Prince William 'We can end homelessness"

[Thedom]

Part 1, I thought it was a really insightful and thought provoking documentary, very well produced and some impressive people working tirelessly to support the homeless community.

William came across as passionate and very articulate, knowledgeable without appearing to be preaching. A great cause and hopefully will be successful, it's great he is working so closely with those who are on the front line daily trying to make a difference.

He looks so like Diana, not only his appearance but his mannerisms and expressions, could have been watching and listening to Diana at times.

Don't know how it will do on Disney+ though, it is very UK specific, an unsexy subject and I am sure they will have to add subtitles in places.

But it's not just about money apparently!

Which is exactly what he is doing - perhaps find out a bit more before you start with the criticism.

And there is far more to homelessness than just giving people somewhere to live.

Could you perhaps tell us what you're doing about the problem yourself - it may give everyone on this thread some ideas about how they can help.

As I said, it's not just giving them somewhere to live that requires money is it? Tons of things like therapy, support services, addiction services, all need to be better funded if we're serious about ending homelessness.

I don't know why people feel the need to simp for very rich people who do the bare minimum to help, all the while filming themselves for a PR op.

You're obviously determined that William is doing this for the pr, doesn't care etc etc. He might as well not bother then. Then you'd be complaining he doesn't do anything. As pp said, can't win.

Only those legally entitled to homelessness provision, which is not often adult males with no dependents, will get it

This is one of the things that hits hard on military veterans - a group also quite likely to have problematic relationship with alcohol, both i general but also self-medication for MH issues. And they fall through the gaps all the time, even with assistance from military oriented charities.

I couldn't personally care less if he does nothing. In fact, I'd love for the monarchy to be done away with and him to just fade off into obscurity.

It's all of the fawning around a very rich man, doing in reality, very little that annoys me. He could be doing way more than he is, couldn't he? Not like he's a struggling parent with a full-time job he needs to pay the bills, preventing him from getting stuck in, or anything, is it?

And before you ask, yes I do volunteer myself.

@EdithWeston that's very interesting, I did not think about that group. I think once diagnosed with a MH condition and treated by a psychiatrist, you move up the priority scale, but it's mainly (and rightly) oriented for women who are pregnant, have children, have some protected characteristic, and single men without any diagnoses (even if they are suffering a lot with MH issues or addiction) don't come into those categories, that's why they end up on the streets rather than in prevention interventions, and then it's much harder once they have been on the streets to uplift them into housing as it's probably worsened their MH/addiction. It's a horrible circle and not ok to leave adult men on the streets just because 'they should get a job if they are able bodied and over 18' as one housing officer told me.

Oh yes - most definitely - and long-term funding, too, which is why the problem is so intractable. But what I meant was - just shoving homeless people a fiver isn't the answer. I knew that this young guy would just buy another bottle of something - which isn't great. He was in a really bad state.

I always give what I can, even if I know it will most likely be going on alcohol or drugs because it can be very dangerous for addicts to go cold turkey, so you shouldn't feel bad about that.

A good documentary and good for Prince William to be raising awareness and trying to do something long term.

It's all of the fawning around a very rich man, doing in reality, very little that annoys me. He could be doing way more than he is, couldn't he?

I think the point is that he's doing it in his official role - not just as a 'rich young man'. He is trying to raise the profile of the organisations working with the homeless and to provide a focus. And I for one believe he's sincere about it.

While we have a constitutional monarchy, the heir will always be 'a rich young man/woman'. I don't think that's relevant. Lots of celebrities who support good causes are very rich - but we don't demand that say, Bob Geldof, Richard Curtis et al give all their money to those causes. (Perhaps we should - but that's another thread!). They have the power to rally support and attract funding etc.

And the wealth of PW isn't what it appears to be. Even if he took it upon himself to sell Buck House etc - it wouldn't be up to him. It doesn't belong to and individual -it's the property of the Crown.

