzpatrick & Pawson 2016). The team will also look into the eligibility of the applicant as well whether the individual is a priority need. This will go a long way to determining whether the individual is intentionally homeless or not. Another important element to identify is whether the individual has local connections with whom the individual can be reconnected with as a strategy to reduce the burden on free housing.
Causes of HomelessnessThe biggest cause of homelessness for close to forty per cent of those surveyed in previous research becomes homeless because family, relatives, and spouses are no longer willing to house them. Another twenty per cent have been thrust into homelessness as a result of losing their homes or any other type of accommodation. This is as a result of the breakdown of businesses, or divorce which often results in the man being kicked out of his house (Fitzpatrick, Bramley, & Johnsen 2012). Nineteen per cent of the homeless individuals interviewed got kicked out by their partners. Mortgage and rent arrears contribute to ten per cent of the homeless individuals. Other reasons besides the ones mentioned herein contribute to another two per cent of the homeless individuals interviewed.
Statutory Homelessness TestLocal authorities in the UK have a legally bound requirement to provide homeless individuals with appropriate advice. These services are extended to individuals who consider themselves at the risk of being homeless within twenty-eight days (Fitzpatrick, Bramley, & Johnsen 2012). Homeless individuals have a right to make an application for accommodation from such local authorities with the aim of obtaining temporary accommodation while the authorities look into the individual’s situation.
The authority in question is legally obliged to determine the priority level of the homeless individual which will help in determining whether the individual needs accommodation or not. The authority in question reserves the right to deny temporary and otherwise long accommodation if they deem the situation of low priority. The priority level of the needs of the individual in question is determined by the qualifications of the individual based on them either passing or failing the tests presented (Bretherton, Hunter, & Johnsen 2013). However, it is important to note that other options such as linking up the individual with their family members before the individual in question is provided with accommodation.
With this in mind, it is clear to see that statutory homeless ness refers to a category of individuals who are required to be given accommodation immediately they report homelessness. Such individuals are provided with the services they need before they even go through the tests aforementioned. Some of the individuals who may be given accommodation based on this description include children, pregnant women, vulnerable persons (old or mentally challenged), persons facing domestic violence, and those faced by emergencies.
Non-Statutory HomelessnessThis refers to instances where the individual in question faces a situation whereby the individual does not qualify for statutory homelessness. This is mostly because the individual in question lacks any local connections to the local authority in question. Such instances would require for the individual to be linked up with their local authority (Bretherton, Hunter, & Johnsen 2013). However, full discretion lies with the authorities that have the task of handling the case. There are instances where the authority in question can decide to provide the individual in question with temporary accommodation. This type of accommodation may last up until two weeks which should provide the individual with an opportunity to find secondary accommodation.
Homelessness Eligibility, Priority, and NeedHomelessness, as it has been determined herein, does not have to be a situation whereby the individual in question lacks a home. The situation may be such that the individual in question has a home that is not tenable with regards to accommodation. With regards to eligibility, individuals who are not residents have been found to be ineligible to the accommodation of this type (Christian et al. 2016). As it has been mentioned earlier, priority is placed on individuals who are considered needy. For instance: the pregnant, those with dependent children, children (under 18s), and those who are vulnerable (aged, mentally challenged, and the handicapped).
Rough SleepingRough sleeping refers to a situation whereby an individual sleeps on the streets mostly in a sleeping bag. This situation mostly goes unreported because the individuals in question more often than no do not want the help of authorities. Some rough sleepers will be on the streets for a short period before they are back to their regular lives. Therefore, as a result of the fluctuating numbers of rough sleepers, it is difficult to determine the actual numbers of individuals who can be considered rough sleepers (Fitzpatrick, Johnsen, & Bramley 2012). The street link website provides one with the option to report a street sleeper. Authorities at the website will act on the information by assessing the individual in question. There are instances where the individual will also be afforded additional services if they are suffering from other issues such as drug use.
Localism ActThis act provides for authorities to accommodate homeless individuals in locations that are considered private. The benefit of this move is that the costs accrued in such accommodation reduce. However, there has been an uproar over this move as the housing of the homeless is taken out of town which can be seen as a type of social cleansing. This is mostly because the homeless are taken to locations outside their localities. Debates are on-going on how to handle this issue.
Homelessness AdviceProvision of advice to the homeless is essential, especially if the individual in question will not be housed by local authorities. Non-governmental organizations have been found to be very active in the provision of beneficial advice to the homeless. Shelters, as well as citizen advice bureaus, provide this same service to the public. Such advice is essential in ensuring follow up on the wellbeing of the homeless.
