Hope in Homeless People: Potential for Implementation of Person-Centred Planning in Homeless Shelters?

Abstract

In this paper we lay the foundation for research into the concept of hope in homeless people in the Czech context. The text is based on partial data from a broader empirical study. The main aim of the paper is to gain a complex understanding of the role of hope in setting goals for homeless people living in shelters. Specifically, we have focused on how homeless people conceptualise hope and how their concepts of hope can be used to set future goals as part of individual planning in a shelter? In the research, we used a qualitative strategy combining traditional techniques such as in-depth interviews and case studies with projective technique. We have identified four main concepts of hope and a range of sources and limits of hope in homeless people living in a shelter. Based on the findings, the possibilities of implementation of person-centred planning in shelters in the Czech Republic are discussed herein.

Keywords:

• hope
• homelessness
• person-centred planning
• shelter

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was elaborated with the financial support of TA CR (Grant No. TJ01000359 – Desired future and related factors of change as a tool of application for the recovery concept in individual planning with shelter users in the Czech Republic).

Notes on contributors

Barbora Gřundělová

Barbora Gřundělová is an assistant professor at the Department of Social Work, at Faculty of Social Studies, University of Ostrava. In her research and publication activities she focuses on social services for homeless people and homeless prevention, gender aspects in social work, stereotypes in social work with family and responsive evaluation and planning of community work. Correspondence to: Barbora Gřundělová, Faculty of Social Studies, Českobratrská 16, 702 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic. Email: [email protected]

Zuzana Stanková

Zuzana Stanková completed her master’s studies in the field of social work at the Faculty of Social Studies, University of Ostrava. Currently she is a PhD student in the same field. Her research focus is a situational analysis of the sources of help to the residents of socially excluded localities in the Moravian-Silesian Region. Since 2014 she has been involved in community work as part of the Moravian-Silesian Region project.