Homelessness among Young People in Prague

Undoubtedly, homelessness is an interesting phenomenon of today. It represents a clear social failure which can be viewed as a syndrome of a complex social failure. Everyone knows the homeless and sees them on everyday basis, but only few people know about them more than that they look neglected, drink alcohol and always sleep in various places. The reality is, however, in many respects different, primarily as concerns young people for whom the life in the street may be merely a temporary stage in their lives. The book entitled Homelessness as an Alternative Existence of Young People provides information about those who lost their background or even never had it. It is about life in the street and about what preceded it, about their attitudes to the various problems which they face, often unsuccessfully. Young homeless people are different and the stories and causes of their social downswing are also different. The description of life in the street where one loses his privacy, the possibility to satisfy his basic needs and often even self-respect shows what must be endured in order to survive. The second part of the publication is devoted to the opposite process: a return from the street to the society, and the difficulties that must be overcome in order to accomplish it. Often it is not merely about coping with one’s past stigma but also other consequences of non-standard life, such as drug addiction, criminal records or accumulated debt. The text is based on interviews with homeless people and represents and authentic picture of this social group in Prague.