Detroits Unemployed Homeless

Group Project: Final Report

Ellie Dean, Donald DeKeyser, Cara Mitrano, Kody Whisnant

PS 1010
Dr. Aaron Martin
April 28, 2016

Section I: Background and Statement of the Problem

Our group investigated the issue of unemployment among the homeless population in
Detroit. First, we will clearly define the problem to promote understanding and create a basis on
which change can be facilitated (Graham 35). For the purposes of this report, homeless is defined
as individuals living without a permanent residence that they fully or partially own.
Unemployment is defined as the state in which an individual lacks reliable work which provides
income. Individuals that meet both of these criteria are referred to as the unemployed homeless.
By clearly defining this social problem, a clear goal can be determined (Graham 36).
Two social structures which contribute to homelessness are poverty and lack of
employment; meanwhile, personal struggles including childhood abuse or neglect, substance
abuse, and mental illness increase the likelihood an individual will become and remain homeless
(Goer 1). If members of the homeless population were able to obtain reasonably-paid jobs
those providing a living wagethey could obtain financial independence and no longer be
impoverished. However, there are many social and practical barriers which create obstacles for
the unemployed homeless to find and keep work. These impeding structures have changed over
time because of advances in technology, changes in social values, and factors leading to
unemployment.
Over the past two decades, a college degree has become increasingly necessary for
finding well-paid work, in part due to a shift in the labor market away from routine tasks that can
be outsourced or accomplished by computers (Autor 13). For individuals without a steady
income, it is incredibly difficult to obtain an accredited education; the homeless are particularly
affected by this as they live in extreme poverty cannot obtain goods or shelter independently.

Social stigmas concerning the homeless also limit their ability to become employed or
otherwise financially independent. Surveys as far back as 1976 showed that respondents placed a
large amount of the blame on the impoverished for their own situations as a result of personal
flaws including poor financial planning, lack of talent, and laziness (Phelan 324). Klugel and
Smith reproduced similar results in 1980 and later surveys between 1982 and 1995 showed a
shift towards an even greater tendency to blame the poor for their financial situations (Phelan
324). Further stigmatization of homeless individuals results from not only their impoverished
state, but also the dissemination of dominant culture within societyensuring continuation of
the existing social orderand the fundamental attribution error: a psychological phenomenon in
which individuals underestimate the power of situations to influence other peoples behavior
(but not ones own) while overestimating the impact of personal characteristics (Phelan 325).
Since the 1970s, homelessness has become largely associated with being mentally ill, even
though this is not always the case (Phelan 327). These social stigmas towards the poor and
homeless make it very difficult for those individuals to gain employment. For example, even if
an interviewer believes he is totally equitable in his selection, he would likely have a
unconscious bias against a homeless individual due to societal influences which surround him
constantly.
Unemployment is a major contributing factor to homelessness. According to the 2014
State of Homelessness Annual Report for the Detroit Continuum of Care, 57% of responding
adults with families were unemployed at the time they became homeless (Homeless 4). If these
adults had consistent work that paid a living wage, their income would increase and be more
reliable. Some initiatives and factors that have had a positive impact (increase in employment of

homeless persons) are job training, education, and availability of adequate jobs and affordable
child care (Ratcliff 1; Brooks 1).
This problem is not at all unique to the city of Detroit. Other American cities that have
large numbers of homeless individuals, according to the 2015 Annual Homeless Assessment
Report (AHAR), include New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. The homeless
population in New York City consisted of 75,323 homeless individuals, followed by Los Angeles
with 41,174, and San Francisco with 6,775. NYC Stat published a report in 2015 with a total
population of 60,670 in homeless shelters. The amount of unsheltered individuals was not
provided. A 2015 report published by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority recorded a
total of 41,174 homeless individuals within Los Angeles, 28,948 of whom were unsheltered. The
San Francisco Point-In-Time Count & Survey Comprehensive Report of 2015 reported 6,686
homeless individuals, 3,505 of whom did not have access to shelter of any kind. Detroit, New
York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco all have homeless people that are unsheltered. What
this reveals is a problem with the amount of housing provided to the homeless in American
cities. When dealing with a large homeless population, a city must ensure it has ample resources
to accommodate as many individuals as possible. There must be an accurate appropriation of city
funds directed to homeless programs to ensure availability of these resources.
Another trend in American cities is the concentration of the homeless population in
downtown areas. The downtown sections of major American cities such as the ones listed
previously have a concentration of homeless individuals. The term downtown refers to a citys
core business district. Downtown areas have high population densities, public restrooms,
convenience stores, and public transportation. Convenience stores provide easy access to
inexpensive food. Public restrooms provide homeless individuals with a place to clean

