Small Business Homeless | Glen Dunzweiler | TEDxWilmington
Glen Dunzweiler proposes that the only way to get people off of our streets is for communities to directly support their homeless with opportunities that benefit all involved. He encourages the public to become social entrepreneurs.
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Glen Dunzweiler is a filmmaker, producer, public speaker and former college professor whose documentary, yHomeless?, is available on Amazon Prime and whose book, Things I’ve Learned From The Homeless, is on KDP Select.
In 2015, he moved from a professorship at CSU San Bernardino to Los Angeles to focus on the business side of entertainment. He found distribution for yHomeless? and began work on his second film, a biopic about a former student.
In addition to filmmaking and writing, Dunzweiler is a public speaker who shares insights into working with the homeless, strategies for navigating success out of academia, and production tips for corporate audiences.
His new KZhead series Skid Row Speakers aims to share inspiration from the homeless. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx
Starting a conversation is the best place to begin.
Glen is clearly an empathetic and intelligent man. These issues run so deep in our society. The lack of resources and support for those of us who try and do the right thing. So quickly circumstances can change.
In a society of indifference, it's really hards to find people who are ready and eager to help. But thanks to the talks like this one, we have hope.
Rewarding with out monetary value. This is something we need more of in this modern age. It is good for the soul
Talk about proactive thinking! This could change so much!!
Big ask...
yes it sure is
I watched some videos about a man who had been homeless for years who had the chance to stay at a hotel during lockdowns... He boiled himself apples, did laundry and read his book at night. It was such simple pleasures we take for granted so easily and watching him being so grateful and filled with joy... It really changed my perspective about homelessness and those that find themselves there
This is a beautiful image, it made me really happy
Oh man, the thinkgs I take for granted about just having a roof over my head. Perspective is powerful
@@teddybearlemaire so powerful!
I almost clicked out of this when I first heard him talking. At the end, I didn't want it to be over. Very very good.
Wow, this is real! Was actually thinking a lot about homeless people today during covid. They get forgotten all the time.
Hey man, thanks for sending me this link
cant miss em these days man, more becoming homeless each day.
Thanks for taking the time to watch! It's hard to think about homelessness because the solutions can be so varied and complex. I hold that we have to keep it inspirational for people to want to help.
@@glendunzweilerproductions2812 keep up the good work bro
@@themostofall4250 Thank you! Will do!
Shifting the view of homelessness from neighbourhood watch to neighbourhood help. The way of the future!
I remember in Vancouver before the olympics happened, the local government did exactly as this guy mentioned - gave them bus tickets and told them not to come back. For any one who has been to Vancouver you'll know that there is a whole community of homeless people who help each other so much, they cope because they have each other. It makes so much sense for communities to work to help people who are living rough, it would be so beneficial for everyone.
Good people do good things, this is a needed cause.
so right Marina?
@@josievannorman Thanks for the watch! I really think that if we put some entrepreneurial spirit behind the help, we could start to make real progress.
There's nothing more exciting than a person with a vision for homelessness. Really enjoyed how this talk is delivered. Such a brilliant concept that would work so well!
Much appreciated! There’s a way to get a handle on this!
What a wonderful concept for community success.
There is so much to be said for small community initiatives. This is real people who are really invested in their community and the people in it, regardless of whether those people are the ones who directly contribute at first. Supporting the people in the community for the good of the community leads to greater well being for everyone. This is so wonderful, thank you for sharing.
Glen seems like a truly brilliant and kind man
I've been going on about how councils need to have more access to funding and have more power to make choices for their community that best fits. Our federal governments have no idea and are so out of touch that any plausible idea to help any issue, ie; education, homelessness, DV - never amounts to anything because they literally have NO IDEA. This man's concept is so forward thinking and an actual way to help eradicate homelessness long term. Sharing!
T-Bone Branson Much appreciated! Thanks for sharing. It is a forward thinking concept - so much so that it will only take hold if people are exposed to it often. Every share helps!
Thanks for sharing man! Spot on! Passing it on now :)
@@yogidevish Thank you!
Ain't this the truth.
Yes, I have experienced exactly this.
Importance topic that never gets any attention and here's Glen laying it down in such a simple way. A community would flourish at an incredible rate if we problem solved like this.
It seems like homelessness could be so easily solved...
What a smart man, this seems very plausible !
Definitely does, a lot of hard work but would be so worth it!
Definitely sharing this with my social sciences class. This is the way of the future! This is how we help our people!
Thipparat churi-nag rusk Thanks so much! I’m glad this resonates with you!
Simply put, we don't do enough.
The system of homelessness, this is really an interesting talk.
Tragic talk in many ways.
