Abstracts
Abstract
An estimated 150 million people are homeless worldwide, with homelessness being poorly documented and not prioritized in policymaking. In South Africa, over 200,000 people are estimated to be homeless, whilst the official figure sits at 55,719. Prior research has highlighted the causes and effects of homelessness, focusing on the experiences of people experiencing homelessness. However, there has been a lack of research on the experiences of service providers in the sector. Thus, this study examined the experiences of social services staff regarding the challenges they encountered while providing services to individuals experiencing homelessness in Johannesburg. A qualitative approach and descriptive single case study design were utilized. Purposive sampling was employed to recruit 12 social services staff from two shelters, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed that the staff faced various challenges related to interactions with people experiencing homelessness, their employer organisation, external organisations, and outreach initiatives, as well as adverse effects arising from these challenges. These findings resonate with local and global literature, adding nuance to already recognized challenges related to clients and organisations, while also offering novelty, particularly regarding external organisations and outreach initiatives in the homeless sector. Furthermore, the findings highlight the persistent need for debriefing, supervision, and training workshops to ensure the effectiveness of shelter staff in the homeless sector, and for including shelter management in similar research to gather more details on organisational limitations and a lack of management support.
Keywords:
- Homelessness,
- social services,
- shelter staff,
- homeless shelters,
- homeless people,
- service delivery,
- descriptive single case study
Appendices
Bibliography
- Abekah-Carter, K., & Oti, G. O. (2020). Perspectives of community members on homeless people with mental illness in Nsawam, Ghana. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 68(1), 196–202. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764020984195
- Adams, W. C. (2015). Conducting semi‐structured interviews. Handbook of practical program evaluation, 492-505. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119171386.ch19
- Armstrong, M., Shulman, C., Hudson, B., Stone, P., & Hewett, N. (2021). Barriers and facilitators to accessing health and social care services for people living in homeless hostels: A qualitative study of the experiences of hostel staff and residents in UK hostels. BMJ Open, 11(10), e053185. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053185
- Aspinall, P. (2022). 'You're there to support someone regardless': A thematic analysis of staff experiences of working in homeless hostels (Doctoral dissertation, University of the West of England). https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/preview/10552255/P.Aspinall%20-%20final%20approved%20version.pdf
- Black, K. (2017). Exploring the lived experiences of homelessness in a Cape Town suburb. Unpublished thesis, University of Cape Town. https://uct.ac.za/sites/default/files/content_migration/uct_ac_za/1681/files/329_OBSID_Homelessness_K%2520Black_Dissertation.pdf
- Bornman, A. W. J., & Mitchell, C. J. (2020). Pathways through homelessness: The perceptions of homeless children in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Journal of Children's Services, 15(3), 141-160. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCS-01-2018-0002
- Bramley, G., & Fitzpatrick, S. (2017). Homelessness in the UK: Who is most at risk? Housing Studies, 33(1), 96–116. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673037.2017.1344957
- Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2019). Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis. Qualitative Research in Sport Exercise and Health, 11(4), 589–597. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676x.2019.1628806
- Busch-Geertsema, V., Culhane, D., & Fitzpatrick, S. (2016). Developing a global framework for conceptualising and measuring homelessness. Habitat International, 55, 124-132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2016.03.004
- Camp, B. (2023). Exploring the wellbeing of people working in homelessness (Doctoral dissertation, The University of Liverpool (United Kingdom). https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/3173167/1/201533234_Sept2023.pdf
- Chaturvedi, S. (2016). Accessing psychological therapies: Homeless young people's views on barriers and facilitators. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 16(1), 54-63. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12058
- Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2023). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (6th ed.). Sage Publications.
- De Beer, S., & Vally, R. (2021). Facing homelessness in South Africa: A moral, political and institutional challenge. In S. De Beer, & R. Vally, S. (Eds.), Facing homelessness: Finding home (pp. 1–31). AOSIS.