themselves and access relatively clean water. Public transportation, such as buses, is also
provided in downtown areas, but city bus routes rarely stray beyond city borders. These areas
also contain homeless support structures, like shelters. Los Angeles has a concentration of
homeless individuals in its downtown area, referred to as Skid Row, because of the multiple
services for homeless individuals located there. Salt Lake City, Utah also has homeless
individuals who camp along downtown streets and in empty buildings.
Detroit has is in a similar situation to cities like New York, Los Angeles and Salt Lake
City. The Detroit Metro area has the highest homeless population in the state of Michigan with
34,642 people living without a home. As previously stated, a unemployment is often the catalyst
for people becoming homeless. In April 2015, Detroit had an unemployment rate of 10.2%,
which was 4.8% above Michigans average (Unemployment 3).Homelessness affects both
men and women, albeit men are more common. According to the 2014 State of Homelessness
Annual Report for Detroit, 62% of the homeless population is male, and 37% is female. Around
72% of homeless males live as a single adult while 79% of the female population live with their
families. The average age of the homeless in Detroit is 36 years old. 89% of the homeless
population in Detroit is African-American. Also, only 27% of the homeless population of Detroit
has a high school diploma (Homeless Action Network of Detroit 6).
There are many service organizations and shelters which serve Detroits homeless; our
group focused on Crossroads of Michigan and Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries. Crossroads of
Michigan is an outreach agency with two locations in Detroit, one at 2424 West Grand Boulevard
and the other at 21230 Moross Rd. This organization feeds the poor and homeless, offers
assistance programs and counseling, and provides partnerships with local businesses. Their goal
is to get people back on the right track and prevent future problems they may have. Crossroads

provides access to computers, clothing, showers, and workshops to give people marketable skills
and the opportunity to find a job (Crossroads of Michigan 1). The volunteer coordinator of the
program, Zisa Snider-Maybin, shared her observations of demographic and social trends at the
West Grand Boulevard site during a phone interview. The majority of the people who come to
Crossroads are African American, and most are homeless, but not all. Most individuals who
come for the food are homeless, while those coming for the assistance programs are low-income
or impoverished. Ms. Snider-Maybin claimed that the people who come to Crossroads are very
employable. They use the facilities to become even more marketable to prospective employers.
Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM) is an organization that helps homeless
individuals by giving them food, a place to sleep, and access to showers. They also offer
programs to help individuals recover from drug addiction and substance abuse (Detroit
Rescue 1). DRMM serves meals to their patrons in waves, the first of which consists of those
who temporarily reside on the premises and are a part of the substance abuse program. The
second wave is open to anyone. The first group of people was entirely male, about 90% AfricanAmerican and ranging in age from 40 to 60. The second wave was very similar demographically,
but with 3-5 women in addition to the men.
Those who qualify through requirements like having veteran status, children, or problems
with addiction or debt are able to become residents at one of DRMMs six locations. Residents
can live there for up to two years while they work with the DRMM staff work toward gaining
employment and financial stability, as well as address the issues that lead to their homelessness
in the first place. If residents are incapable of living on their own due to mental illness or other
such factors, they may remain at DRMM as long as they need. DRMM also provides services to
residents which aid in their transition out of homelessness. These services include education and

training to help them get a job and retain it. DRMM also provides support for former residents up
to six months after they leave the shelter. The goal of this is to ensure that individuals are stable
in their new residence and employment. During my groups site visit, a man commented that it
was one of his last nights at the shelter. He had recently rented an apartment and was set to move
in the next day. Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries provides treatment for substance addiction
along with its housing and job training services. Two types of services are available: sub-acute
substance abuse detoxification and substance abuse treatment. Sub-acute substance abuse
detoxification consists of monitoring the individual to ensure that they remain drug free and
management of withdrawal symptoms. Substance abuse treatment consists of management of
residual symptoms (such as malnutrition) as well as withdrawal symptoms (such as fatigue and
vomiting). Organizations such as the Michigan Department of Corrections, Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Agency, and Detroit Bureau of Substance Abuse Prevention, Treatment
and Recovery provide funding for residents treatments. A policy is a plan of action intended to
produce specific results (Lenz and Holman 273). Many organizations and local government have
enacted policies to improve the lives of homeless individuals. For example, the National Low
Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) was founded in 1974 by Cushing N. Dolbeare. It attempts to
influence policy and lawmaking to provide aid and tangible resources to homeless individuals.
They claim to be "dedicated solely to achieving socially just public policy that assures people
with the lowest incomes in the United States have affordable and decent homes." NLIHC
representatives appear before legislative bodies and offer testimony in favor of measures that
would increase the availability of housing to low-income citizens. They also send letters and
other correspondence to lawmakers to educate them about the necessity of low-income housing.