Oh my, I recently read a story about a homeless old man, who was thrown of his own house by his son! The reasons for homelessness are vast and vary, I think anything local communities can do to help would be a good step
Where I am from, if you see someone sleeping rough you can ring a number and they will go to the person and provide them with basic necessities. I think this man's idea is incredible and would go along with our incentive so well.
This is good work, bless him.
It would only take some effort and we could do so much to help the homeless.
if everyone gave a few cents a day, imagine!
@@cowboycodyvance give up a starbucks a day, imagine!
ok you first!
perhaps now with Joe more people will care.
so true, we ALL need to give.
Glen, this is inspiring. It is all personal and up to us to be the change. I love this message of putting humanity back into life
Thanks SO much! Comments like this keep me pushing!
So many of us who don't know these struggles are quick to judge and always looking at the symptom instead of the cause. I think this great idea is more than just feasible. I will be sharing.
Thank you for sending to me
I do appreciate it. I see a mind shift being the only way out of this mess. Thank you!
So incredibly true
I love this guys ideas! Even if businesses could figure out what they are already capable of providing - like gyms letting homeless people shower there - and then publicise it in a positive way that could help sway peoples awareness of homelessness in a massive way!
Spot on! We could solve the homeless crisis so easily, enough with the politics, the bureaucracy - we could actually change the future for so many people. Awesome talk.
I'm glad the talk resonated with you. We keep pushing!
community support for the homeless, I think the only thing that stops me from embracing the idea is fear.
y would you be scared??
We don't even have a clue what our species is capable of, but with this sort of thing we would actually see equity become a thing and who knows what the future would have in store!
I love this concept. As it has been previously mentioned though, a huge portion of those who end up homeless come from very complex circumstances - it has only been in the past 10 years we have been opening up about mental health and addiction. I think it's fair to say that councils could not bare the weight of having to ensure funding and regulation of detox centers, therapists and the like. Homelessness I believe, is the symptom of a cause much bigger than just not enough housing. It's lack of education, lack of opportunity, lack of support network. There are so many things that come along side eradicating homelessness, and I am all for it - we just have to ensure that we are not glossing over it with quick fixes because if we actually tackle this issue with proper big picture thinking, the potential for our communities are endless.
Well at least it would be a step in the right direction
@@rontjacks Yes true it would be.
I have known several homeless people, many of them are accessing support and services and it is mental health that is preventing them from moving forward. They may have access to food and shelter, but they need so much more to be able to recover from what got them there in the first place
I got buddies from school who got bad into ICE, they are recovering but there's no place for them. People don't just recover, people are on the street for lots of reasons and many won't make it off without some help.
I did too, I see them on the street totally lost.
@@sukyevers We throw people away real easily. It's work, but we can recover a good amount of those people.We just have to find the value in it. (Just...)
wow this is really cool. this really seems like a simple way to help eradicate homelessness. brilliant idea that doesn't seem like it would take much to implement!
Glen, you are such a smart man
This guys passion was moving! How often do we walk past people who are homeless or down and out and avert our gaze or just try to looking straight ahead. Having. Good day/ well, maybe I can spare a few coins (while also thinking ‘I hope this isn’t booze money’). People who are homeless are people first, they didn’t choose this, life was hard for them. Lets see the humanity in each person and work with them to build a better life
Who cares if its booze money? At least it takes off the edge for them. And in winter it helps them sleep
He has a golden heart.
That is kind of you to say. Thank you!
2:20 “A program gets curbed because of who we think homeless people are”. This rung very true. I have seen things working on a grass root basis, but the funding gets thrown aside because those who decide where the funding gets allocated don’t see ‘results. Homelessness is not a business or tax ride off for rich people- It is a real social and systemic issue.
This makes more sense than most of the systems brought into play over the years but I am still shocked by the fact our governments are doing very little to acknowledge and rectify.
It doesn't take much to end up on the streets these days. I myself, after having to move away from a family that was riddled with issues, ended up on the street for a few years. I learned more about myself, what sort of people make up a community and how quick those who haven't had it rough yet are to judge you. Honestly what this guy is saying, would be incredible, but like he said at the beginning - so many view those on the streets as deplorable and don't want to help. We need to change the way people see each other before they will actually want to help
Jess Carter That’s the crux! We need to see the value in people.
Jess, I sure hope you've got support and a home now.
well this seems like a legitimate way to eradicate homelessness - plus bringing the community together. i think this really smart thinking and i can easily see how much more cost effective it would be long term.
Yes! So spot on. It's really smart!
Makes a lot of sense, not sure why this hasn't been done!
Interesting take on the money we give away as a short term solution, verses the opportunity to invest. Give a man a fish and eats for a day, teach a man to fish and eats for a lifetime. I recall that biblical excerpt from my childhood. It really resonates with me to this day, changing man to person of course:)
I've always wondered why council's don't have more authority to look after issues like this in their own communities. But then I hear stories of council's spending over 5 million on renos for their offices and I am reminded of why they are useless.
