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The Forum > Article Comments > Just another day on the streets for the homeless > Comments

Just another day on the streets for the homeless : Comments

By Lyn Bender, published 16/10/2014

This week is anti-poverty week. For the homeless every week is poverty week.

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One of the main problems with migration, & particularly with taking in refugees is that you end up with a host of bludgers who are only too happy to accept the offerings & privileges of the country, but are not prepared to accept the responsibility to defend the society that offers those privileges.

Yep that tee shirt has the right message, if you won't pull your weight catch a plane to somewhere you prefer.
Posted by Hasbeen, Friday, 17 October 2014 11:43:37 AM
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Hi there HASBEEN...

I've just re-read your original thread dealing with this topic, and I couldn't agree with you more ! As unpalatable as it is, to those who have a dedicated social agenda, it's the truth, whether they like it or not. Unfortunately with a certain demographic, both homelessness and unemployment is almost considered an industry, with recipients moving from unemployment benefits, to other tax payer benefits, because they're sufficiently unwell, to either seek work or be gainfully employed ?

I will of course conceded, there are some who do need benefits of different kinds, some for the rest of their lives. There are others who are literally unemployable usually for some protracted mental health reasons. While there are still others, who have other more complex sociological, medical and or psychological conditions, that preclude them from undertaking any work whatsoever ? And there's even a few who would dearly love to work, any work at all, but because of some severe educational deficiencies, employers won't or can't give 'em a go.

In the remotest regions of WA there are aboriginal youngsters, aged 15 through to their mid twenties, who'd undertake any work at all, anything humanly possible, just to earn a wage. Even if it were just once ! And from my most reliable info., they'll 'NEVER', 'EVER' have a job of any description, so their vocational prognosis is dreadful ! Their only future lies in eternal alcoholism, together with drug addiction , and either a guaranteed premature death, or suicide !

Yet we've got these spoilt, often middleclass lazy young people who have no intention of ever seeking work, while our existing laws don't mandate them to find useful employment, and to remain gainfully employed !
Posted by o sung wu, Friday, 17 October 2014 2:39:37 PM
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Hi o sung wu, my lady came home with a present today, from one of her clients, a success story. Half a dozen avocadoes from his own trees.

An ex school teacher who suffered a level of brain damage in an accident, he has had trouble with work ever since. Evidentially it is concentration, either a lack of it, or too much bringing on stress & headaches.

She only gets them when they have been unemployed for 2 years or more. Other advisers had tried to get this bloke into work, but were aiming too high for him, with his injury, to handle.

After a couple of false starts, she got him a job with a plasterer, who has continual problems with finding reliable workers for what is a not too pleasant type of work. He could not handle taking measurements & cutting sheets, too stressful, but is the best putty, sanding & painting hand the boss has ever had.

After 6 months he is proud to be highly valued again. She reckons he is as happy as a pig in dust, of which there is plenty in plastering.

Yes there are many bludgers, but she reckons it is these success that keep her at it.
Posted by Hasbeen, Friday, 17 October 2014 8:51:48 PM
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Hi there HASBEEN...

Up early because of this damn neuropathic pain ! Still to the topic at hand, what a great story eh ! This bloke wanted to work for his mental well being, and what a success it was when he found it ! Your good lady must be absolutely ecstatic with her success with this chap, and with the gift he bestowed her. In my old job, compliments from the public unfortunately, were few and far between, but when they did come, it felt pretty good, particularly when they came in writing addressed to the Commissioner !

There's no doubt about it, there are those in our society who wish to be productive, and others who wish they've never heard of the word ? It's quite true, unemployment can have a very deleterious effect on one's mental well being, conversely those who really wish for a 'free ride' from the already over burdened tax payer, are never happier then the prospect of indefinite unemployment ?

I really don't know what the answer is myself HASBEEN ? Some have lauded the prospect of re-introducing a military style of conscription, with the absence of any weapons skills and tactics ? A good idea, but some would simply 'buckle under' and spend their time in the 'Guardhouse'. Cast your mind back to your own Naval Recruit Training, it would kill some of them I reckon ? Kapooka, would certainly sort a few of them out too, but at what cost ?

Could you imagine the public outcry '...young men and women are brutalised by 'impolite' corporals and sergeants speaking loudly at them...' and '...psychologists warn of long term mental infirmity, caused by 'unpleasant' defence personnel ordering our youth to rise before 10 o'clock each morning...' ? And yet another, '...sergeants accused of serving cold coffee to our conscripted youths, possibly causing long term emotional impact...', says leading academic sociologist ? I say just let 'em do as they wish, work or not work, entirely up to them, not worth the trouble !
Posted by o sung wu, Saturday, 18 October 2014 6:57:12 AM
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I had some experience as an unpaid supervisor on a volunteer railway project using unemployed locals on the "work for the dole" scheme.

They were mostly young people and the prospect of laying rails and bedding in new sleepers was frightening to 99% of them.

But a bit of guidance and showing them how to handle long lengths of heavy rail, with safety and a minimum of physical effort, had the effect of winning most of them over; and they took pride in their work, especially as they could see what they had done.

There were the inevitable few who were "amateur lawyers" and complained all the time, so I'd just ring the employment agency and tell them that so-and-so was unsuited to the work.

This went on for two years until the agency decided that our project did not offer suitable work after I told them that it was a waste of their and my time to send me light weight girls who couldn't lift a rail spike driving maul let alone swing it.

A taste of real work appealed to most of them and a minority went on to full time employment and I still see some of them that have stayed in the district.
One slip of a girl who couldn't do any heavy work happily spent her time walking the track picking up rubbish and applying grease and oil to the various sets of points (turnouts) and today she is a supervisor in a local supermarket.
Posted by Is Mise, Sunday, 19 October 2014 6:11:27 PM
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IS MISE...

You're quite right you know, you give some kids a decent chance, and often they'll respond in a positive fashion. It's a case of showing them the job that needs doing, carefully explaining and demonstrating how it's to be done. And at the conclusion of that job, allow them to see the product of their individual labours, and generally speaking, you've won them over.

As you've already stated this particularly formula, doesn't work with them all ? Some success is far preferably to no success, with young, highly impressionable, working age kids.
Posted by o sung wu, Sunday, 19 October 2014 9:22:46 PM
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