In 2008, the National Housing Trust Fund was established. This fund is a provision of the
Housing and Economic Recovery Act. Ninety percent of the resources from this account are used
for the creation and maintenance of low-cost rental housing. This fund also provides grants to
states which are used to build, repair and operate rental housing. The majority of states have their
own housing trust funds as well.
A recent effort to reduce homelessnessvia facilitating personal and financial
independenceis rapid rehousing. This policy was created with the perspective that housing
should be the primary concern when reintegrating homeless individuals into society. Rapid
rehousing involves moving individuals or families from shelters directly to permanent housing
(ICPH 1). The impact of this is immediate, because the beneficiaries then live in a home that they
partially own and are thus, by definition, no longer homeless. Criticisms of this strategy include
its unknown long-term effects and lack of support provided after rehousing (Da Costa Nunez 2).
This strategy is used across the US, but New York Citys implementation has been the most
extensive, both in duration and scale. Over 11,000 families are housed in shelters in New York
City (ICPH 1). In 2005, rapid rehousing policies were introduced based on time-limited rental
subsidies to foster permanent independent living for homeless families (ICPH 1). This program
sought to help individuals become financially secure by finding employment and to maintain
their living situations independent of temporary rental subsidies (ICPH 1).
New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg implemented this policy by giving priority
placement housing to families in the shelter system and distributing tens of thousands of rental
vouchers, government coupons used to pay rent (Da Costa Nunez 2). The reasoning was that by
providing an incentive to move out of the shelter and into permanent housing, individuals would
be able to find work and improve their quality and stability of life. Rental vouchers allowed

individuals to move into an apartment or similar facility and remove one challengelack of
housingthat made finding employment difficult (Da Costa Nunez 2).
Cass Community Social Services (CCSS) is a Detroit-based program started by Reverend
Faith Fowler. This agency works to provide food, housing, health services and jobs to homeless
individuals in Detroit. They target members of the homeless population who have mental
illnesses, issues with substance abuse and disabilities. CCSS founded Green Industries, their
employment initiative, in 2007 during the recession. This program has grown to include eightyfive employees and has plans to hire at least 15 more by the end of 2016 (Cass Community 1).
Green Industries manufactures recycled products such as mud mats, sandals, coaster sets and
hanging planters (Cass Community 1).

Section II: Needs Assessment

The primary stakeholders in the issue of unemployed homelessness are the unemployed
homeless themselves. This specific population includes people that are experiencing either
individual homelessness or family homelessness. These individuals and families are directly
affected by actions of different agencies, institutions, and organizations working to provide
solutions to this specific issue. The unemployed homeless individuals that participate in support
programs show their support of the solution efforts by continuing to participate and accept
resources provided by the programs.
Secondary stakeholders-people that are indirectly affected by an effort-include businesses
and supportive organizations, specifically those located in the downtown areas of cities with high
concentrations of homeless people. As central business districts of cities, downtown areas
provide a collection of resources, including public restrooms, small convenient stores, public
transit, and homeless shelters, that are a draw for the homeless. Solution efforts not only assist
homeless individuals and families with their movement off the streets, which improves the
condition of a given area, but helps these individuals to begin to contribute to the citys economy
and the supportive efforts that had previously assisted them. This economic and solution effort
support-which is limited to the current state of the individual-offered by individuals that were
previously in a state of homelessness include working in the market sphere, making purchases at
local businesses, and volunteering at organizations improve the community. With the provision
of resources that supply sources of employment and housing, targeted unemployed homeless
populations are given the opportunity to take part in the improvement of a downtown area.
Key stockholders-those that can positively or negatively affect an effort-then include
citizens, government officials, and agencies working to provide solutions to the issue. These are

