Скачать или смотреть We Tested Homelessness Messaging—Here’s What Actually Works

The way we talk about homelessness is broken, and it's fueling criminalization, not solutions. In this behind-the-scenes conversation, I’m joined by Ara Berberian and Stephane Gringer, partners at Chameleon Collective, to unpack the research and strategy behind our new advocacy messaging toolkit. We tested what actually works—and what doesn’t—when it comes to changing public opinion on homelessness. What we found might surprise you.

💥 Why empathy isn’t enough
📊 The three audience cohorts that shape the national conversation
⚠️ How well-funded misinformation campaigns are winning the narrative war
🧠 What nonprofits and advocates need to do right now to stop the spread of harmful myths

If we don’t fix the messaging, we will lose the fight, and the homelessness crisis will continue to get significantly worse for all of us.

👉 Explore the toolkit at https://invisiblepeople.tv/toolkit

00:00 – The Problem with Homelessness Messaging
00:41 – Marketing Meets Homelessness: Why It Matters
01:17 – Introducing the Chameleon Collective Partners
02:30 – A Data-Driven Approach to Messaging
04:29 – The Backstory: Ford, Social Media, and Partnerships
06:26 – Criminalization of Homelessness and Funding Challenges
08:11 – How This Project Changed Perceptions
10:00 – Causes of Homelessness: Beyond Stereotypes
12:18 – User Experience and Audience Research
14:30 – Old Narratives vs. Modern Realities
16:57 – The Rise of Opposition Narratives (Cicero, Discovery, etc.)
18:59 – Why We Built the Messaging Toolkit
21:15 – Designing the Survey and Eliminating Bias
23:15 – Why Empathy Alone Doesn’t Work
25:02 – Funding Challenges and Philanthropy Resistance
27:45 – Breaking Down the Toolkit Research
29:47 – Three Key Cohorts: Urban Low-Income, Urban Middle-Income, Suburban Middle-Income
32:27 – Why Segmentation Matters in Homelessness Messaging
35:01 – Lessons from Marketing and Nonprofit Communication
37:00 – Why “Homelessness Is Solvable” Falls Flat
39:02 – Housing First: Misunderstood and Attacked
42:00 – Housing Plus Treatment: The Best Path Forward
45:18 – Tips for Messaging: Altruism vs. Self-Benefit
47:48 – Segmenting Strategies by Audience Type
49:18 – Call to Action: Download the Toolkit & Support Ongoing Research
50:10 – Closing Thoughts and What’s Next

More:

Can We End Homelessness? Hennepin County Shows How    • Can We End Homelessness? Hennepin County S...  

From a Tent to a Home: No Longer Homeless    • From a Tent to a Home: No Longer Homeless  

Why People Stopped Caring About Homelessness—And How to Fix It    • Why People Stopped Caring About Homelessne...  

Executive producer: Mark Horvath
Producer/editor/cinematographer: Alex Gasaway    / alexgasaway  
Associate producer: Erin McGinnis
Created by: Alex Gasaway and Erin McGinnis

YouTube Podcast https://shorturl.at/XciIu
Apple Podcast https://apple.co/4cckQ86
Spotify https://spoti.fi/3XyM98c

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About Invisible People

There is a direct correlation between what the general public perceives about homelessness and how it affects policy change. Most people blame homelessness on the person experiencing it instead of the increasing shortage of affordable housing, lack of employment, childhood trauma, lack of a living wage, or the countless reasons that put a person at risk. This lack of understanding creates a dangerous cycle of misperception that leads to the inability to effectively address the root causes of homelessness.

We imagine a world where everyone has a place to call home. Each day, we work to fight homelessness by giving it a face while educating individuals about the systemic issues that contribute to its existence. Through storytelling, education, news, and activism, we are changing the narrative on homelessness.
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Invisible People is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to educating the public about homelessness through innovative storytelling, news, and advocacy. Since our launch in 2008, Invisible People has become a pioneer and trusted resource for inspiring action and raising awareness in support of advocacy, policy change and thoughtful dialogue around poverty in North America and the United Kingdom.