PREPARATION #2

HOW TO BECOME HOMELESS

A simulation game exploring some of the causes of homelessness

(1-2 ½ hours)

This game is a simple approach to helping people understand a very complex issue. Within your group and your church there are people who have either experienced a time in their lives when they were without a home, or close to losing their homes. Everyone, no matter how affluent, could be faced with homelessness due to circumstances both in and out of their control. Family farms or businesses go under, jobs are lost, unexpected death or disability can happen to anyone. If you are doing this activity with people who have been or on the verge of being homeless, ask ahead of time if they might be willing to share their experiences, but be careful not to talk about other people’s experience without their permission first.

Material needed:

Paper and pencils for each “family” after the small groups are created

Income, Event and Health cards (included in this resource)

Paper and pens to use at the end or their Spiritual Life Journals

Step 1: Becoming a family and figuring income and expenses

1. Divide your group into unequal groups ranging from 2-13 people each.

· One way is to have them divide by birth month. If your starting group is 15 or more people, put two months in each group.

· If your starting group is smaller than 15 people, put three or four months in each group.

· The packet contains cards for up to six groups.

2. Each group is a family. Have them decide who each person will be, i.e. parents, grandparents, children, extended family, etc.

3. Pass out the Income Cards. The options are:

· 1 income, minimum wage (high school education), approximately $650 a month

· 2 income, minimum wage (high school education), approximately $1,300 a month

· 1 income, professional wage (college or professional training), approximately $2,500 a month

· 2 income professional wage (college or professional training), approximately $5,000 a month

· Please feel free to change these numbers to reflect your area and to update them to your current situation.

4. Each group then works out a monthly budget based on the following information:

(Feel free to change these numbers to reflect your area and year)

Rent

· Studio apartment: $350

· One bedroom: $550

· Two bedroom: $800

· Three bedroom: $1,000

Food

· 1 meal a day: $15 per week per person

· 2 meals a day: $30 per week per person

· 3 meals a day, no snacks: $45 per week per person

· 3 meals a day plus snacks: $65 per week per person

(this assumes meals at home and does not include “eating out” which can cost an extra $5-$20 per person per meal out)

Utilities

$100 a month for gas, electricity, water, garbage

Telephone

$50 per month for basic phone service

$20 per month for each additional cel phone or phone extension

$20 per month for e-mail/internet service

Each Car

$100 a month for gas, insurance, repairs

Cable TV

$20 a month for one TV and $5 for each additional TV

Clothing

$50 per month per person

Incidentals (laundry soap, toothpaste, etc.)

$50 per month

Medical and Dental

$50 per month if professional wage

$100 per month if minimum wage

Entertainment

$20 per week per person

Extra-curricular activities (e.g. sports teams, music lessons, cheerleading, clubs, etc.)

$25 per month per person

The groups can not have more money going out than coming in so they may have to cut things out immediately.

Step 2: Life Happens

If at any point expenses exceed income and the “family” has nothing left to give up, they become homeless. If a “family” becomes homeless, they must stand silently against one wall until the game is over. Most homeless people spend most of their day standing in lines and ignored by the general population on the street.

Give each family a Health Card

If they receive a “no problem” card, have them just sit and wait. If they received anything else, have them subtract any consequences from their budget. They must then choose what they will give up to balance their income and expenses.

Have each family share with the entire group what has happened to their family, and how they have dealt with it.

Step 3: Life Happens Again

Give each family an Event Card

If they receive a “no problem” card, have them just sit and wait. If they received anything else, have them subtract any consequences from their budget. They must then choose what they will give up to balance their income and expenses.

Have each family share with the entire group what has happened to their family, and how they have dealt with it.

Step 4: Life Goes On

Repeat steps 2 and 3 as many times as you have cards or time to play, making sure you leave enough time for processing the game

Step 5: Processing the Game

Take a few minutes to write or draw their reflections on the game on paper or in their Spiritual Life Journals. Put the following questions up on a sheet of paper for them to reflect on and write about.

· How does education or professional training change things?

· What did it feel like to cut things from your budget?

· How important is it to have good health insurance?

· How do drug or alcohol abuse effect families financially?

· Can you always control what happens financially?

· How much of what happens is choice and how much is luck?

· How does the number of children in a family effect the family financially?

· Did anything surprise you in this game?

· What did you learn from this game?

Have a discussion about what happened. You will inevitably get people pointing out the unrealities of the game. Remind them that this was a very simple game to begin to understand the many ways families can become homeless.

3. Close with a prayer.

Deepening Faith: Youth Ministry Resources and Some Miscellaneous Advice

Rev. Lizann Bassham, Front Porch Spirit Press

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