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the stockholders that have a direct effect on solution efforts. Citizens are the donors and
volunteers who help provide resources offered by support organizations, elect government
officials, and influence public opinion. Support organizations that work to provide resources and
opportunities to the homeless population depend on citizens for donations and volunteering
support. Nonprofit organizations rely on donations to provide food, clothing, shelter, and social
services. Volunteers also assist in the distribution of these resources. Government officials write
and pass legislation that addresses the issue through public policy, which establishes programs
and laws that influence a large group of people. National policies impact the homeless population
across the country, can be inspired by actions taken at the local or state level, and are directly
impacted by the opinion that the general public has formed regarding the issue. With a negative
perception of the homeless, there is less support of a policy aimed at assisting the homeless
population.Finally, it is the agencies and organizations that provide resources to the homeless
that regularly impact their lives. As a part of the solution effort, these organizations are focused
on the provision of resources to supportive agencies and show their support of the effort they are
participating in by continuing to provide resources to the homeless population.
Solution efforts utilizing the government sphere have taken the shape of policies that
have been shown to be effective and ineffective. The Department of Housing and Urban
Developments (HUD) Continuum of Care (CoC) Program serves as an example solution effort
that promotes communitywide commitment to the improvement of homeless conditions. HUD
homeless assistance grants are allocated to organizations participating in local homeless
assistance program planning networks called CoCs. Individual CoC committees present at city,
county, and state-levels allow for the coordination of efforts to produce CoC plans that outline
local homeless needs, available resources, and required resources. CoC funds are then allocated

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through the Supportive Housing Program (SHP), the Shelter Plus Care Program (S+C), and
Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation for Single Room Occupancy (SRO). The CoC planning
process, as outlined by HUD Homeless Continuum of Care, follows five steps that begin with the
identification of a group of homeless agencies that can take on a set of responsibilities and ends
with the identification of specific projects for funding.
HUDs CoC program seeks to utilize institutions-systems that allow agents to deal with
structures-already in place to address the problem unemployment among the homeless. CoC
allows eligible program applicants-defined by theHomeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid
Transition to Housing Act - HUD Exchangeto include nonprofit organizations, state and local
governments, instrumentalities of local governments, and public housing agencies-to collaborate
on current causes of the issue and allocation of grants to solution efforts amended to address
homelessness as an issue that has transitioned over time to encompass both families and
individuals rather than individuals alone. The concept of improving established solution methods
rather than developing completely novel ones can save both valuable resources such as money
and time. Lower emphasis on funding amounts in potential solutions would allow for greater
concentration on the actual areas to which funds are delegated.
Sit-lie laws, or ordinances, restrict or ban sitting, lying down, sleeping, or camping in
public places. Voters in San Francisco approved sit-lie in November 2010, which placed
restrictions on sitting or lying down on public sidewalks from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Murray).
Anyone found violating the law could be given a $100 ticket. In San Francisco, the effectiveness
of the sit-lie law has been called into question since select individuals over $10,000 in fines(Murray). This primarily results from an individuals inability to pay the fine. The legality of
such laws has also been called into question. In a case filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ)

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in Boise, Idaho in 2015, the DOJ argued that the enforcement of an anti-camping ordinance
criminalized homelessness and violated the Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and
unusual punishment: (Badger). Sit-lie laws fail to provide a solution to the central issue of
unemployed homelessness and focus on the social issue of visible homelessness, which places
pressure on community leaders to initiate policy changes. Sit-lie laws are ineffective and fail to
address structural factors furthering the issue of unemployment among the homeless.
Non-profit organizations operate in the civic sphere and utilize voluntary participation to
provide a public benefit. Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM) is a non-profit organization
that provides food, emergency shelter, job training, and treatment services to the homeless
population of Detroit. Emergency shelter residents are given the opportunity to stay overnight,
shower, receive new clothing items, and eat provided meals. Shelter counselors then assess each
resident, assist in their applications for further services, and ensure that their medical and
counseling needs are addressed. Transitional housing residents can remain in the program for up
to two years, allowing them to utilize education, mental health, employment, and substance
abuse services. Permanent housing residents are required to have a disability which prevents
them from independently living in community housing. Included disabilities are chronic health
issues, mental illness, and severe substance addictions. Addiction programs include sub-acute
substance abuse detoxification and substance abuse treatment. DRMM works with substance
abuse agencies to provide appropriate treatment for each case. Employment training and
education services provided include on-the-job training at DRMM, vocational assessments,
culinary arts and hospitality services, resource libraries, GED/adult basic education programs,
and workforce readiness programs. DRMM provides homeless individuals and families with
services that address internal structures, like education and skill development, while also