- Donley, A. M., & Wright, J. D. (2012). Safer Outside: A qualitative exploration of homeless people’s resistance to homeless shelters. Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice, 12(4), 288–306. https://doi.org/10.1080/15228932.2012.695645
- Ellinger, A. D., & McWhorter, R. (2016). Qualitative case study research as empirical inquiry. International Journal of Adult Vocational Education and Technology (IJAVET), 7(3), 1–13. https://sageprofessor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/qualitative-case-study-research-as-empirical-inquiry.pdf
- Famous, J. A. (2023). A Review on Global Homelessness: An attempt to understand the phenomenon in the Nigerian context. Pro Publico Bono - Magyar Közigazgatás, 11(3), 115–135. https://doi.org/10.32575/ppb.2023.3.6
- Hirsch, M. (2024, April 19). Shelters for homeless families a rarity. GroundUp News. https://groundup.org.za/article/shelters-for-homeless-families-a-rarity/
- Holdsworth, L., & Tiyce, M. (2012). Exploring the hidden nature of gambling problems among people who are homeless. Australian Social Work, 65(4), 474–489. https://doi.org/10.1080/0312407x.2012.689309
- Isobell, D., Kamaloodien, K., & Savahl, S. (2015). A qualitative study of referring agents’ perceptions of access barriers to inpatient substance abuse treatment centres in the Western Cape. Harm Reduction Journal, 12(1), 36. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-015-0064-z
- Jadezweni, N. (2021). Street homelessness in urban Cape Town: An exploratory study of the lived experiences of people living on the streets (Doctoral dissertation, Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University). http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/123516
- Kerman, N., Ecker, J., Tiderington, E., Aykanian, A., Stergiopoulos, V., & Kidd, S. A. (2022). “Systems trauma”: A qualitative study of work-related distress among service providers to people experiencing homelessness in Canada. SSM-Mental Health, 2, 100163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmmh.2022.100163
- Makhubele, T. I. (2025). The Experiences and challenges of social workers rendering services in shelters for the homeless in the city of Tshwane During COVID-19 (Master's thesis, University of South Africa (South Africa)).
- Matha, Q. P., & Jahed, M. I. (2024). A Critique of the techniques used by the sectorial education and training authorities to detect skills shortages in South Africa. Administratio Publica, 32(4), 156-175. https://journals.co.za/doi/10.61967/adminpub.2024.32.4.8
- Mathole, R., & Ross, E. (2024). Challenges and opportunities experienced by service providers at homeless shelters in Tshwane, South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal on Homelessness, 4(1), 56–68. https://doi.org/10.5206/ijoh.2023.3.15089
- Mitchell, D. (2011). Homelessness, American style. Urban Geography, 32(7), 933–956. https://doi.org/10.2747/0272-3638.32.7.933
- Mlauzi, K. (2019). Homelessness and service provision: A case study of Johannesburg Organisation of Services to the Homeless (JOSH) (Doctoral dissertation). https://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/server/api/core/bitstreams/133389ee-92a8-46be-8e82-6a6af72114cb/content
- Moloko-Phiri, S. S., Mogale, R. S., & Hugo, J. (2017). ‘A shelter is not a home’: Voices of homeless women in the City of Tshwane. Development Southern Africa, 34(4), 439–449. https://doi.org/10.1080/0376835x.2017.1318048
- Muleya, E., & Lelaka, C. M. (2025). Perceptions and experiences of shelter managers in working with the homeless persons during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discover Global Society, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44282-025-00170-z
- Muzafar, I., & Cunningham, O. (2024). Hostel support workers’ experiences navigating healthcare alongside people experiencing homelessness: A qualitative study in the UK. BMJ open, 14(9), e085949. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-085949
- Obioha, E. E. (2022). State response to homelessness in South Africa: A multi-agency housing focused intervention approach considered. Development Southern Africa, 39(6), 990-1006. https://doi.org/10.1080/0376835X.2022.2103519
- Oppong Asante, K. (2016). Street children and adolescents in Ghana: A qualitative study of trajectory and behavioural experiences of homelessness. Global Social Welfare, 3(1), 33-43. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40609-015-0039-8
- Panyasai, P., & Ambele, E. A. (2025). Developing interview guide in qualitative research: Problems and solutions from a needs analysis doctoral study. rEFLections, 32(1), 576-594. https://doi.org/10.61508/refl.v32i1.280411
- Peters, L., Hobson, C. W., & Samuel, V. (2022). A systematic review and meta‐synthesis of qualitative studies that investigate the emotional experiences of staff working in homeless settings. Health and Social Care in the Community, 30(1), 58-72. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13502
- Phipps, C., Seager, M., Murphy, L., & Barker, C. (2017). Psychologically informed environments for homeless people: Resident and staff experiences. Housing, Care and Support, 20(1), 29-42. https://doi.org/10.1108/HCS-10-2016-0012