Where I live, the rate of homelessness has gone through the roof since last year. Whether by choice (to cut down expenses, living out of cars) or not by choice (eviction) it just doesn't make sense that we live in a world where so many resources are spent on things that just don't matter.
Lack of funding for housing is an issue in all developed countries (well mostly) and this actually seems like a practical solution. Sharing this, curious to know what my friends will say.
Agreed Derrek. Love this. What an incredible step forward. Who else can we share this with?
@@alexdenns Wow Al, great idea from Glen. We seriously need to look into this further
Maybe a better place to start would be developing systems that actually prevented homelessness. A lot of homeless people have mental health issues or were forced to leave abusive situations. A lot of governments don't do enough to help in those situations before a person is forced to be homeless.
I can't even tell you the number of times I looked away because I was afraid that I didn't know how to connect.
too many people do this
@@yogidevish It's about getting over the fear of what would happen if you connect. We train ourselves to fear the homeless. They are just people. Make sure you are in a secure position to engage, and go for it.
If I'm honest, as a woman I feel frightened when passing a homeless person on the street and can't even bring myself to check in with them most of the time, and I know that is conditioning! I wish I could do more to help.
You have to feel safe first. I use the same skills I have in reading a crowd as I do in reading the homeless. They are just people, but definitely stay aware.
@@glendunzweilerproductions2812 That's it, homeless or not, some people are good and some people are best to keep at arms length
What happens when the charity ends and the funds disappear, the only value to anything is when you are able to contribute to your own life, even if it is in some small well. There is no life to live, if there is no purpose.
The way things are going with COVID there could be a lot more homeless people out there.
All the more reason to have these conversations
Where I'm from it's single women over 60 who are becoming homeless. We NEED to have this conversation
It's all about empathy, which society seems to have lost.
We can get it back! I don’t like the alternative.
We can challenge that loss! (Sometimes I sound like a cheerleader!)
I want to know if he is any closer to making this happen!
I really hope so
Passing by homeless people, I never asked myself why they are there. What happened to them. Next time I'll do that.
It's a good way to practice empathy :)
More often then not, addiction is because of undiagnosed mental health issues - we should never judge an addict.
Unfortunately the stigma around homelessness is so strong I don't think a lot of people even consider how they can help them long term.
That is the status quo. The question is, how many 'disposable people' are we willing to accept in our communities before we act? My goals to inspire solutions when all people seem to share are the problems.
How often do we come across systems that really don't work in the long term.
My YT Homelessness is a continuum, so I don’t quite understand your question. In my experience, systems to house and support people that need it are often running short - for one reason or another. In general, programs are never flush with cash. They are always in need. There are programs that change with people’s needs and those are the most successful. The programs that try to provide the same services for different people struggle. Some homogeneous communities have better luck providing a single service. I would like to hear if this response has any bearing on what you are asking or if it completely missed the mark.
Often... But clearly this is a system that would work long term? Not sure what you didn't quite catch from this.
I never thought that the sandwich I gave to a homeless person may not be that helpful...
My jaw dropped when I you said that the bank wouldn't even speak to you . You were doing the right thing, being responsible and being pushed back like that? No wonder no one likes the big banks.
I think this doesn't deal with the issue of mental illness with the homeless, how can this sort of system work with them?
Good question! We look at the hardest cases and get discouraged. I say triage is the answer. Some homeless have harder difficulties to overcome. What do the mentally ill have to offer this world? Maybe the company that tackles this gets direct social credit and community support. Right now, governments have to wade through so much policy, that the hard cases just get neglected.
@@glendunzweilerproductions2812 I think you could possibly be underestimating how many of these cases would actually be very complex. Already we struggle in most developed countries with funding for mental health and addiction.
@@glendunzweilerproductions2812 Shift from a 'people as products' to 'people as contributors' would fix so many issues face by marginalized groups
@@teddybearlemaire Yes. Finding and supporting that contribution can be a difficult shift, but it's the only way I can see a solution out of where we are - other than also building our families and communities back up.
Giving sandwiches isn't the best way to fight the problem of homelessness.
Todos aquí son bots
There are so many options yet our governments keep making up excuses.
Homeless business people, it sounds good on paper .... But?
The but is what keeps us from working on solutions. All people have value. We have to explore what that value can be. So many times, I have learned from people once I let them know that I had something to learn from them.
Hey Glen, you got an email address?
I think this guy's heart is in the right place but I don't think any of his ideas are actually plausible. It's so difficult for a small business to have sustained success, and yes in an ideal world they should be rewarded for helping homeless people but realistically who is going to provide those benefits?