Something to think about

I sent round a little over one thousand questionnaires of what do people in hostels want, if the money was available. I sent it to different hostels around the country. The suprising answers I got were that 45% wanted more use of computers ie; IT training, internet surfing time and web site building. Only 10% said they wanted educational days out and 15% said they wanted to go to theatres and cinemas. A huge 25% said they wanted there hostels to be done up and made livable. 5% wanted better trained staff. The rest really hadn't answered any of my questions. I just thought it was statistic you should know. Most people that have already been educated to a fair level think that homeless people on the street are either lazy or just a bit simple in the head. It does not take a genius to disprove that theory.
I believe and will continue to believe that once a stable environment has been achieved things will follow on from that like someone wanting to learn, from that will follow employment. From that who knows? Although I started to learn to read and write while I was on the streets the only reason I did so was because I needed something to replace drugs. It was not a conscious decision. I did not say to myself I am going to learn to read and write. I was just in the right place at the right time. Now I am looking for work. So what I say is, anyone who is given the chance can become someone. I think giving someone the tools to succeed are the most important steps in any form of rehabilitation.