Urban Problem: Addressing Homelessness Using Self-reliant Solutions (Research Proposal Sample)

Addressing Homelessness Using Self-Reliant Solutions Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Addressing Homelessness Using Self-Reliant Solutions Cover Letter Dear Sir, In Ohio, worsening economic conditions and increasing costs of living have forced a part of the poorest in the community to become homeless. Such persons are left to squalor, living on the streets, in parks and in homeless shelters statewide. As such, the target population includes the homeless persons in Akron City, OH. My project attempts to address the challenge of homelessness through self-reliance. I would like to research the challenge of homelessness within our community and propose practical solutions. Such solutions are intended to be sustainable and self-reliant to ensure the longevity of application and minimal investment from the stakeholders. Using both theoretical and practical considerations of concepts such as sociology, criminology, and administration, the researcher hopes to interact with these stakeholders and gain relevant insights. The purpose of submitting this proposal is to directly address the homelessness problem in my city through research-based solutions. In solving the challenge of homelessness, the researcher will select a wide variety of respondents that indicate different causes of this state and then explore solutions that are best suited to these problems. I would like to thank you for the opportunity to submit this proposal. From the description within this research proposal, kindly consider the necessity of the research process and facilitate the execution of the proposed methodology. Signed: ______________ Date: ______________ Executive Summary Homeless people in society are some of the most vulnerable to life problems such as illnesses, drug abuse, violence and sexual assault. To empower them is the most practical approach to improving their lives through sustainable, budgeted and effective action. As such, self-reliance forms the basis of the solution to be explored through researching practical solutions to homelessness. The researcher intends to examine the welfare of 100 participants chosen to participate in a training program intended to solve the challenge through employment. By using this training program, the research process will examine the welfare of homeless persons and their dependants and the potential of a program empowering the earning ability of these persons. Ultimately, the researcher will analyze the effectiveness of the solution in allowing homeless persons to restore their economic capacity and live in more suitable accommodations. Essentially, the grant idea will include the formation of the training program for homeless persons to work menial jobs in construction through artisan courses. Furthermore, the researcher will propose tactics to ensure these persons retain their empowerment status to prevent the recurrence of their state. Statement of Need There is a need to tackle the challenge of homelessness in our cities through independent means that do not require the aid of the government or aid organizations. According to The Institute for Children, Poverty & Homelessness (2018), Akron had 2200 homeless children during the 2015-2016 period out of the 50,000 homeless children in the entire state. Students, on the other hand feature similar statistical records, with 49% of the homeless families living in cities, followed by 26% in the suburbs, 12% in towns and the remainder in the rural areas. Budget restrictions, economic situations, and social challenges limit the assistance that these people can be given- which necessitates a more hands-on approach to the problem (Gerrard & Farrugia, 2015). These people include the lowest earning sections of the population, especially those working minimum-wage jobs. These persons become continually unable to pay for their housing and are either foreclose on or are evicted. The problem of homelessness extends beyond the inadequacy of housing for a section of the population. According to Toolis and Hammack (2015), homelessness contributes to the incidence of crimes, drug abuse and sexual assault within certain parts of the population. The grant idea of artisan courses in construction address the economic aspect by offering a source of dependable income. Thus, the research proposes to find solutions that empower people to solve the problems that caused their status to worsen until they became homeless. Solving homelessness through self-reliant and sustainable means directly allows associated socio-economic ills to be addressed in the same context. Thus, the solution will empower persons to reduce their dependency on aid by learning to be self-dependent through artisan skills in construction such as plumbing, steel fixing, masonry or tiling works. The change would allow these persons to raise their standards of living continually. Ideally, a solution would raise the standard of life for persons in this bracket, allow them to overcome drug abuse, violence, poverty and transform their lives within healthy housing conditions. A solution of this nature would inherently address crime, sexual assault cases, stimulate social life and boost the economic capacity of the poorest in society (Adler, Pritchett, Kauth, & Mott, 2015). Such solutions are better placed to reduce the number of the homeless and prevent more persons from falling into this status through the empowerment of the society. Within the research process to establish these dynamics, the researcher needs to interact with a variety of concepts that relate to homelessness and find real-world solutions that these people can use. The budget for this research interest is capped at $7, 550, with all expenditures addressed in the use of these funds outside of the grant execution of the solution. Goals and Objectives Primarily, the researcher intends to interact with sociology, economics and criminology concepts that directly define the state of homelessness and deduce possible methods to address them. Thus, the intent is to help 100 homeless persons to lead better lives through socio-economic empowerment that reduces their dependence on charity. This identified group will be taught manual professions that allows them to earn realistic wages. Furthermore, there is the goal to identify practical methods to reduce the incidences of crime, sexual assault and drug abuse through training with the same social program. The program intends to check the welfare needs of these 100 homeless persons and their direct dependents. In Akron, these include persons who are unable to keep up with these payments due to their meager pay, the death of a spouse, loss of income or illnesses that increase the financial difficulty of owning a home or renting one. According to Sharam Hulse (2014), the connection between poverty and homelessness is dependent on the status of the economy with regard to the expenses associated with home ownership or renting. To achieve this goal, the objectives of research include: * To investigate the primary causes of homelessness for the 100 sampled persons * To explore empowerment options for the chosen subjects * To train participants in manual professions that address homelessness through employment Methods The research targets the homeless community locally, the challenges that face these people and the most relevant solutions to their situation. This population is defined entirely by their living conditions, vagrant lifestyle and poverty- both temporarily and permanently (Sharam & Hulse, 2014). A qualitative research approach is intended to interact with this target population, with the objective being to characterize their problems and potential solutions. The primary tool for data collection will be interviewing. This is the most interacting method, especially since it facilitates the exchange of information with a variety of homeless persons, aid workers, social officers and administrators of housing programs. Sampling the homeless persons requires the selection of respondents who reflect the situation, offer the researcher a dynamic dataset. 100 homeless persons will be identified, trained in manual labor, specifically construction-related skills and observed on the progress of their welfare. The social and economic aspects that define homelessness vary widely according to Toolis and Hammack (2015), which means that designing the training program requires the consideration the situation in Akron, OH. As such, randomizing the selection of the 100 participants is necessary. The sampling stra...