[jason_slack]

I volunteer at a homeless shelter for the last 10 years.

* people can be mentally ill in some way or another.

* physical disabilities.

* just acceptance that this is their fate, why change it.

* they just can't see any plan that leads them out of the situation so why try

* they wouldn't be sure how to function in society if they re-enter as a member of the "working class".

As a country, I don't feel we do anywhere enough for not just the homeless, but those that are simply down on their luck. Some people just need guidance and advice.

Example: I am a foster parent of 2.

The birth parents don't know how to cook, pay bills, take care of babies, etc. But do classes exist that make them practice and practice and practice. No. I've tried to get cooking classes like this offered saying I'll pay for all the food and donate my time but nobody takes me up on it. If we can teach who are inexperienced at cooking and house keeping and personal hygiene they may stand a chance of improving their lives by believing in themselves. What a bootstrap.

Maybe my perception is wrong and education doesn't help either. I feel like it would.

[blacksmith_tb]

Sadly we've been eliminating Home Ec, Woodworking, and Shop classes in high schools for the last 40 years, which would have been another route for people to learn some of those life skills if they didn't (or couldn't) from their parents. I agree it's hard to know if people would respond to 'remedial' classes on the basics, but it does seem like it might at least make them feel like someone cared.

[jason_slack]

I graduated high school in cough the mid-nineties and I had to take Home Ec, Woodworking and Shop.

My oldest son graduated in 2015 and had to take Home Ec only.

My daughter will graduate in 2021 but only had to take Home Ec.

My youngest son also graduates in 2021 and hasn't had to take any.

[rocketpastsix]

I graduated from high school in 2001. There was no shop class offered. There was home ec, but that was an elective and not required. I really wish there had been things like this required.

[sli]

Graduated high school in 2003. No home ec available, no shop available, and they got rid of their computer programming classes after my freshman year. The only option anywhere close to these lines was Ag. I didn't live in a farming town.

[ahbyb]

>The birth parents don't know how to cook, pay bills, take care of babies, etc.

How is this possible? Especially in the era of Google. Are we talking about people who are completely uneducated or simply mentally challenged?

[jason_slack]

Both. Some are mentally challenged, but there are still people that just can't master the skill enough to make a "healthy meal" or otherwise perform the tasks that seem common to us.

Some high schools offer "life skills" classes those children that may need these skills due to disabilities. They cook, learn to manage money, make a budget, learn how to clean, how to interact, etc. I wish they were required.

[ahbyb]

There are many many people who don't know what a healthy meal is, hence the obesity epidemic. But in this day and age you can find all sorts of crap in the supermarket that you can just heat up. I don't know, it's just weird. Well, thanks for sharing your perspective.

[mofosyne]

Maybe they are in a food desert area? There was an article which talks about the cycle of poverty including the fact that healthy food is inaccessible and supermarkets are located too far away from poorer area because customer there can't pay.

[pmiller2]

Let's not forget the lack of any external support system (family, friends, etc.) who can help them out of the situation. For people without disabilities (including mental, physical, and addictions), this is probably the biggest factor, IMO.

[jason_slack]

this is also a good point. Help from those close is also important and is may not exist, bad blood, nervousness, etc.