Denver Homeless Needs Analysis

Homeless Population in Denver: ICT Accessibility, use, perception, and Needs analysis...

I worked closely with a Denver based homeless advocacy organization to explore what information and communication technologies (ICTs) are accessible to the homeless population in Denver Colorado. I also inquired to why they are utilized and the population’s preferences and beliefs around ICTs. This organization was run by currently homeless and previously homeless individuals.

I gathered information both in the field (during protests and advocacy demonstrations) as well as during sit-down interviews. Using this information, I then considered possible practices and deployments of infrastructure or new ICTs that could benefit the homeless population in Denver Colorado.

Findings

I found that those I spoke to did not seem to express much interest or frustration in finding ICTs. People mentioned the library being a common source where they could get access to the internet. Those more closely associated with the organization had more access to ICT hardware like computers and laptops that were donated. The largest issue seemed to be for those who did own ICTs. They struggled to keep them charged since the city lacked public outlets/charging stations.  

Another common theme was people's preference to speak in person. The organization chose to communicate to other house-less people face to face. They choose to spread information this way because they want to be as inclusive as possible and technology can "cut people out" if they don't have access to it. 

“One thing that goes on out in homeless-land is people get really good about self-excluding themselves from doing stuff. They’ve been told ‘NO, you can’t sleep here. NO, you can’t sit here you have to sit over there. NO, in order to get these socks that you need, you got to do all this other stuff.’ They’re so used to being told they just assume they don’t have access to stuff.”

The Organization's use of ICTs

The organization's main use of information technology was to advocate for policies that help the homeless population and to change the negative stereotypes surrounding homeless individuals. Facebook was an area the organization interacted with the general public and bring awareness to things such as Denver's camping ban situation. 

Potential Applications

Unsurprisingly, the homeless population was more concerned with basic utilities such as access to bathrooms and showers over access to the internet. These findings showed a larger need for charging stations for those that did have ICTs. Those that did have high use of the internet and ICTs were those more closely associated with the advocacy organization and the tools were used more to communicate to the general public than give information to other homeless. 

Knowing this, city resources could be used to create more public utilities such as restrooms and charging stations. These types of public utilities would not only benefit those struggling, but the city's population as a whole.

Self Reflection

At the time of the study (Winter of 2016), I was unfamiliar with the nuances of fieldwork methods or qualitative data analysis, therefore I found myself struggling with methodology as well as navigating the social space and expectations while working with this organization. I want to include this work because as my first introduction to working in the field, conducting interviews, and collecting data for social development, it was eye opening. The work helped to deepen my understanding of power dynamics and what it means to work with people more vulnerable than myself. There were times I left situations feeling selfish or caught myself being insensitive. I still look back thinking I could have done things better. This experience has helped me to cultivate more emotional intelligences when working with people and navigate people's expectations of me. 

Here is the final term paper, keep in mind, certain areas of this work are deficient.