A group of us students woke up early today so that we could hike up to Arthur’s Seat. Arthur’s Seat is the highest point above Edinburgh and has breathtaking panoramic views of the whole city. This mountain peak is just east of the city center and rises to a height of 822 feet. It was a beautiful morning, and everyone thought the hike was absolutely worth it. You could see all of Edinburgh from just one spot. You could even see the Firth of that we could hike up to Arthur’s Seat. Arthur’s Seat is the highest point above Edinburgh and has breathtaking panoramic views of the whole city. This mountain peak is just east of the city center and rises to a height of 822 feet. It was a beautiful morning, and everyone thought the hike was absolutely worth it. You could see all of Edinburgh from just one spot. You could even see the Firth of Forth which connects to the North Sea! From the top, the people looked like ants and you could clearly see Edinburgh Castle. Arthur’s Seat is famous because it is said that King Arthur would watch over his kingdom from this point each day.
Later, we met back up at the hotel to begin our service day with the community-based organization, Four Square Edinburgh. Four Square is a charity with the mission of improving the lives of people who are experiencing homelessness in the city of Edinburgh. Housing is a growing issue in Scotland. Yesterday, when we met with members of the Scottish government, they had discussed a recently declared “cost-of-living” crisis in the country that is further exacerbating housing insecurity. Four Square serves over a 1,000 individuals per year through their various programs to provide housing and life skills and job training to people who are thought by most to be on the outskirts of society. This only addresses a fraction of the need in Edinburgh as for some of their services there can be a two-year waiting list. Once we arrived at Four Square, we met with Rebekka Ford, Four Square’s Community and Event Coordinator. Rebekka stressed that homelessness is a significant burden on the population and is a complex cycle to break. We loved how Four Square focuses on teaching residents skills that will allow them to live independently and eventually break the cycle of homelessness. Through empowering women, education, and creating a community, many women who are victims of domestic abuse can regain their lives. We often forget about some social determinants of health, and homelessness is usually one. In the future, we will be sure to remember this population when working in public health.
Another vital part of the Four Square organization is their charity shop, one of the main funding sources for their different programs. During our visit we did various tasks to help at the shop including gardening, cleaning furniture, and reorganizing inventory. The shop provides high quality pre-loved furniture. And whether you buy or donate furniture, you are supporting people who are experiencing homelessness as well as helping the environment by keeping items out of the landfill.
Before and after photos from one reorganization effort we undertook in the shop!
Similar to Scotland, the United States also has a major homelessness issue. Based on data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) which is summarized in the “State of Homelessness: 2023 Edition”, around 18 out every 10,000 people in the U.S. are currently dealing with homelessness (National Alliance to End Homelessness [NAEH], 2023). Since 2017, homelessness has increased by about six percent (6%) overall, with specific racial/ethnic groups, such as Pacific Islanders, African Americans, and Native Americans, experiencing greater numbers of homelessness (NAEH, 2023). Another subgroup disproportionately impacted by homelessness is men, who are the gender at most risk (NAEH, 2023). Unfortunately, though there is a clear need for shelter, support, and other resources that can help mitigate the effects of this public health problem, 40% of people who are homeless still live unsheltered (NAEH, 2023).
Though homelessness in the U.S. is and likely will continue to be a rising public health concern, many organizations exist whose goal is to assist people who are homeless with support, tools, and resources that they can use to get back on their feet. An example (which is just one of many throughout the country) is the Firehouse Shelter in Birmingham, which is run by Firehouse Ministries and was founded in 1983 (Firehouse Ministries, n.d.). Right now, this agency helps more men who are chronically homeless than any other organization in the state of Alabama, helping around 5,000 individuals per year (Firehouse Ministries, n.d.). Much like Four Square, this charity not only provides shelter, but also provides employment support, life skill development, and literacy training (Firehouse Ministries, n.d.).
Seeing this work in both the U.S. and Scotland really drives home the idea that public health should be holistic in nature. To give people who are experiencing homelessness a chance to thrive and to promote health equity, our approach should include multiple factors, especially the social determinants of health (education, housing, transportation, etc.). But the biggest, most important lesson is that we are dealing with people – people who, though they do not have a home, still have hopes, dreams, and goals, just like we do. Our service experience today only solidified our resolve to keep this lesson in our minds even after we return to the U.S.
References
Firehouse Ministries. (n.d.). The Firehouse shelter. https://firehouseshelter.com/#:~:text=The%20Firehouse%20Shelter,-Firehouse%20Ministries%20serves&text=Founded%20in%201983%2C%20we%20operate,in%20Birmingham%20and%20surrounding%20areas. National Alliance to End Homelessness (2023). State of homelessness: 2023 edition [Data set]. https://endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/homelessness-statistics/state-of-homelessness/
