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How to Talk to the Homeless
The do’s and don’ts of striking up conversation with an intent to befriend and offer help
You see them and you’re overcome with compassion.
You want to help, but you don’t know how.
You want to understand how to make a meaningful difference in individuals’ lives.
I’ve been without a home for the past year, staying in shelters, wandering the streets. This is my advice on how to befriend people like me and offer assistance that genuinely improves our lives.
Be gentle
Have you ever tried to make friends with a cat?
Would you approach the cat head-on, confidently striding right up to it as you say, “WHADDUP, CAT!!!”?
No. The cat will run away, possibly after biting and scratching you.
Instead, you’d approach slowly, giving the cat plenty of time and space to evaluate you. You’d speak in soothing tones. You’d give the cat a way to exit the interaction if it feels threatened. You’d accept that some cats simply don’t want a new friend, and this may be one of them.
In the minds of the unhoused, there are always a number of threats lurking. Give them time to come to their own conclusions that you are not a threat.