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providing housing opportunities to address the lack of affordable housing. This organization,
however, is limited by the amount of donations it receives and number of volunteers available.
Cluster-site housing is a for-profit approach utilized in New York City to address the
issue of homelessness. The concept of cluster housing development involves the grouping of
structures on a portion of land and was developed as an alternative to the traditional subdivision.
(Gonzales and Romero, 32). The approach applied as a solution to homelessness involves a city
renting privately-owned apartments which are leased and managed by shelter operators. As of
February 2016, cluster shelters housed twenty percent of people in the shelter system and
accounted for over fourteen thousand safety violations. (Stewart). The cluster-site housing
approach in New York City has encountered issues with irresponsible landlords that allowed the
development of safety violations within the housing buildings. With eleven thousand people
living in the apartments, the approach costs the city $125 per year. (Goldensohn). City officials
have announced that the use of cluster shelters will be discontinued by 2018. This solution
attempt failed because it allowed for the development of chronic conditions and lacked a strategy
for the provision of supportive services.
Crossroads of Michigan, founded in 1971, has two locations in Detroit, Michigan which
seek to support their respective communities by providing emergency assistance, advocacy, and
counseling. Key programs offered at Crossroads include the social services unit, soup kitchen,
job employment office, and parenting support program. The social services unit offers counseling
to help clients identify their problems and available solutions. A hot meal is served to people who
visit the organization on Sunday afternoon. Teams operating the soup kitchen consist of
volunteers from the metro Detroit area. Crossroads employment office assists those job seekers
and offers job readiness preparation prior to interviews. The parenting support program provides

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a safe environment to talk freely about being a parent; facilitate educational classes and
workshops; assist parent participants in acquiring knowledge and skills to nurture their children;
and help parents provide a healthy, caring home environment for their children.
Volunteering at the soup kitchen provided an opportunity to speak with service providers
and homeless individuals directly. The importance of having volunteers and ensuring that they
understood why the organization was established was stressed by the program operators during
each visit. The homeless individuals were thankful for everything the organization had to offer
and gave no complaints. The homeless people who visited the soup kitchen every week were
always glad to speak with volunteers and noticed those who returned every week. Speaking with
homeless individuals altered our perceptions of the reasons for why people may end up in a
homeless situation, allowing for a greater understanding of the different causes and situations
different individuals encounter. The organization addresses immediate, individual barriers
through the soup kitchen and counseling services. Solutions to structural barriers to employment
and self-sufficiency are also supported through career services and parenting support program.
The limited resources available are reflected in the limited times of operation: the soup kitchen
only operates on Sunday, employment skills meetings are held biweekly, and the parenting
support program is held one morning each week for thirteen weeks.
Focus: HOPE, founded in 1968, seeks to overcome racism, poverty, and injustice to build
a metropolitan community so all people may live in freedom, harmony, trust, and affection.
Primary services include the food program, HOPE Village initiative, and education programs.
Four food centers distribute food to those who meet income guidelines, including senior citizens
in over 42 metropolitan Detroit communities. The HOPE Village initiative, including 100 blocks
and 1700 housing units, offers workforce development training and education to HOPE Village

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residents. The goal of this initiative is to enable residents to be educationally prepared,

economically self-sufficient, and living in a safe environment. Education programs are split into
youth education, skill enrichment, certificate programs, and college degree programs.
Volunteering with the Focus: HOPE food packaging program provided a glimpse into the main
mission of the organization: [what the mission is]. All of the workers are very passionate about
the work they do and were very clear about the high quality of the services they wanted their
volunteers to provide. The event coordinator explained the other opportunities provided by
Focus: HOPE and went into depth on the success and growth that their education programs have
facilitated.

