Chen Yen-chang : “Fight Homelessness: Destigmatization, Job Support, Volunteer Care”

By Tzeng Yi-ning, Shen Pei-yao, Chen Chieh-ling and James Lo, CNA staff reporters and writer

Homelessness has been a long-standing issue that has been stigmatized for decades. It is often thought of as only affecting those who are down on their luck or suffering from unidentified disabilities. However, movies such as “A Street Cat Named Bob,” “The Pursuit of Happyness,” and “The Soloist” have attempted to dispel some of these stereotypes by shedding light on the various reasons that lead people to choose or be forced to live on the streets.

Unfortunately, despite these efforts, widespread understanding and acceptance still elude us. People experiencing homelessness are still seen by some as lacking motivation, being lazy, or simply looking for a handout.

Chen Yen-chang, a social worker with The Salvation Army in Taiwan, vehemently rejects these biases as they relate to Taiwan’s homeless population. The estimated number of homeless individuals in Taiwan is around 3,000, which accounts for only about 0.013 percent of the country’s population.

Comparatively, in the United States, the percentage of homeless individuals is much higher, standing at 0.19 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Although the relatively low number of homeless individuals in Taiwan may make the problem seem easily overlooked, Chen affirms that people experiencing homelessness come from all walks of life, and their predicaments are real. Often, financial difficulties serve as the trigger for their homelessness, which leads to a cascade of other issues.

Chen cites the example of a highly educated family of five who ended up on the streets due to untreated emotional and psychological trauma. The parents, in their 70s, and their three children in their 40s, held post-graduate degrees from abroad and once ran a successful textile factory. However, the collapse of the domestic textile sector led to the foreclosure of their property and company, resulting in mounting debts. The ensuing mental and emotional distress drove them to seek shelter around Taipei Main Station, where a community of homeless people has formed.

According to Chen, the family’s plight is characteristic of the vicious cycle that many homeless individuals face. Unable to extricate themselves from circumstances beyond their control, they are caught in a downward spiral that leads to psychological issues, such as loss of self-confidence and self-esteem, or reliance on alcohol, which further hinders their ability to seek help.

The Struggle for Employment

Contrary to popular belief, many individuals in Taiwan’s homeless community actively seek employment. Chen Ying-jie, the Work Team project manager at Taiwan’s social enterprise Do You a Flavor, reveals that most of them are dedicated jobseekers. However, the available work opportunities are usually limited to menial jobs that others tend to avoid due to personal limitations and social circumstances.

A 72-year-old homeless man, who prefers to be identified as Ah Hung, exemplifies the determination and resilience of many in the homeless community. Ah Hung wakes up early in the morning for his job with Do You a Flavor, often after getting only about four hours of sleep following his late shift in another job.

On the day of his interview with CNA, Ah Hung’s task with Do You a Flavor was to clean out the residence of a deceased hoarder. The dwelling was filled with the remains of dogs who died from starvation after their owner’s passing, as well as other accumulated waste. Ah Hung had to endure heavy lifting and strenuous work.

When asked why he subjects himself to such demanding jobs, Ah Hung attributes it to financial considerations and his age. The gig with Do You a Flavor pays in cash, providing him with immediate access to money, unlike his night shift job where deductions for debts or insurance are automatically made when the salary is wired into the bank.

Ah Hung also believes that, given his age, it is imperative for him to seize every opportunity that comes his way. Despite reaching the age at which he could claim social subsidies, he continues to take on physically demanding responsibilities to avoid being looked down upon.

Chen Ying-jie emphasizes that delegating such jobs to homeless individuals not only offers them a semblance of financial stability but also helps address hazardous living conditions, such as hoarding situations. Many older members of the homeless community choose physically demanding work even when they are eligible for subsidies because they do not want to be seen as dependents.

However, for numerous individuals experiencing homelessness, a strong work ethic may not be enough to overcome the instability that plagues their lives. Chen Ying-jie observes that homeless individuals often require flexibility in their daily routines to address issues such as finding shelter or dealing with medical emergencies and legal responsibilities. Their focus is primarily on immediate problems, making it difficult for them to plan for the future.

Relating, Caring, and Destigmatizing

The complex interplay between financial issues and social circumstances perpetuates homelessness, necessitating solutions that go beyond employment or monetary support. Chen Yen-chang believes that destigmatization is a crucial starting point.

“It is not that the homeless don’t want to work,” Chen Yen-chang asserts. “It is that they can’t get work” due to the stigmas associated with their situations.

Destigmatization plays a pivotal role in changing the status quo and garnering more support for the homeless. Without a proper understanding of the psychological factors contributing to homelessness, the general public may continue to oppose welfare programs for this vulnerable group. This opposition is particularly prevalent if people perceive members of the homeless community as “able” and, therefore, not eligible for benefits based on traditional norms.

A Prescription for Compassion

Besides efforts to destigmatize homelessness, individuals such as doctors Fu Yi-kai and Huang Sheng-yang have taken a hands-on approach to show that homeless individuals are not pariahs deserving of ostracization. Both doctors are part of the Charitable Service Association’s street doctors initiative, which enlists volunteer medical professionals to provide basic medical care to the homeless population.

These doctors dedicate approximately three hours of their days off to take to the streets around the station, providing essential medical assistance to around 10 to 20 homeless individuals in the area. Without any guidelines in the medical profession on “street medicine,” doctors like Fu and Huang face unique challenges in their endeavors.

So why do medical professionals and volunteers continue to make “house calls” outside of traditional medical facilities? According to Huang, homeless people generally avoid seeking medical help for various reasons. Some cannot bear the hurt caused to their self-esteem when medical staff complain about their hygiene, while others struggle to articulate their conditions effectively.

There are also cases like that of Grandpa Lu, an older gentleman who lacks medical awareness and has become numb to seeking care for potentially severe issues. Despite having an infected wound caused by wearing an old face mask for an extended period, he resisted seeking treatment until volunteers and social workers called on Fu to provide on-site care.

Through consistent care, trust between medical professionals and homeless individuals can be established. Fu narrates a heartening incident where Lu, having grown comfortable with the medical team, sought their help on other occasions, including one that may have saved his life. Lu habitually wore multiple elastic bands around his wrist, which led to severe bleeding. Although Lu may not have realized the seriousness of his condition, he sought out the medical team out of habit. They promptly took him to a nearby emergency room.

Fu emphasizes that their mission is not to replace medical facilities but to build trust and let homeless individuals know that there are people who will help them when they are truly in need. He questions the prevalent assumption that homeless individuals are physically able but unwilling to work. Fu believes that it is possible that they are physically unable to keep up with the demands of our capitalist society.

The founder of the Charitable Service Association, who prefers to remain anonymous, reflects on the organization’s goal of helping the homeless maintain good health, enabling them to shape their lives according to their own aspirations. The founder emphasizes the importance of recognizing our shared humanity and eliminating the differences that often separate us.

By fostering compassion, destigmatizing homelessness, and providing comprehensive support, we can contribute to a society where everyone has the opportunity to live a dignified and fulfilling life.

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