When helping helps

Wars, disease, famine, and oppression are having devastating impacts on untold numbers of people around the world. In the “wealthy countries” we are seeing an alarming rise in the number of people who find themselves homeless. For decades homelessness was considered largely a big city “problem”, but no longer. You will find people living “rough” in cities, towns, and lately even in rural areas. Of course, it’s a very, very complex issue, and there are many reasons why people end up finding themselves homeless, by why are the numbers growing so dramatically?

Drug addiction is one issue – the huge spike in opioid addiction alone has ruined the lives of countless thousands of people, for which the main opioid-producing pharmaceutical company is finally being sued. Talk about too little, too late for all those families affected.

Mental health challenges in their very different manifestations is another issue. Too many people in need of mental health care are living on the streets, or in some places in prisons, for lack of sufficient support for mental health.

Escaping an abusive homelife and not having any resources to make a new life for yourself is another issue. Or, in some places these days, with deflated wages and inadequate supplies of affordable housing, people can be working and still find themselves homeless. And we can’t forget the very sad reality that sometimes everything just goes wrong for someone all at the same time; lose your job, lose your home, lose your credit, lose your car, suddenly you’re confronted with the unimaginable. “There but for the grace of God go I” comes to mind.

These challenges require different interventions; one solution most certainly does not fit everyone. And nobody has all the answers. But giving people who find themselves living in a tent city – especially in the dead of a Canadian winter – a chance to find their way to a better “place” – on their own terms, to the best of their ability, with personal dignity and personal safety – is surely what we should be striving for.  Surely we want to live in and support communities that aim to provide that opportunity for all of its citizens.

A tent camp in Fredericton last year (2022) before it was taken down for safety reasons. The shelters fill up, and some people aren’t comfortable being around lots of people in the shelters. Temperatures were in the -20C range.

In our town, there are many support programs and outreach work underway, including shelters, but still the tent camps keep springing up. It’s a long, slow process to get it right for everyone.

One person who has introduced a new approach in our town is local IT entrepreneur and social activist Marcel Lebrun. I’ve written a bit about his project and vision previously, most recently in my Who’s Your Hero? post. Marcel has worked closely with the Indigenous community as a strong ally, leading projects that hopefully will help other non-Indigenous people understand the Indigenous culture and history – and issues –  better. Most recently, he’s started his visionary 12 Neighbours Community, which is a multifaceted project providing housing (tiny homes) for people currently homeless, and at the same time empowering those new residents to take ownership of their new community and, for those who are interested and able, to learn employable skills. There is a workshop on site where new tiny homes continue to be built and added to this community, and aside from being part of the solution for providing homes for the homeless, these new residents obtain skills-training and experience that can be used to help fill our shortage of tradespeople.

A streetscape at the 12 Neighbours Community, when it started last summer and then this winter. The project was named for the original 12 tiny homes; the number has since grown to 44 and is growing.

Recently Marcel posted an article on the 12 Neighbours Community Facebook page that articulates the philosophy underlying this project so well that I thought it needed to be shared. It’s a message we might not all want to hear at first blush, but I think once you absorb it you will see the difference he’s speaking about. See what you think.

When Helping Helps, by Marcel Lebrun

As the famous Chinese proverb states, “Give a man a fish, and you feed hm for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” This sentiment encapsulates the fundamental difference between helping that hurts and helping that truly helps. Many well-intended actions can, at times, cause more harm than good, inadvertently undermining the development of an individual’s capacity. In contrast, “when helping helps” focuses on fostering independence and growth by working alongside others to build strengths and capabilities.

Emergency relief, or traditional charity, is appropriate in acute situations; however, extending its application to chronic circumstances is inadvertently harmful. A chronic situation calls for long term development, not relief.

Additionally, it’s essential to recognize that a relationship that truly helps should not be based on a provider-recipient dynamic, but on mutuality. As Indigenous activist and artist Lila Watson said, “ If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up in mine, then let us work together.”

One evidence-based approach that aligns with this notion is Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD). By cultivating the positive assets of a community, ABCD identifies and harnesses the skills, resources, and strengths of community members to foster sustainable, transformative change.

Robert D. Lupton’s book, “Toxic Charity,” echoes this sentiment, arguing that the traditional charity model often fosters dependency and undermines dignity. Lupton advocates for a shift towards a more collaborative and empowering approach, one that emphasizes development, capacity building, and genuine partnership.

To create a truly helpful environment that fosters development and capacity-building, consider these guiding principles:

1. Listen and learn: Get to know each other, by deeply listening and understanding the unique perspectives, strengths, experiences, and challenges of those you aim to walk beside.
2. Focus on strengths: Foster the capabilities of community members to achieve self-reliance, independence, and self-sufficiency.
3. Mutuality: Work alongside communities and individuals – with them, not for them. Follow the principle: Nothing about me, without me.
4. Sustainability: Prioritize long-term development and capacity building over short-term fixes.
5. Person-centric: Adapt to the individual needs and situations, recognizing that one size does not fit all.

Embracing these principles and focusing on development and capacity building allow us to move beyond the harmful aspects of well-intentioned assistance and create lasting, positive change. In the slow, hard work of coming alongside others and helping them grow, we find the true essence of helping that helps.

Thank you, Marcel, for these wise words and for all that you do.