In the thesis, Social Exclusion of Homeless People, we explore the stories, feelings and barriers they face when integrating into their environment. Homelessness is undoubtedly one of the most disadvantageous life situations that can befall us. The path to homelessness is by no means a one-way street, but several reasons can put a person on the streets overnight. I also address the many layers to understanding the definition of homelessness and stress the fact that a homeless person is not only a person living on the street and begging passers-by for money but that this category includes any person with unstable accommodation and in a generally precarious financial situation. I investigated the social exclusion of homeless people in the area of Kranj through interviews with homeless people. I was interested in their life stories and what led them to where they are today. I also touched upon prejudices and misconceptions about homeless people and how this affects the sense of acceptance and inclusion of homeless people in different spheres of life. It is the stigmatisation and labelling that leads to exclusion in many areas of a homeless person's life, which I have termed social exclusion. In the research, I have looked at the three most visible levels of social exclusion, which are intertwined and mutually reinforcing: experiences with the health system, housing, and employment policies for homeless people. I used qualitative research to explore the stories and feelings of homeless people. I was interested in the individual experience of homelessness and the feelings and trials faced by a person who has been stigmatised as homeless. I conducted semi-standardised interviews with six homeless people and qualitatively processed the data. The research I conducted revealed, among other things, that homeless people, despite feelings of inclusion, are surrounded by negative feelings in their interactions with the environment, which can potentially lead to withdrawal from it. Despite the positive attitudes of the homeless people I interviewed, the analysis showed that the conditions and circumstances they live in do not guarantee them a decent life and simultaneously hinder their integration into other spheres of social life. One of the key proposals in the conclusion is that more work should be done on all levels of our society to detabuization of homelessness.
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