The
question, often is asked or wondered: Does the colour of one’s skin or
religion, or background affect one’s ability to do a job well or give an
indication of one’s level of intelligence or motivation? No, of course it
doesn’t. So why are ethnic minority people statistically more likely to be
unemployed than their counterparts in
general category? Do the above factors really influence one’s employability
prospects and, if that really is the case, how can one redress the balance?
This
research project will try to provide information and advise on these issues and
will help to understand the rights, as well as look at ways to deal with
possible discrimination.
It’s
a long time that it is made in some countries illegal to treat a person less
favourably than others on racial grounds. Yet there are still significant
discrepancies for ethnic groups in the society and in the workplace. According
to some research, ethnic minority workers receive less pay than their other
counterparts, and are more likely to be unemployed,
and hence, consequently homeless.
In
essence, people should not be discriminated in the fields of employment,
education, training, housing and the provision of goods, facilities and
services.
However,
proving one has been discriminated against can be problematic. Discrimination
is not the same as prejudice; one need to demonstrate that one was treated less
favourably as a result of the other party’s actions.
There
are four main types of ethnic/racial discrimination: direct; indirect; victimisation;
and harassment. Cases involving ethnic discrimination within employment are
heard in employment tribunals . Other ethnic discrimination cases are heard in civil
courts.
One
of the key elements of any job search is to find an employer that one feel
comfortable working for. For many graduates, the knowledge that their employer
shares the same ethos and values can be a crucial deciding factor when it comes
to accepting a position.
Continuous
support in the workplace is as important as the initial advertising and
recruitment policy. If a company has an ongoing diversity programme or scheme,
it demonstrates a committed approach to embracing a multi-cultural,
multi-ethnic workforce.
However, the principles of self-marketing remain the same regardless of one’s ethnic background; one has to demonstrate one’s range of skills and qualifications to their maximum potential. Having said that, some ethnic minority applicants may find themselves concerned about how to market their skills and, moreover, how to ensure that these skills are viewed without discrimination.
One
may, for example, be reluctant to disclose information that may be an indicator
of one’s ethnicity, Disclosure is a personal choice.
Why Are People Homeless?
Two trends are largely responsible for the rise in homelessness
over the past 20-25 years: a growing shortage of affordable rental housing and
a simultaneous increase in poverty. Homelessness and poverty are inextricably
linked. Poor people are frequently unable to pay for housing, food, childcare,
health care, and education. Difficult choices must be made when limited resources
cover only some of these necessities. Often it is housing, which absorbs a high
proportion of income that must be dropped. Two factors help account for
increasing poverty: eroding employment opportunities for large segments of the
workforce, and the declining value and availability of public assistance.
Media reports of a growing economy and low unemployment mask a
number of important reasons why homelessness persists, and, in some areas it is
worsening. These reasons include stagnant or falling incomes and less secure
jobs which offer fewer benefits. While the last few years have seen growth in
real wages at all levels, these increases have not been enough to counteract a
long pattern of stagnant and declining wages. Low-wage workers have been
particularly hard hit by wage trends and have been left behind as the disparity
between rich and poor has mushroomed.
The declining value and availability of public assistance is
another source of increasing poverty and homelessness. contrary to popular
opinion, welfare does not provide relief from poverty. However, declining
welfare rolls simply mean that fewer people are receiving benefits -- not that
they are employed or doing better financially. Early findings suggest that although
more families are moving from welfare to work, many of them are faring poorly
due to low wages and inadequate work supports. Only a small fraction of welfare
recipients' new jobs pay above-poverty wages.
A lack of affordable housing and the limited scale of housing
assistance programs have contributed to the current housing crisis and to
homelessness.
The gap between the number of affordable housing units and the
number of people needing them has created a housing crisis for poor people.
More recently, the strong economy has caused rents to soar,
putting housing out of reach for the poorest .
The loss of affordable housing puts even greater numbers of people
at risk of homelessness. The lack of affordable housing has lead to high rent
burdens (rents which absorb a high proportion of income), overcrowding, and
substandard housing. These phenomena, in turn, have not only forced many people
to become homeless; they have put a large and growing number of people at risk
of becoming homeless.
Housing assistance can make the difference between stable housing,
precarious housing, or no housing at all. However, the demand for assisted
housing clearly exceeds the supply:
The limited level of housing assistance means that most poor families
and individuals seeking housing assistance are placed on long waiting lists.
Housing is a major factor in the growth of homelessness in many
cities.
.
Particularly within the context of poverty and the lack of
affordable housing, certain additional factors may push people into
homelessness. Other major factors, which can contribute to homelessness,
include the following:
Lack of Affordable Health Care: For
families and individuals struggling to pay the rent, a serious illness or
disability can start a downward spiral into homelessness, beginning with a lost
job, depletion of savings to pay for care, and eventual eviction.
Domestic Violence: Battered
women who live in poverty are often forced to choose between abusive
relationships and homelessness.
Mental Illness: A large
number of single adult homeless population suffers from some form of severe and
persistent mental illness .
Addiction Disorders: The
relationship between addiction and homelessness is complex and controversial.
While rates of alcohol and drug abuse are disproportionately high among the homeless
population, the increase in homelessness over the past two decades cannot be
explained
by addiction alone. Many people who are addicted to alcohol and
drugs never become homeless, but people who are poor and addicted are clearly
at increased risk of homelessness.
Addiction and/or mental illness, is a major factor in increased
homelessness in many communities. Addiction does increase the risk of
displacement for the precariously housed; in the absence of appropriate
treatment, it may doom one's chances of getting housing once on the streets. Homeless
people often face insurmountable barriers to obtaining health care, including
addictive
disorder treatment services and recovery supports.
Homelessness results from a complex set of circumstances that
require people to choose between food, shelter, and other basic needs. Only a
concerted effort to ensure jobs that pay a living wage, adequate support for
those who cannot work, affordable housing, and access to health care will bring
an end to homelessness.
While the causes and solutions to homelessness are complex, there
is much that an individual or community group can do to help. No matter what
one’s skills, interests, age, or resources, there are ways one can make a
difference for some of the men, women, and children who are homeless. Volunteer
work, advocacy efforts, financial or material contributions, and continued self-education
are all important and needed as we work our way to a solution.
While the concern and support demonstrated by volunteer work and
advocacy are essential, material assistance is also a necessity. Escaping and
ending homelessness is a long process. In the meantime, people experiencing
homelessness and the programs that serve them need help every day.
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