Relational bonds and social support in homelessness: Keys to intervention.

What is this study?

This research describes and analyzes the social ties of homeless people through two elements that are crucial in their trajectories and process of social inclusion: social capital and relational assets.

The analysis of this relational aggregate highlights fundamental challenges to achieve positive inclusion processes based on a social intervention in which the relationships that people establish with others play a leading role.

The capacity that we, as a society, have to resolve them satisfactorily will give rise to one or another future scenario. It will undoubtedly determine what kind of society we are and what kind of society we want to be.

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Key concepts

Aggregate of goods and material support, privileged information and contacts to which people have access through relationships with others. The social capital available to a person depends on the groups to which he or she belongs and the capital possessed by its members. It is important because it can activate processes of upward social mobility.

Aggregate of intangible elements, also provided by social relationships, such as affection, security, values, beliefs, personal convictions, perception of others and of oneself, motivation and resilience… Relational assets are vital in shaping people’s vision of the world and of themselves and help them to develop their potential.

It is the set of social capital and relational assets available to a person that enables (or limits) his or her trajectories and processes in terms of social inclusion. Therefore, the main strength of the analysis of the relational aggregate of people experiencing homelessness lies in its contribution to the fight against exclusion.

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Researchers

Francisco Javier de Lorenzo Gilsanz

PhD in Sociology from the UNED and Diploma in Social Work from the Universidad Pontificia Comillas de Madrid. Professor of the Department of Social Work at UNED. He has participated in various research projects on poverty, exclusion, social capital and migrations, including the coordination of the VII FOESSA Report. As a social worker he has extensive experience with drug addicts and homeless people.

Sebastián Mora Rosado

D. in sociology from the University of Zaragoza and a degree in philosophy from the Universidad Pontificia de Comillas. He is a member of the José María Martín Patino Chair of the Culture of Encounter. He has participated in research on social exclusion, Third Sector of Social Action, energy poverty and sociology of religions. He has been general secretary of Cáritas Española and executive director of the FOESSA Foundation.

Anabel Ramirez Lopez

Social Worker and Criminologist by the Universidad Pontificia de Comillas where she is a FPU researcher. She belongs to the Gender, Risk and Vulnerability research group and participates in an R+D+I project on the situation of women in prisons. As a Social Worker she has experience with homeless people with addictions and with women in a situation of severe social exclusion.

Technical data sheet of the study

Objectives

The general objective of this research has been to analyze the potential of the relational aggregate (social capital + relational goods) as a possible resource to reinforce the integration processes of homeless people.

Specific objectives:

To measure the relational aggregate of homeless people, differentiating social capital and relational goods.
Identify current and potential sources of social capital and its different components.
Identify current and potential sources of relational assets and their various components.

Hypothesis

Social exclusion is a dynamic and multidimensional process linked to different personal spheres. Relational resources play a crucial role in social integration processes.
The relational sphere of the homeless is weak in terms of access to social capital but stronger in terms of access to relational goods. Strengthening these two aspects is key to fostering successful inclusion processes.
The measurement of these aspects can help to build a more or less standardized prevention/intervention model that will lead to concrete policy proposals and recommendations for social or community intervention.

Methodology

The following methodology was used in this study:

Specialized bibliographic review.
Application of 573 surveys to homeless people, based on convenience sampling and quotas derived from ETHOS categories, sex, age and place of origin.
Development of 4 focus group discussions with people experiencing homelessness.
Conducting 1 focus group discussion with professionals and volunteers from FACIAM projects.