Art Background – Arte PoveraArte povera, a term coined by an Italian Germano Celant, refers to contemporary art that employs the usage of every day material in the delivery of a message in the art form. This form of art originates in Italy in the early 1960s. The artists who employed this form of art aimed at protesting against the government and the oppression the average man experienced as a result of bad governance (Renedo 2014). However, the use of Arte povera in the UK today is mainly by people looking to make a small earning from the streets. The homeless have more often than not been associated with the adoption of this art.
The Homeless have been found to adopt Arte Povera with the aim of making an income out of it. Simple objects are used in the production of the art piece in question. For instance, a group of homeless individuals may adopt containers as drumming equipment. The average bottle can be fitted with small coins and used as a shaker. The combination of the objects and skills in the production of music can help in the production of music that can entertain the public in populated areas of the city (Renedo 2014). This form of art benefits all those involved while providing the homeless individual with a source of income.
Arte Povera is not just about the adoption of objects to convey a message; the participant’s body is also essential depending on the type of art in question. The case for acrobatics has been found to heavily depend on their body as they perform acts that may be considered difficult for the average UK resident (Renedo 2014). The dressing they chose to wear while performing the acrobatic acts is those that espouse minimalism and thus enhance one’s tendency towards appreciating the message presented by the participants. The homeless adopting such art has been found to exercise regularly on top of earning an income.
Arte povera also incorporates the use of nature and the environment in the development of objects such as paintings and mosaics. The homeless may use waste products from the environment to develop a painting that would depict their emotions at the moment of developing the painting. Access to the components that one needs in the development of mosaic that depicts individual messages is easy for the homeless as they are readily available from the environment (Renedo 2014). Some of the art that has been developed by the homeless in this manner have found their way to contemporary art presentations. This has generated income for the homeless through the sale of the art products.
In conclusion, Arte povera is a feasible means of providing employment to the homeless. There are different types of art forms that one can adopt; however, arte povera provides the homeless with the shortest route to making money for the homeless. The raw materials that one may need to embark on such a venture are readily available from the environment (Dwyer et al. 2014). It has also been determined that Arte povera can be a good mechanism for those participating in it to experience a reduction in stress while realizing a greater purpose with their lives. The overall positive influence of Arte Povera in the lives of the homeless goes beyond the income they make out of the activity.
DiscussionThe homeless are constantly facing different problems in the modern society. One of the biggest problems they face is a way of generating income without inconveniencing the society. One of the biggest problems that have been associated with the general increase in the number of the homeless in the UK is that the quality of life for all those in the vicinity of a large number of homeless people drops. This is mostly because the homeless are more likely to participate in illegal activity to make ends meet. Therefore, it is essential that Arte Povera has been adopted among the homeless as a means of generating income as well as helping them understand the events surrounding the
ConclusionHomelessness in the UK has been found to be caused by different elements which include family and relatives refuting their roles as providers for certain persons. Closely following behind is the loss of one’s home for one reason or another. Other persons have become homeless as a result of a relationship breakdown with their partners. The general result of this is that the people facing homelessness are under immense stress and financial pressure. Arte Povera has been found to provide an avenue of alleviating both the financial pressure and stress. Adopting Arte povera provides the homeless with a means of generating income while providing them with a way of addressing the issues that resulted in their homelessness.

Reference ListBretherton, J., Hunter, C. and Johnsen, S., 2013. ‘You can judge them on how they look…’: Homelessness Officers, Medical Evidence and Decision-Making in England. European Journal of Homelessness, 7(1), pp.69-92.
Christian, J., Abrams, D., Clapham, D., Nayyar, D. and Cotler, J., 2016. Intentions to move from homelessness to social inclusion: The role of participation beliefs, attitudes and prior behaviour. Social Inclusion, 4(4), pp.16-27.
Dwyer, P., Bowpitt, G., Sundin, E. and Weinstein, M., 2014. Rights, responsibilities and refusals: Homelessness policy and the exclusion of single homeless people with complex needs. Critical Social Policy, p.0261018314546311.
Fitzpatrick, S. and Pawson, H., 2016. Fifty years since Cathy Come Home: critical reflections on the UK homelessness safety net. International Journal of Housing Policy, 16(4), pp.543-555.
Fitzpatrick, S., Bramley, G. and Johnsen, S., 2012. Pathways into multiple exclusion homelessness in seven UK cities. Urban Studies, p.0042098012452329.
Fitzpatrick, S., Johnsen, S. and Bramley, G., 2012. Multiple exclusion homelessness amongst migrants in the UK. European Journal of Homelessness, 6(1).
Renedo, A., 2014. Care versus control: The identity dilemmas of UK homelessness professionals working in a contract culture. Journal of community & applied social psychology, 24(3), pp.220-233.
Whiteford, M., Whiteford, M., Simpson, G. and Simpson, G., 2016. “There is still a perception that homelessness is a housing problem”: devolution, homelessness and health in the UK. Housing, Care and Support, 19(2), pp.33-44.