Homelessness is (pun intended) a big issue in Cambridge, and a condition held in common by an estimated eighty thousand families across England (Crisis 2008). The homelessness epidemic is a problem that we as students will most likely not be able to 'solve' during our time at University; in fact, most of us – myself included – will not even have time to volunteer at a shelter. We do, however, all have the time and the ability to make a tangible difference on a daily basis, one which I want to encourage us all to consider. Through the small, intentional act of making eye contact rather than averting our gaze as we walk past a homeless person, we let them know that we acknowledge them as a fellow human being, and for a person who is ignored for the majority of each day, this can have an enormous impact.

I have been informed that in the British south, much of the seeming avoidance of homeless people might be due simply to the social ‘rules’ generally held by British people, marked by a distinct lack of interaction with strangers, (which is considered impolite) and “an acute and easily stirred sense of embarrassment”. I do not claim to be an expert on British social etiquette (I am in fact from Texas and am often confused by interaction patterns here) but I do make the claim that these social rules for politeness might not necessarily apply to or greatly benefit the homeless, individuals who exist more or less on the fringes of society. While your willingness to step outside of social convention by making eye contact with a stranger might not be appreciated by every non-homeless British individual, a homeless person who has fewer opportunities for social interaction is likely to very much appreciate being acknowledged, even in passing, as a member of society.

I understand that it can be scary to interact even non-verbally with a stranger, because it’s unfamiliar and out of the ordinary, and I understand that it can be even more nerve-wracking or awkward to think about interacting with a homeless person, however briefly, because not only is it something you don’t normally do, but perhaps you feel that if you aren’t going to give them money or don’t have time to talk, it would honestly be better for you and for them just not to engage in the first place. I would suggest, at least from my experience, however, that it is completely acceptable to interact with a homeless person without committing to a lengthy discussion or to giving money. If a person is begging, busking, or selling the Big Issue they are, implicitly, asking if passers-by would like to make a purchase or donation, but I have been told repeatedly by my homeless friends that they would rather be shouted at than ignored; that a “no” is infinitely better than being “blanked,”; and that whether a person buys their Big Issue or not, they would really just appreciate the smile. In other words, meeting a homeless person’s gaze and acknowledging their presence by just saying “hello” or “no, thank you” is a simple action that can have a hugely positive impact. For students wondering what they can do to help the homeless, it really is the small gestures that make a big difference in this “big issue”.