National Coalition for the Homeless

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Faces of Homelessness Speakers' Bureau

in 2007 the Faces of Homelessness Speakers Bureau spoke to 311 groups, over 16,300 people, traveling to 19 states including Michigan, Kansas, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Connecticut, California, Washington, North
Carolina, New Hampshire, Florida, West Virginia, Illinois, Montana, Delaware, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland and Virginia. If you are interested in bringing our Faces of Homelessness Panel to your school, please contact Michael O'Neill, Speakers' Bureau Coordinator, at moneill@nationalhomeless.org.

The Faces of Homelessness Speakers’ Bureau is a program of the National Coalition for the Homeless that is comprised of people who are or have been homeless and works to educate the public about homelessness and what can be done to end it. This approach is a unique and necessary tool because it establishes a significant platform for those whom homelessness affects directly to talk personally about their experiences. Additionally, the Speakers' Bureau creates opportunities for members to advocate for themselves and others, as well as build the necessary bridges with the rest of society so that we may work cooperatively to end this disgrace called homelessness.

Ending homelessness must begin with the understanding that people who are or have been homeless are our neighbors and members of our community. Public perceptions and attitudes toward persons experiencing homelessness or in danger of becoming homeless need to change in order for positive, long-term solutions to be realized. Most Americans rarely interact with people who are or who have been homeless. The lack of interaction between different groups of our society, combined with impersonal or inaccurate descriptions of homelessness posed by the media and public officials, contributes to a distancing of those who have housing from those who do not. As a result, homelessness is perceived as an abstract social problem. Those who experience homelessness are seen as the sources of their own misfortunes, and the socio-economic policies and practices that give rise to homelessness are then too easily ignored. This abstraction, in turn, lessens the degree of urgency and commitment needed to work strategically and consistently toward solutions to end homelessness that are long-term, outcome-based, and not simply responses to crises. The Speakers’ Bureau is both an accurate and dynamic tool to teach and challenge tomorrow’s leaders as well as empower those who have experienced homelessness first-hand. By fostering an environment of self-worth, respect, and understanding for all people, the Speakers’ Bureau challenges us to believe that we can and should end homelessness.

In 2007 we spoke to 311 groups, over 16,300 people. But, this is only a start. We need your help to set up new Speakers’ Bureaus across the country, include people experiencing homelessness in your presentations, and spread the word about the importance and effectiveness of "Faces of Homelessness" panels. Please explore the following links to learn more about the Faces of Homelessness Speakers’ Bureau, and how you can get involved with it.

NEW: BE OUR FRIEND! Visit our page on Myspace (www.myspace.com/nationalhomeless) and join our Group and Cause to End Homelessness on Facebook!

Homeless Empowerment Project

The Speakers. Learn about their lives – how they became homeless, what it was like, and what they are doing now.

The Presentations. Find out what the actual presentation is like and and how you can bring a "Faces of Homelessness" Panel presentation to your school, church, synagogue, conference, organization, or event.

Gig Request Form. Request a Speaker's Gig at your event. (click here to download as a pdf document)

Gig Schedule Where we are speaking in the near future.

Setting up a Speakers' Bureau. We need your help in promoting the concept of the Speakers’ Bureau. Here’s how you can help.

Would you like to speak? We are always looking for people who have experienced homelessness to join Speakers’ Bureaus around the country.

Articles and Write-Ups. Read through the different things that have been written about the Faces of Homelessness Speakers’ Bureau.

"Faces of Homelessness" DVD. NCH’s outstanding slideshow presentation is now on video. Find out more about it and how to order one. You can also get it on video.

Comments. Read some of the feedback about the presentations.

Speakers' Bureau Across the Country.

"Faces of Homelessness" Resources.