He isn’t doing anything except uttering some fairly inarticulate platitudes and wringing his hands. He has added nothing to the informed and expert work done by the likes of shelter and crisi and the Sally army for decades. Much like Kate has done nothing more than say for years “gosh the early years is so important” in her pet PR project. There was no purpose to a documentary doing nothing but putting a PR spin on Williams attempts to show he has any relevancy and has achieved nothing but caused people to think “hmmmm, as a massive landowner with at least 5 residences and millions of pounds of taxpayers income a year surely you can think of something more effective than wringing your hands?”

hence, abject failure.

I mean, I absolutely think Bob Geldof and Richard Curtis could be doing more if they really cared as much as they would like us to believe.

Nothing stopping any of these people living a much more modest life and putting the rest of their wealth to work, getting their hands dirty, but they won't, will they?

Individuals can’t solve this, no matter how rich and influential they may be.

The issue is systemic, societal. We’ll only resolve it with projects like these and persistent attention.

No one thing will sort it out. It’s a multidisciplinary process addressing poverty, mental health, employment… support networks. Good families have no idea of what a privilege that it. Families that struggle to manage financially and emotionally are so vulnerable.

Churches in my area are setting up networks to support people at risk of homelessness, so that those almost hidden privileges can be shared with those who need them. The mistakes you make when you live at the edge of desperation with no support- going out leaving your kids alone, or necking a bottle of vodka. Offering healthier coping strategies when crisis strikes.

I note William has gone a bit quiet on his pledge to end violence in the Middle East. That was the last nonsense idea of his PR advisors. He shouldn’t go along with this silly advice, he should be able to think “hmmm, maybe the fact that I have no knowledge or expertise in these very complex and political areas means I should not centre myself as some sort of saviour” but he appears not to be intelligent enough for that small amount of self reflection. Or maybe he really believes it when palace courtiers tell him he is exceptional.

Quite sad that by his mid-40s he has still achieved nothing.

Well - I agree with you to some extent.

I'm always amused..in a cynical way..at those big fundraising events you get in Hollywood (or in the UK) where celebs pose on the red carpet in outfits costing tens of thousands of pounds - and I think 'Why not just give the cost of your gear to the charity and stay at home an watch Netflix?'. But someone on another thread with more knowledge of these things said that often the celebs do pay huge amounts for their tickets, or make big donations. Fair play, if that's the case - but it jars with puritan old me!

I think you're being way too negative.

I support this initiative - it could become his 'thing' just as the wonderful Prince's Trust was for his father. And I think he's sincere about it - partly because of the introduction he got from his mother.

Good for him.

William has gone a bit quiet on his pledge to end violence in the Middle East.

He never said that, it was just some silly crap reported by 'unknowns' to undermine his successful trip to Palestine and Israel.

If he was so sincere, he could be doing a whole lot more than he is, no?

Look at how much people like this man are giving, and it doesn't make PW's "efforts" seem so impressive, does it?

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/nov/09/i-give-away-half-to-three-quarters-of-my-income-every-year

As I understand it, this is a five year project. I'm going to give him the five years (actually 4 now) and see what the outcomes are.

@EdithWeston

"PW is not going to be doing those things about the causes, because they are far too political. The RF stays neutral."

Staying neutral? Unless they want to be exempt from unfavourable laws. The late Queen alone personally saw to it that the RF were exempt from around 120 laws including animal welfare and workers rights. This isn't common knowledge because the establishment has made sure it isn't, but it is a fact.

That's because he never made such a pledge. What he said was:

William told aides: “This is the start of something new. I will forever honour my commitments to the people I have met.”
William said to Mahmoud Abbas: “I’m very glad our two countries work so closely together and have had success stories with education and relief work in the past, so, long may that continue."
“My sentiments are the same as yours in hoping that there is a lasting peace in the region"

It’s not the royal family that are exempt from the laws- only the monarch - and it’s something like 160 laws in total - many of which seem to have been automatically included rather than requested including one about setting nuclear weapons off on private property.

I think the last time the Guardian did a deep dive was a couple of years ago before the Queen died - will be interesting to see if they all automatically transferred to Charles.

That's because of how the British constitution works, though.

The monarch is the law

And as such not exempt, but completely above