How to Get to Know Our Homeless Neighbors
by Les Reading
People will discover who you are by the questions you ask. They learn even more by how you respond to them … by your honest and unguarded responses.
The best questions are open-ended and start with the phrase, “Tell me about …” Below are some ideas of what questions you might to really get to know someone. We recommend you review these questions and form an idea of what you want to say in advance:
Your living situation:
How long have you been here? Where were you staying before you came to Redding? Why did you come here? (as opposed to somewhere else)
Where do you stay in Redding? Do you want/intend to remain here?
If you had your preference, where else might you move? Why?
What keeps you in Redding?
Your family:
Where/when were you born? In what town did you grow up?
What do you remember about that town? Tell me about your family.
Where did you go to school? How did you do in school? Academics? Athletics? What did you like/dislike about school?
Did you finish school? Do you still talk to your Mom or your Dad? Where are they now?
Do you have siblings? Are you in touch with them?
Did you have a lot of friends when you were growing up?
Are you still in contact with any of your old friends?
What do you remember the most about growing up?
Do you have friends or family locally?
When was the last time someone held a birthday party for you? What is your favorite childhood memory?
What did you and your friends like to do?
Your relationships:
Who have you given permission to speak into your life? Tell me about him/her? How did you meet?
Have you ever been married?
What is your present situation with your spouse / ex-spouse/ girl-friend / or boyfriend?
Do you have children? Do you stay in touch? What is their situation?
Who do you talk to when you are lonely?
Tell me about your closest friend.
When you are in trouble, who do you call for help? Have you spoken to him/her recently?
Your finances:
What do you do for a living?
When was the last time you held a job? How did it go? What did you do? Was it full time? How many hours did you work? How long did you work there?
Did you like your work?
How did the people you worked with treat you?
How did you lose your job? What kind of work are you interested in doing here? How has the job search been going? How do you spend your money? Are you on public assistance?
Do you have a bank account?
Do you have a driver’s license or an ID?
Do you have transportation?
Your lifestyle:
How long have you been homeless?
What does a routine day in your life look like?
Where would you like to be in a year’s time?
Do you feel safe?
How much sleep do you get at night?
How did you choose the place where you stay now?
What would you do if you lost the place where you stay now?
Do you have a pet? Name? Why? How long?
Why do you think other people become homeless?
What is the best thing that happened to you this week?
Anything else you would like to tell us?
What is the hardest thing about being homeless?
What one thing could people do to help you?
Have you ever stayed in a shelter? What was it like? How were you treated?
Your health:
How is your health in general?
Do you have significant health issues?
Do you take any prescribed medications? Do you take them regularly?
Who prescribes your medications? How do you get your medications?
What do you do when you need a doctor?
What do you do when you need a dentist?
Do you have health insurance?
Do you need medical care now?
Civics:
Are you a veteran? Where did you serve? Do you have veteran’s benefits? DD-214
What do you think about the city government?
What do you think about the police? Have you had any direct conversations with the police?
Have you had any direct conversations with a social worker?
Have you ever been in jail or prison? What is it like? What did you take away from it?
Your heart:
What does the word “home” mean to you?
What is your biggest fear?
Do others steal from you? Often?
Do you make friends readily?
Who are your best friends now? For how long?
How would your best friend describe you?
Do you have a philosophy by which you live?
What is the biggest misperception others have of you?
What is your biggest regret? Do you think about it much?
What was the best thing that has happened in your life? How has it changed you?
What do you consider to be unresolved disputes in your life? How do you deal with them?
What does your future look like?
If you get old, handicapped, or sick, who will care for you?
How do you see yourself when this ends? Do you think about it much?
What do you hope for? What do you think about redemption?
How long have you been here?
Where were you staying before you came to Redding?
Why did you come here? (as opposed to somewhere else)
Where do you stay in Redding?
Do you want/intend to remain here?
If you had your preference, where else might you move? Why?
What keeps you in Redding?
Your family:
Where/when were you born?
In what town did you grow up?
What do you remember about that town?
Tell me about your family.
Where did you go to school?
How did you do in school? Academics? Athletics?
What did you like/dislike about school?
Did you finish school?
Do you still talk to your Mom or your Dad?
Where are they now?
Do you have siblings?
Are you in touch with them?
Did you have a lot of friends when you were growing up?
Are you still in contact with any of your old friends?
What do you remember the most about growing up?
Do you have friends or family locally?
When was the last time someone held a birthday party for you?
What is your favorite childhood memory?
What did you and your friends like to do?
Your relationships:
Who have you given permission to speak into your life?
Tell me about him/her?
How did you meet?
Have you ever been married?
What is your present situation with your spouse / ex-spouse/ girl-friend / or boyfriend?
Do you have children?
Do you stay in touch?
What is their situation?
Who do you talk to when you are lonely?
Tell me about your closest friend.
When you are in trouble, who do you call for help?
Have you spoken to him/her recently?
Your finances:
What do you do for a living?
When was the last time you held a job?
How did it go?
What did you do?
Was it full time? How many hours did you work?
How long did you work there?
Did you like your work?
How did the people you worked with treat you?
How did you lose your job?
What kind of work are you interested in doing here?
How has the job search been going?
How do you spend your money?
Are you on public assistance?
Do you have a bank account?
Do you have a driver’s license or an ID?
Do you have transportation?
Your lifestyle:
How long have you been homeless?
What does a routine day in your life look like?
Where would you like to be in a year’s time?
Do you feel safe?
How much sleep do you get at night?
How did you choose the place where you stay now?
What would you do if you lost the place where you stay now?
Do you have a pet?
Name?
Why?
How long?
Why do you think other people become homeless?
What is the best thing that happened to you this week?
Anything else you would like to tell us?
What is the hardest thing about being homeless?
What one thing could people do to help you?
Have you ever stayed in a shelter? What was it like? How were you treated?
Your health:
How is your health in general?
Do you have significant health issues?
Do you take any prescribed medications?
Do you take them regularly?
Who prescribes your medications?
How do you get your medications?
What do you do when you need a doctor?
What do you do when you need a dentist?
Do you have health insurance?
Do you need medical care now?
Civics:
Are you a veteran?
Where did you serve?
Do you have veteran’s benefits? DD-214
What do you think about the city government?
What do you think about the police?
Have you had any direct conversations with the police?
Have you had any direct conversations with a social worker?
Have you ever been in jail or prison? What is it like?
What did you take away from it?
Your heart:
What does the word “home” mean to you?
What is your biggest fear?
Do others steal from you? Often?
Do you make friends readily?
Who are your best friends now? For how long?
How would your best friend describe you?
Do you have a philosophy by which you live?
What is the biggest misperception others have of you?
What is your biggest regret?
Do you think about it much?
What was the best thing that has happened in your life?
How has it changed you?
What do you consider to be unresolved disputes in your life?
How do you deal with them?
What does your future look like?
If you get old, handicapped, or sick, who will care for you?
How do you see yourself when this ends?
Do you think about it much?
What do you hope for?
What do you think about redemption?