- Piat, M., Polvere, L., Kirst, M., Voronka, J., Zabkiewicz, D., Plante, M. C., Isaak, C., Nolin, D., Nelson, G., & Goering, P. (2015). Pathways into homelessness: Understanding how both individual and structural factors contribute to and sustain homelessness in Canada. Urban Studies, 52(13), 2366-2382. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098014548138
- Pophaim, J. P. (2019). Exploring the experiences of victimisation of the homeless (Doctoral dissertation, University of the Free State). http://hdl.handle.net/11660/9830
- Pretorius, L. (2024). Demystifying research paradigms: Navigating ontology, epistemology, and axiology in research. The Qualitative Report. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2024.7632
- Prinsloo, R., & Van der Berg, C. (2017). Strengths-based services offered to the homeless by non-governmental and faith-based organisations in Tshwane Region Three, South Africa. Social Work and Social Sciences Review, 19(2), 6-19. https://doi.org/10.1921/swssr.v19i2.1060
- Rahman, M. S. (2016). The advantages and disadvantages of using qualitative and quantitative approaches and methods in language “testing and assessment” research: A literature review. Journal of Education and Learning, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.5539/jel.v6n1p102
- Republic of South Africa. (1996). Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. Government Gazette No. 17678. https://www.gov.za/documents/constitution-republic-south-africa-1996
- Rufo, C. F. (2021). Homelessness in America: An Overview. Domestic Policy Studies, Washington, DC: The Heritage Foundation. https://www.heritage.org/sites/default/files/2021-02/IB6046.pdf
- Ruiz-Fernández, M. D., Ortiz-Amo, R., Andina-Díaz, E., Fernández-Medina, I. M., Hernández-Padilla, J. M., Fernández-Sola, C., & Ortega-Galán, Á. M. (2021). Emotions, feelings, and experiences of social workers while attending to vulnerable groups: A qualitative approach. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 9(1), 87. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9010087
- Schiff, J. W., & Lane, A. M. (2019). PTSD symptoms, vicarious traumatisation, and burnout in front-line workers in the homeless sector. Community Mental Health Journal, 55(3), 454–462. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-018-00364-7
- Scorgie, F., Baron, D., Stadler, J., Venables, E., Brahmbhatt, H., Mmari, K., & Delany-Moretlwe, S. (2017). From fear to resilience: adolescents’ experiences of violence in inner-city Johannesburg, South Africa. BMC Public Health, 17(Suppl 3), 441. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4349-x
- Siemens, J. M. A., Bhoora, U., & van Rensburg, M. J. (2023). Methadone use for acute opioid withdrawal in Tshwane shelters during the COVID-19 lockdown. South African Family Practice, 65(4). https://doi.org/10.4102/safp.v65i1.5708
- Sikweyiya, Y., Mahlangu, P., Jewkes, R., Brooke-Sumner, C., Gibbs, A., Dartnall, E., Pillay, M. & Machisa, M. (2025). ‘We do not like talking about our problems’: Socialization and idealized masculinity as drivers of help-seeking avoidance among college men in South Africa. BMC Public Health, 25(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22252-y
- Speak, S. (2019, May 22–24). The state of homelessness in developing countries. Expert Group Meeting on “Affordable housing and social protection systems for all to address homelessness,” Nairobi, Kenya. https://unhabitat.org/expert-group-meeting-on-affordable-housing-and-social-protection-systems-for-all-to-address
- Spencer, J. M. (2021). Homeless shelter social workers’ lived experiences as providers for older schizophrenic women (Doctoral dissertation, Walden University). https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=11275&context=dissertations
- Statistics South Africa. (2022). Census 2022. In Statistics South Africa. https://census.statssa.gov.za/assets/documents/2022/P03014_Census_2022_Statistical_Release.pdf
- The Cradle of Hope. (2023, June 14). Shortage of women’s shelters in South Africa. https://thecradleofhope.org/shortage-of-womens-shelters-in-south-africa/
- UN-Habitat. (2024). State of efforts to progressively realize adequate housing for all. In United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). https://unhabitat.org/sites/default/files/2024/10/2416772e.pdf
- uTurn. (2025, August 6). How homelessness devastates the lives of women in South Africa Overcoming homelessness in South African. Overcoming Homelessness in South African – U-turn Homeless Ministries. https://homeless.org.za/how-homelessness-devastates-the-lives-of-women-in-south-africa/
- Viljoen, C. (2020). Challenges faced by social workers rendering services to adult homeless individuals (Doctoral dissertation, Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University). http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/109279
- World Economic Forum. (2021, October 29). These innovative projects are tackling homelessness around the world. https://www.weforum.org/stories/2021/10/innovative-projects-tackling-homelessness-around-the-world/
- Yamada, M. (2022). The role of homeless shelter workers: A study of staff serving homeless veterans. Journal of Applied Social Science, 16(1), 17-30. https://doi.org/10.1177/19367244211069950