From my personal experience, I have found that street outreach is best delivered through a low-key, relational, trauma‑informed model, one that respects the dignity of those that need support.
Every homeless person that I’ve ever met has shown me inherent dignity and spiritual strength. Thus, my role as an outreach worker is to coach them to build upon what they already have, that which life’s circumstances have tried to take from them.
When I am doing outreach with a homeless individual who has been beaten down by life, I try to use a ‘whole-person’ trauma-informed approach to help bring their body, mind, and spirit back into alignment. That is empowering!
Walking with people who’ve been dismissed, harmed, or forgotten by the rest of society is eye opening. It’s a deeply human experience that tells us that people should not be defined by their circumstances, that dignity is inherent, not earned and that healing and personal growth is not just physical or mental — it’s spiritual and relational thing.
Merle Burke