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Section III: Plan of Action

Students in the Wayne State University Honors College offer skills and experience that
can improve the quality of life of homeless individuals in Detroit. Students majors range from
mathematics to biology to business, so students can provide the unemployed homeless people
with different kinds of knowledge and important life skills that will help them find steady
employment and successfully reintegrate into society.
A service learning project addressing the issue of the unemployed homeless will combine
the Wayne State University Honors College and Crossroads of Michigan, a local homeless
shelter. Students will volunteer their time to teach the homeless skills using knowledge from the
students majors and other activities through the University.
Business majors can lead the rsum building and teaching of interview skills. Finance,
accounting, and math majors can impart knowledge of financial literacy skills such as how to
submit taxes and manage money. Nursing and biology majors can instruct individuals in basic
first aid and CPR. Art majors can lead workshops with people who want to pursue an artistic
career or give art lessons as a form of creative stress relief. English majors can improve literacy
by teaching reading and writing skills. Students can also work with teaching computer skills such
as how to use Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Because of these reasons, the service
learning groups should be comprised of people with a wide variety of skills and majors.
The facilities offered by Crossroads of Michigan are a valuable asset for the organization
of the service learning project. The crowd that goes to Crossroads on Sundays consists of regular
visitors to the program. They visit every week and are familiar with the volunteers and
employees of the facility. This is important because it shows that they are dedicated to the
program and ensure that they are credible and would be willing to take the workshops seriously.

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The learning schedule can be coordinated to take place after the food bank that operates
on Sundays. The workshops can have a different focus every week. The first week can focus on
finances, the second on first aid and CPR, the third on computer skills, and so on. The remaining
weeks are focused on building a strong rsum using the skills they have learned and the
references they have gained. During the second-to-last week, students will help the homeless
people find things areas of interest and job openings. The final week will be practice interviews
as a final preparation to prepare them to be successful in entering the workforce. Every week will
have a section of the workshop dedicated the reading and writing skills. Children and young
teens attending these workshops would work solely on improving their literacy.
This proposed project will need a minimum of six students who are available every
Sunday for an entire semester. Since the workshops will be paired with the food pantry services
that are provided on Sundays, the usual volunteers with the site can work the normal check-in
and check-out process. The site will be available free of cost and the services are all provided on
a volunteer basis. Tools and materials for the workshops will be donated by the students with
supplemental fundraising to cover extraneous costs, making the project free of cost.
Starting a program that combines Honors students volunteering and a local homeless
shelter has a lot of benefits. Since all of the people involved in the project are volunteering either
through the homeless shelter or through the university, it will be free of employment costs. The
students have valuable knowledge and experience that they can provide for free. If the workshop
requires additional tools, they can be provided either through the students or university funding.
The combination of the credible site, economic benefits and valuable skills the students provide
creates an excellent program that would make a large impact on the unemployed homeless in
Detroit.

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However, there are a few problems that might arise in this service learning project. One
of these is the consistent availability of the students. Students, especially Honors students, are
busy and may have scheduling problems that prohibit them from attending these workshops
every Sunday. It is important that the students who are volunteering with the project are available
and create a structured program for which they are held accountable. Another possible problem is
the small costs for the materials necessary in the workshops. A final potential problem is the
availability of local jobs. This program will help the unemployed homeless gain skills they need
to obtain a job, but it cannot ensure that they will find one. Jobs are not always available in the
area; local businesses are not always hiring.
This solution fixes the problem on a small scale and in the short run. It does not rectify
the structural or institutional problems of homelessness and their overall lack of marketable
skills. The workshops will help a small number of people gain the experience they need to find a
job, but will not affect the population as a whole. This project could be expanded to other
universities in other areas in order to increase the impact on the problem. If other universities
adopted this project, it would help the unemployed homeless population far beyond Detroit. This
would create a larger-scale solution, but it would still not solve the problem in the long run.
A direct action solution solves problems on a smaller scale in the short run. Another way
that Wayne State students, and others around the state and country, can make a difference is
through indirect action. The problem that students can work on through indirect action is the
level of education that the homeless youth receive.
The homeless population is struggling to find jobs because they do not have the necessary
education to find a job in todays society. In the modern society it is much more difficult to find
work without a high school diploma and on average, one out of two homeless students does not

