Poetry, Prose, and Personhood: The Art of Storytelling with the Homeless

In 2016, 235,000 Canadians experienced homelessness, and on any given night, there are 35,000 Canadians who are homeless. Many have significant mental-health needs. This article describes a series of storytelling workshops offered at a shelter and medical clinic to provide a space for homeless people to reflect, share their voices, gain communication skills, and connect within a peer group. Fourteen self-selected homeless men participated. The staff and participant experiences shared in this paper point to how narratives and storytelling provide a rich ground for better understanding and empowering people experiencing homelessness.