| "Sometimes it's the crazy ideas that work." Is the | | | | up has done a number of things. To begin with, it |
| end line in an article in Inside Housing called Mobile | | | | certainly keeps overheads down. No building, no |
| Rescue. | | | | building related expenses, no security concerns, no |
| The article is about helping the homeless in | | | | expenses for volunteers coming into the city |
| Richmond, Virginia. Local church groups had both | | | | centre. The situation has brought all the agencies |
| money and volunteers, but they were unable to | | | | together, and, according to the article, kept the |
| secure planning permission for a hostel. Volunteers | | | | issue of homelessness in the minds of the local |
| didn't feel comfortable working on the inner city | | | | churches and people. The volunteers are working |
| streets - remember this is America where | | | | in an area of town they are comfortable with, |
| homeless means roofless. | | | | they are able to give meaningful help to a serious |
| So how did they solve this problem? They bring | | | | local issue, and be involved in a church project. |
| the homeless to the suburban churches each and | | | | It turns the whole issues on its head - why not |
| every night - and have done for twenty years. | | | | bring people to the services, rather than the |
| Every night 120 people are collected in specific | | | | tradition bringing services to people. |
| buses at specific points around the city and | | | | It's also a perfect example of creative thinking |
| shipped to different churches. These are the 120 | | | | and not giving up when you can't get what you |
| who have booked in for the night - and they | | | | want. I assume that the first idea was to create |
| need to do it every night. They are given a bed | | | | a hostel, and, when that was made impossible, |
| and a meal, and then local agencies talk to them | | | | someone came up with another idea which gets |
| and try to sort out their issues. In all, about 170 | | | | everyone to the same end. |
| people are involved in helping the homeless from | | | | So what's the crazy idea in your office? Haven't |
| various agencies. During the night both church | | | | had one? Why not? The next time you are |
| volunteers and staff from Caritas, a homeless | | | | confronted with a problem, try turning your |
| charity in Richmond, are there. | | | | traditional solution on its head and let the creative |
| On the surface, it seems crazy, doesn't it? | | | | genii out of the bottle. You may just find that this |
| And yet it works. | | | | works - not just in the short term, but as a long |
| When I first read the article, I thought it was | | | | term solution. Remember, it's worked in Richmond |
| nuts. Then I started thinking about the logistics, | | | | for twenty years. |
| the expenses - all the practical aspects. This set | | | | |