THE IMAGE OF THE HOMELESS AS AN ELEMENT OF COMMUNICATION WITH THEM

Abstract

The article considers the influence of the image of homeless people on the process of communication with them with the aim of their social reintegration. Research methods: theoretical analysis of the main approaches to homelessness in interdisciplinary discourse, systematization, and generalization of the specifics and transformation of communication with homeless people in modern Ukrainian society. The novelty of the study: it is emphasized that the idea of the homeless should be productive. The authors summarize the main changes that have taken place in the Ukrainian communicative space in relation to the homeless as a socially vulnerable and problematic group. First, in order to overcome the stigma of homelessness and provide comprehensive services to the homeless in Ukraine, the names of the centers caring for people in homelessness are being humanized. Secondly, communication with the homeless is becoming more widespread in the development of social entrepreneurship, the potential of which is significant. However, but scientists have not yet systematically and comprehensively studied, the existing studies have been technologically and organizationally unsound and, consequently, inexhaustible. Thirdly, the topic of homelessness is relevant in the media through the so-called street publications, which are becoming the "voice of the poor." As a rule, public organizations and the homeless themselves are involved in the process of spreading this idea through street publications. The latter distributes these publications, earning money to meet their needs. This world experience is also used in Ukrainian society, but it is somewhat limited and without sufficient support from state institutions, territorial communities, and local self-government. Fourthly, it is the involvement of charitable foundations and organizations in active communication with the homeless. First of all, we are talking about programs for the reintegration of homeless people, which show their effectiveness and act as an innovation that can spread in modern Ukrainian society. The author's program of communicative training was conducted with social workers in order to form in them a productive idea of communication with the homeless in the process of providing them with social services. At the same time, social workers in the process of communicating with the homeless need a sense of personal security and the availability of appropriate communicative competencies.