Sparkle (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
myownface) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2017-01-25 09:10 am
myownface) wrote in fandomhigh2017-01-25 09:10 am
Entry tags:
Urban Survival - The Uglier Side of City Living, Wednesday, Period 2
Okay, Sparkle (complete with bandaged hand, sigh, gremlins) was actually in a fairly functional mood today as he sat on the teacher's desk at the front of the class.
"So, last week we discussed reasons that people might end up on the street," he shared. "And the week before, we talked about basic needs, which we had, uh, some disagreement about."
Because teenagers, he supposed. It hadn't been that long since he was one himself.
"This week we're going to jump right into discussing things that might make it difficult for a person to claw their way back up from the gutter. And then I want you guys to dig deeper into things that might complicate that even more. Let's start with poverty, then, since it's the most obvious one. The obvious solution to that is to get a job, right? Except that you're homeless, you're probably wearing dirty clothes and you haven't had a proper shower in ages and how is a potential employer going to get in touch with you? There are some places that have services that will take messages and let you use a phone, shelters that will do what they can to facilitate something like that. Not every city does that. And not every shelter is necessarily going to be helpful."
Sparkle shrugged.
"What else is holding you back from getting that job? Is there prejudice to take into consideration? Sexism? Racism? Homophobia? Maybe there actually isn't any work to be had. What is it that left you jobless in the first place? There are a lot of barriers to consider, things that make it harder to get up from rock bottom once you're down there. So, go on. Discuss. Bounce barriers and dig in deep and dirty, and next week we'll start picking apart those problems and actually get into how to survive out there."
"So, last week we discussed reasons that people might end up on the street," he shared. "And the week before, we talked about basic needs, which we had, uh, some disagreement about."
Because teenagers, he supposed. It hadn't been that long since he was one himself.
"This week we're going to jump right into discussing things that might make it difficult for a person to claw their way back up from the gutter. And then I want you guys to dig deeper into things that might complicate that even more. Let's start with poverty, then, since it's the most obvious one. The obvious solution to that is to get a job, right? Except that you're homeless, you're probably wearing dirty clothes and you haven't had a proper shower in ages and how is a potential employer going to get in touch with you? There are some places that have services that will take messages and let you use a phone, shelters that will do what they can to facilitate something like that. Not every city does that. And not every shelter is necessarily going to be helpful."
Sparkle shrugged.
"What else is holding you back from getting that job? Is there prejudice to take into consideration? Sexism? Racism? Homophobia? Maybe there actually isn't any work to be had. What is it that left you jobless in the first place? There are a lot of barriers to consider, things that make it harder to get up from rock bottom once you're down there. So, go on. Discuss. Bounce barriers and dig in deep and dirty, and next week we'll start picking apart those problems and actually get into how to survive out there."
Re: Discuss
RE: Re: Discuss
"Find someone," she suggested tentatively. "Someone who can help make you want to try?"