There is only one “worksite” that every group will participate in and that is the housing simulation. The housing simulation, put on by Volunteers in Service, is a simulation where all the participants receive a case file of a person who has been homeless. It includes descriptors like age, relationship status, physical ailments, addictions, income level, type of transportation, etc. The students live as that person and visit different “organizations” around the room and try to secure housing before 5, 8-minute, days are done. Some of the organizations include the bank, the apartment center, and some social services in Grand Rapids.
The goal of the simulation is to make it as realistic as possible while also having fun! So some of the kids had canes and another person stole their cane and tried to sell it for money. Other people had baby dolls because they were a single mom and so they had to carry their baby with them the whole time. Other people were being disorderly in line at a service and would be sent to jail for the evening.
At the end of the simulation, the leader of the simulation debriefs with the group and asks them to name some of the things that surprised them about the housing process and some of the things they didn’t realize about being unhoused. The goal is to help break down stereotypes around housing and homelessness and show people that there is often more to people’s stories then meets the eye and deeper, systemic factors, that lead to the person being unhoused.
After the simulation, the group headed out for a prayer walk where they learned about how city structures impact those who are unsheltered and unhoused and about what Scripture says about affordable housing, health and wellness, caring for the poor, etc.
If you ever get the chance to participate in the housing simulation, I highly recommend it. Also, please pray for the second group tomorrow who will do the housing simulation. Pray that God opens their eyes to see things in a new way and then plants a seed in them that takes root and inspires them to share what they learned about housing and homelessness to others back home.