Dr. Norma Winston, a professor of sociology, and her applied sociology class recently had the opportunity to work with some of the homeless people in Tampa through the Homeless PhotoVoice Project during the last week of October.
The Homeless PhotoVoice project allows students to interact with homeless or formerly homeless people by documenting their everyday lives in photographs. While the photos are being taken, students have the task of collecting photo captions and quotes to accompany each picture called the “Photo Capture” process.
According to The Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County, the state of Florida defines homelessness as persons who lack a fixed regular nighttime residence including those living on the streets, in shelters, places not meant for human habitation, living doubled up with family/friends, in motels and campgrounds due to loss of housing and economic hardship.
“Applied sociologists use their skills to enhance the quality of social life,” Dr. Winston said. “The purpose of the PhotoVoice project is to draw public attention to the needs of a disadvantaged group.”
For the students, the project is assigned to give them an understanding of working with the homeless of Tampa. It is also designed to give the students experience in drawing public attention to a disadvantaged group with the goal of impacting attitudes and public policy, according to the class syllabus.
Though participation is required, many students “find it a very humbling experience,” said Dr. Winston.
“I used to think that all homeless people were somewhat lazy, but I saw through this experience that some homeless people actually walk miles in the early morning hours just to sit and wait for more hours hoping to get work,” senior and public health major Laura Manke said.
The students began their lesson on homelessness by reading a selection of articles on the subject.
“For the last week or so, every student in the class has been out on the streets of Tampa with Darren Steptoe and a homeless person,” Dr. Winston said.
Darren Steptoe, an AmeriCorps VISTA member at the Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County, is the current leader of the PhotoVoice Project.
“I was doing research on ways to engage the community through the arts and a friend, and fellow VISTA, suggested I look into developing a PhotoVoice project around homelessness. This particular project was developed with college students, specifically Professor Winston’s students, in mind,” Steptoe said.
According to Steptoe, students have a discussion about their perception of homelessness, learn facts about homelessness in their community and meet someone who is formerly homeless and hear their story in preparation for the project.
Students divided into two groups. Each group has a specific goal and action to carry out. One group focuses on garnering media attention, and the other focuses on presenting the end product and to participate in “Photo Capture,” according to Steptoe.
“The students then reflect on their experience by discussing the photographs after they have been developed, and then [the students] select 25 photos that stand out,” Steptoe said.
The students then celebrate their experience by displaying these 25 photos and their coordinating quotes at the PhotoVoice Showcase, which is set to present on Nov. 14 in the Vaughn center.
“Finding out more about the lives of homeless, how they live and what struggles they encounter and then bringing that information to the public so they can be educated is the perfect example of an applied sociology project,” Manke said.
According to a 2011 survey, the Homeless Coalition found that there are “17,775 men, women, and children homeless in Hillsborough County on any given night.” Out of that total, 51 percent are said to be homeless for the first time.
Winston’s class has also been volunteering their time in other ways to benefit the homeless. Winston and some of her students have been helping to survey the homeless at Hyde Park United Methodist Church and analyzing their research.
“This experience showed me all the work that those who are homeless have to do just to fulfill their basic needs,” Manke said. They have to walk miles each day to find food, a shower and work. It also changed my perspective of the homeless.”
Chandler Callahan can be reached at chandler.callahan@spartans.ut.edu