Austin Smith

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• Austin Smith
• Glasgow Homelessness Network

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• Disempowerment and
• Disconnection trauma
• and homelessness
• (GHN 2003)

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• Whats trauma?

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• I got beat up
• and

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• set on
• fire

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• I was in care
• and

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• then I got raped

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• I saw my dad in the bath with his throat and
  wrists slit and the bath all full of blood and

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• the memory is still with me

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• My four year old daughter was murdered and

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• my wife committed suicide

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• I was abused by my brother when I was 9

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• What does trauma look like?

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• Isolated, isolating
• Mistrustful living on nerves
• Aggressive, suspicious
• Feels emotion too much takes drugs to
  suppress emotion
• Anxious / wary
• Feels bad / unworthy
• Self-harms
• Indulges in risky behaviour

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• Neglects self / own health
• Cannot remember past
• Capable of zoning out the present
• Uses services inappropriately
• Re-presents at services
• Is the client of all clients
• Is complex

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Homelessness is loss

• of home
• of family social networks
• of contact with children
• of employment
• of opportunity
• of social standing / status

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Is this complex?

• Substance misuse and homelessness can be caused
  by trauma.
• Substance misuse and homelessness cause trauma

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Is this complex ?

• Trauma Substance
• Misuse
• Mental health problems
• Homelessness

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• Who are the idiots?

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Glasgow Homelessness Network Trauma Working Group

• Established 2002 produced report 2003
• Produced paper A Trauma Service For People
  Affected By Homelessness 2004
• Trauma Service established 2005

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Glasgow Homelessness Network Trauma Working
Group

• How non-health professionals can shape and change
  service development
• The environment in which this will happen

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Helpful environment 1

• The link with the Health Board

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A Trauma Service For People Affected By
Homelessness

• Work with people who perceive themselves as
  survivors of trauma who see a connection with
  their present situation/behaviour or who are
  still troubled by past traumatic events

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A Trauma Service For People Affected By
Homelessness

• Called in rather than referred to
• Use relationship between frontline staff member
  and client as basis of work
• Empower, advise and support staff

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A Trauma Service For People Affected By
Homelessness

• Work with people finding stability in the main
  but not exclusively
• Provide space for people to talk / express
  themselves counselling / art therapy

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Helpful environment 2

• The existence of the Glasgow Homelessness
  Partnership

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Helpful environment 3

• A network of
• critical friends
• in partner organisations

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Helpful environment 4

• Efficient liaison between partner organisations

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Helpful environment 5

• A genuine desire by all partners to work together

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A Trauma Service For People Affected By
Homelessness

• Update