Causes of homelessness, attempts to improve their situation and hopes for the future – analysis of individual in-depth interviews of homeless men with higher education

Abstract

Analysis of the causes of homelessness and attempts to change their situation among homeless people with higher education are the purpose of the presented article. Losing home among people with higher education is not a common topic of research and analysis. In society, a homeless person is associated rather with an uneducated person. In order to analyze the reasons, the general situation and actions taken to overcome homelessness, five individual in-depth interviews with homeless men from the Mazovia region were carried out. All respondents completed university studies. Among the respondents, the main causes of homelessness are addictions and conflicts in marriage. The respondents admit that it is difficult for them to improve their situation, especially in terms of raising professional qualifications. They have education, so they mostly wonder what other actions they could take. Completed studies show that leaving homelessness, even with a university degree, is not easy. There is no effective system of help for homeless people in this group of people – they are offered jobs or courses and training definitely not corresponding to their possibilities and education.