Concurrent Session:
Exploring connections across the spectrum of homelessness to Social Role Valorization theories

Research on homelessness shows how having insecure housing poses complications for areas of a person’s life including poorer job prospects and retention, lower income, poor health, and exposure to poor regard and stigma from others and self, resonating with the SRV concepts of role circularity and role loss.  In this presentation, we will explore the connections between SRV theory and various examples of service provision and community organizing around homelessness and housing insecurity. Using the Culturally Valued Analogue we will draw connections between various points along the homelessness spectrum and proposed analogues that offer more socially valued and secure roles for people in contrast. Drawing on our experiences in community organizing and research with people experiencing homelessness in rural, small town, and urban settings we will offer both promising and problematic examples of image projection and model coherency. Using the SRV concepts of mindsets and expectancies, we will discuss public acceptance and opposition to visible homelessness and explore some examples of people with experiences of homelessness resisting devaluation and forming valued roles in the face of devaluation from others.  A facilitated discussion will explore further connections and applications of SRV within the world of community organizing and service provision for people with experience of homelessness.