Investigating multidimensional well-being among the homeless: a Cape Town CBD perspective

Abstract

At present, the global chronic homeless population is estimated at 100 million. In South Africa, 55 719 homeless individuals were reported during Census 2022. The complex nature of homelessness is often ignored during practice and policy discussions. This is asserted in the context that there are different pathways into homelessness, unique lived experiences, and diverse homeless exit strategies. This research project presents different definitions of “homeless”, learned of the challenges faced by the respective stakeholders investigated, documented the different responses to homelessness, and used the structuration theory as the theoretical framework for this study. This research project provides insights into the dominant factors pertaining to homelessness, social interactions, and the status of homeless persons’ material, subjective, and relational well-being. This study used quantitative and qualitative data sets to determine the current state of the homeless population’s multidimensional wellbeing and stakeholders' role in the homeless sphere. The study area is the Cape Town central business district (CBD), South Africa, and the researcher collected data through a structured questionnaire, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. The findings show that there is a relatively low level of multidimensional well-being among the sampled homeless population. Furthermore, the services offered by stakeholders in the homeless sphere are not able to sustainably reintegrate the homeless people in study area, back into mainstream society.