PRACTICAL COMMON SENSE: INTERVIEW WITH DARIA BALBAKOVA WHO HEADS THE CHARITY “NOCHLEZHKA” IN MOSCOW
Reported by Stephen Wilson
Stephen Wilson, Russia correspondent for StreetSense interviewed the head of the Moscow branch of the charity Nochlezhka. Daria comes across as a practical and down to earth person. She conveys the distinct impression of never taking anything for granted. She persistently pursues questioning things to see things as they actually are. She appears to be highly perceptive on many matters. She seems to apply sharp logic to matters and can carry the day in any argument about questions concerning the homeless. Her particular theory about why so many young people might want to help the homeless is intriguing.
StreetSense
What made you want to get involved with helping homeless people?
Daria
I don't have any history of helping the homeless in my life. I previously worked in the area of finance. I decided to move from a career in finance services because I wanted to find an organisation where I can see the results that mostly change the world. I wanted to work in an area where most people don't like the issue. I tried to find a place which focused on the systemic nature of things. There are two sides to this question of working with the homeless. We want to help specific clients by finding the most efficient way of helping via a systemic approach in Russia. There are a lot of problems I'd like to change but homelessness is the most attractive from a professional sense. I like challenges and this is a difficult one.
StreetSense
What problems do you encounter when helping the homeless?
Daria
One of the biggest problems is the lack of information. Many people are afraid of the homeless--and think that they are criminals and alcoholics. Many believe we can't help them. So one of the goals of Nochlezhka is spreading information that we can help any person. Time is the question! It might take more months and more time is required so we can help everybody. The second important idea about the homeless is that they are a specific or different people from other people.
StreetSense
What is the biggest problem which Nochlezhka confronts when trying to help the homeless?
Daria
The biggest problem is the public attitude to the homeless. It affects people who work in state organizations. Moscow citizens hold stereotypes and myths of the homeless.
StreetSense
What are the main stereotypes people hold about the homeless ?
Daria
I think there are probably many stereotypes. The most difficult one is that homelessness is a person's choice and that our clients like this kind of life or it is their own fault. That they have difficulties and the consequence of those difficulties was an inability to cope by themselves. So the most popular attitude is 'it his own fault'. He decided to become homeless. Another stereotype is that the homeless are lazy. They don't want to work. So a Moscow citizen tells me "I met a homeless person on the streets and offered him a job and he refused." But I ask this guy who offered the job "Did you ask what help he needed? Maybe he refused work because he was probably a slave in a labor house and he had a difficult experience of work. He was traumatized. He is probably ill and not able to work. Did you ask him about his health?" The guy replies, "No, we just asked if he wanted a job." It is not fair. Those kind of people who offer jobs think they know how to help, but they don't know how to help. They think they are of a higher station than the homeless and that they have to correct the homeless. When the homeless experience this attitude and there is no respect for them then there is a lot of pressure on them.
StreetSense
How do you counter the allegations that the homeless are a dangerous threat to the public? I heard that in one of the surveys Nochlezhka published that 46% of people in Saint Petersburg consider that the homeless pose a danger to children.
Daria
We can answer with our own statistics. Actually the homeless are more likely to be the victims of crime than the perpetrators. Some of our clients have a criminal background. The reason for them being homeless is linked to our system when they returned from prison. They leave prison without a profession, passport and place to live. It is not a personal problem. I try to work as a social worker. One of our clients had a criminal background and had been in prison for four years. He did not have any documents or passport. His family cancelled his registration and he had been in prison for a long time. It is such a stigma to be an ex-prisoner. No company was ready to employ him. He could get only unofficial help. I can understand if he wants to return to prison as there he has a roof over his head and food. It's a vicious circle.
StreetSense
I noticed the age of your volunteers is very young. When I attended a meeting of new volunteers two weeks ago I was over double the age of the volunteers. The average age appeared to be about twenty. What is the average age of a volunteer who works for Nochleshka? And why do you think the volunteers are so young?
Daria
Most of our volunteers are under the age of thirty. I think you can explain it by the influence of the internet where young people get different information about the homeless from the older people who usually watch state channels. {Editor's Note: Access to the internet offers exposure to a wider range of views on the homeless than the rigid views of state media which often only offer one negative perspective.} The second reason is helping the homeless is a kind of protest. It is like Rock and Roll. A lot of young people support the release of political prisoners and are defenders of human rights. It is a form of protest to help the homeless because it is not popular with most older adults who are against helping the homeless. They feel nobody wants to help the homeless. So it's a form of protest!