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graduate from high school. The educational programs through Focus: HOPE, Crossroads, Detroit
Rescue Mission, and the workshops propositioned are all necessary because of the lacking
educational curriculum that the homeless population has received. By taking steps to keep youth
in the public schools system, it will give the homeless population more opportunities to find jobs
later in their life.
According to The Nation Center for Homeless Education, the national graduation rate for
homeless students is 46.1% (Data and Statistics on Homelessness 1). Students who drop out of
high school earn an annual income of approximately $20,241, while those who graduate earn an
average of $30,627. Finding a job if you drop out of high school is much more difficult than if
you graduate. The national unemployment rate is 8.1%, while the unemployment rate for
dropouts is 12%. Dropouts also experience a poverty rate of 30.8% (Breslow, 2012). For students
living without a home or those in low-income households, attending school is not their main
priority. These students believe their time is better spent on other thingslike making money
or they are unable to make it to the schools due to transportation problems. Students coming
from these situations are going to school hungry and are unable to perform because of their lack
of nutrition. These problems can be solved by a simple after school education program.
Students from Wayne State University can join forces with Detroit Public Schools to
change the structure the public schools program and give students better and enhance the DPS
students involvement. Schools should provide after school aid programs for students who are
disadvantaged to give them more opportunities to help them succeed academically. These
programs would be available to anyone attending the public school, but should be directed to the
children who are coming from low-income, unstable homes or those who are homeless. After
school programs can also include food or snacks and transportation to help the students return

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home safely. Offering these added bonuses will give students more incentives to attend school
regularly.
Providing after-school education programs will increase the students involvement and
dedication to their schooling, and in turn increase the graduation rates (Huang et al. 1).
Increasing graduation rates will help more students find jobs and earn a higher income. A higher
employment rate will improve Detroits economy; as the economy improves in the city, it will in
turn bring more money back to the schools through tax dollars and private donations. This chain
of reactions provides a long term solution to problems faced by the unemployed homeless.
This policy change will be enacted by the government sphere. Funding for after-school
programs are paid for by a combination of grants (federal, state, and local), foundations, private
donations, community organizations, and families (Baron 1). The most effective way to solve
this problem in Detroit is through federal funding. Private donations could be an aspect of
solving the problem, but the main force behind the policy change would need to be the state
funds because their larger pool of resources and their ability to provide annual funding for an
ongoing program. Students will have to address the lack of sufficient school funding at the local
and state levels in order to instigate necessary changes. The new policy will take the form of a
step-by-step process requiring multiple years of student involvement.
The first step should be a test run of the after-school programs. The service required will
be provided by Honors College students on a volunteer basis. Students will work at Detroit
Public Schools and start after-school programs to work with the students. These programs will
help them with classwork, aid them in studying, and provide any other academic help students
require. It should provide snacks and if possible and organize a form of transportation through

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the school. This trial should be monitored for one year to determine student involvement,
increase in grades, and the students enthusiasm towards their schooling.
The second step in the policy change process will be to analyze the results of the trial
program and present them to the Detroit Public Schools Board of Directors. It is important to
demonstrate the positive effects of the program and encourage their support in obtaining state
funding. If the program is approved, the next step is to bring it to the attention of Detroits city
government. The program, now backed by DPS, will be proposed to local officials. Support from
the local government will be supported by a budget for the after-school program and be proposed
to the state government. The Executive Branch is responsible for the budget, including the
education budget, and therefore should be proposed to them (Budget 1). With the
information on necessary funding, the support of the Detroit Public Schools and the local
government of Detroit, and a success story of a trial after-school program, the federal
government will hopefully allocate requested funds for a program in the Detroit Public Schools.
This policy proposal has a lot of benefits including its long term impact. By taking the
indirect approach, students attempt to solve the problem on a large scale. The opportunity cost of
working on this policy change is the time that could be spent on the direct action approach. The
direct action approach has a much larger chance of being influential on the community because
of its direct impact on the population and the instability of the indirect actions plan. Since taking
the indirect action approach requires funding from the state, it can be much more complicated
and difficult to receive the funds. Without the necessary funds from the government, the
education program will be unable to function. Both approaches of solving the unemployed
homeless problem will require minimal costs from the Wayne State Honors College, while the
indirect approach will require much more of a time investment than the direct action will.

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Overall, the direct action plan will provide a higher success rate and more properly utilize
the time of the Wayne State University Honors Students. Providing workshops to help the
homeless population build skills and experiences necessary to find a job will cost less money and
time. Also, the workshop program can be adopted by more than just the Honors College service
learning group due to its flexibility.
In conclusion, both the direct and indirect action plans propose a viable solution to the
problem of the unemployed homeless. Both plans have strengths and weaknesses, but the direct
action plan would be the most beneficial and influential because of its economic and social
benefits.

23

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