Ethnography Summary- Daniel

Posted on by Sarah

On Friday, Parker, Matt and I interviewed Daniel, a chronically homeless man that is usually on the corner of S Bend Ave and Ironwood.

Ethnography Summary: Daniel

Date: 3/3/17

Type: Interview

Location: Corner of S Bend Ave and Ironwood, where he was sitting/walking around asking for money

Team Participants: Sarah Riehl, Matthew McCormick, Parker Mathes

User Characteristics:

  • Chronically homeless
  • Male, age 34
  • Physically disabled
    • Bilateral drop foot
    • Seizures
  • Has seizures

What is this person’s biggest point of pain? He is physically disabled, he had seizures which led to a buildup of fluids in his legs, causing nerve damage and loss of feeling in both feet. Therefore, he cannot get a job and cannot get the funding needed for an apartment (need first and last month’s rent plus security deposit).

Top 3 Learnings:

  1. Once Daniel lost his home, he no longer had an address to receive his Medicaid, so he lost it for a month and a half, thereby making his health issues worse. Cyclical process
  2. The resources that South Bend provides for shelters and food pantries are good, but need long-term solutions.
  3. Physical disabilities are a huge issue for getting a job.

 

Key Insight:

  • The homeless population in South Bend needs some sort of low-income or transitional housing as a more permanent solution.
  • The resources available for food and temporary emergency shelters are helpful.

 

Activities:

  • Came to corner near Starbucks
  • Held sign “Homeless and waiting for disability check. Anything helps even your prayers”
  • Asked for food/money from surrounding cars

 

Environment:

  • Corner of S Bend Ave and Ironwood, near the drive-through Starbucks
  • Cold, very windy day
  • Friday morning
  • Heavy traffic

 

Interactions:

  • Asked if we could buy him a sandwich from Starbucks
  • Talked to him about

 

Objects:

  • He had two backpacks he was carrying with him
  • Uses crutches
  • Food from Starbucks
  • Cardboard sign

 

Users:

  • Local businesses around the area
  • Drivers/traffic through the area
  • People who give him money or food
  • People who ignore him