Lost Homes, Lost Futures: Uncovering the Connection Between Displacement and Vulnerability in Woodstock, Cape Town Ppt_May.2023

1. Lost Homes, Lost Futures: Uncovering the Connection
Between Displacement and Vulnerability in Woodstock, Cape
Town
DAG, brown bag session
By Naeemah Sadien
25 April 2023

2. Context of the research
Over the years I’ve worked with urban communities who were at threat of being displaced. Through
these experiences, I began to realize the significant impact this had on them personally. I observed that
the most vulnerable of them had a history of housing challenges, which left them more vulnerable and
often led to additional behavioural problems.
This prompted me to conduct my master’s research where I worked with a group of teenagers who had
lost their homes and were occupying the Cissie Gool House in Woodstock.
I wanted to see how this affected their well-being and their future.
Through the research, we found that being forced to move away from homemade things really tough for
these kids. But we also discovered something bigger… that people and the places they live in are super
connected.
This presentation contains key findings of the research, including how displacement results in
psychosocial outcomes and how the environment plays a crucial role in their adjustment post-
displacement.

3. Changes in thoughts Changes in feelings Changes in behavior Future
“I was moving all over and
all over…”
“It made me feel like my life
was over…”
“I became a gangster” “But I’ve changed”
“Moving made me think
more strategically”
“So, I seldomly think about
things I like and enjoy”
“I feel like there’s nothing
to look forward anymore
in life”
Depression may worsen
“Moving made me lose
confidence”
“So, I trust less”
“I feel depressed, and
isolate and distance myself
from others”
Depression may worsen
“Moving separated me
from my family and made
me lose my best friend”
“So, I feel lost and
confused”
“I smoke to feel okay”
Possible mental health
issues
Adolescents experience displacement on a deep level that affects their well-being
and future – resulting in psychosocial outcomes that changes the way they think,
feel, and behave
PSYCHOSOCIAL
OUTCOMES

4. Psychosocial outcomes result from the disruption of important social relationships
which affects the adolescent’s sense of self
The nature of their displacement determines the
degree of disruption to their everyday lives:
• The extent of their displacement mattered
• The reason for their displacement mattered and
• The distance of their displacement mattered
Disruptions that mattered and that were important
for adolescents’ development included:
• Disruptions to family life
• Disruptions of friendships
• Disruptions to school and
• Disruptions to other institutional relationships
The level of disruption to these social relationships
determined the degree of disruption to the
adolescent’s sense of self or self-esteem:
• As their sense of self is affected, this in turn affects
the way they think, feel, and behave resulting in
psychosocial outcomes

5. The environment adolescents moved to influenced their psychosocial outcomes by
either supporting or hindering their adjustment to the new environment
Adolescent’s internal environment
includes their:
• Personality and upbringing
• Developmental stage, and
• Family context
Adolescent's external environment includes
the:
• Quality of the residential units
Quality of the built space
Quality of the social space
• Quality of the public shared spaces, and
Quality of the built space,
Quality of the social space
Types of environments that support or hinder
adolescent adjustment

6. Internal factors Moderating effect on adjustment
Personality and upbringing
1. Personality type
a. Being “confident”, “makes friends easily” Adjusted or fitted in more easily.
b. Being a “loner”, “on [their] buzz”, “cautious”, the “quiet-
and-soft-type”
Found it harder to fit in and or
adjust.
2. Personal values or traits
a. Respect
Found it harder to fit in and or
adjust.
b. Forgiving
Found it harder to fit in and or
adjust.
c. Righteous (“straightforward”)
Found it harder to fit in and or
adjust.
d. Maintaining appearances or reputation
Found it harder to fit in and or
adjust.
e. Playful Adjusted or fitted in more easily.
The harsh
environment
in the
occupation
made it hard
to fit in
The adolescent’s personality and upbringing moderated their experience of displacement
– making it either easier or harder for them to adjust to their new environment

7. The adolescent’s developmental stage moderated their experience of displacement
– making it either easier or harder for them to adjust to their new environment
Developmental stage Moderating effect on Adjustment
1. 0 - 4.5 years
Adolescents who were historically displaced in this age group had little to no recollection
thereof. Therefore, did not describe any changes during this time.
2. 4.5 - 11 years
Adolescents who were historically displaced in this age group remembered the event
but described being in a ‘playful’ state which contributed to how they experienced the
displacement.
3. 11 - 17 years
While it was important to consider adolescents history of displacement, the research
focused on their most recent experience of displacement. Adolescents described
cognitive and social-emotional changes associated with adolescence that contributed
to their experience of displacement.
a. Cognitive changes
As participants started developing abstract or reflective cognitive skills, they began to
think more deeply about their lives and their experiences which resulted in their
displacement affecting them more deeply, i.e., on an emotional level.
b. Social-emotional changes
Adolescents described beginning to socialise differently which was partly due to their
developmental stage and wanting to establish their own identity and independence
apart form their parents. This change combined with their displacement resulted in
them experiencing novel situations without the structure of social regulation which left
them socially distressed and decreased their chances of adjusting to their new
environment.
Adolescents already going
through a lot of changes

8. The adolescent’s family context moderated their experience of displacement –
making it either easier or harder for them to adjust to their new environment
Family context Moderating effect on adjustment
1. Family issues or challenges experienced before or during their
displacement
Some issues or challenges caused participants and their families to move,
and other difficulties resulted because they moved.
a. Job loss If financial issues persisted, it made it harder to adjust.
b. Divorce If marital issues with parents persisted, it made it harder to adjust.
c. Death in the family
Sessions with participants exposed underlying trauma in the case of a loss of
a parent or grandparent; indicating that it was harder for the adolescent to
adjust.
d. Substance abuse
Family members who persisted to abuse substances put strain on the family
and made it harder to adjust.
e. Domestic violence
Sessions with participants exposed underlying trauma in cases of historical
domestic violence; indicating that it was harder for the adolescent to adjust.
f. Low SES issues: crime, violence, gangsterism
If their environment improved in this regard, adjustment was easier.
However, if their environment deteriorated adjustment was harder.
g. Child neglect
If neglect persisted after the displacement this made it harder to adjust. But
if care improved, this made it easier to adjust.
h. Health issues
If health issues persisted, this made it harder to adjust. But if improved, it
made it easier to adjust.
Challenges experienced after displacement Most of the above challenges persisted after their displacement.
Environmental factors/ the quality of the receiving neighbourhood
compounded their experience of displacement
Environmental factors that mediate adolescent’s adjustment to their new
environment.
Most family issues
persisted after being
displaced which
made it harder for
them to adjust

9. The adolescent’s residency context mediated their experience of displacement –
making it either easier or harder for them to adjust to their new environment
Environmental factor
Supports adolescent
adjustment
Anecdotes
Psychosocial
outcome
Hinders adolescent
adjustment
Anecdotes
Psychosocial
outcome
Residency context
1. Quality of the residential units
a. Quality of the physical space
i. Upgraded
From using candlelight or a
"generator” to using
electricity.
“One of my favourite things about
movinginto the occupation, is thatI
don’thave to putmy finger in the oil
sockettostartthe generator
anymore.”
“Movingmade
me better at
school and
sports.”
- - -
ii. Downgraded/
deteriorated
- - -
From having their own room, to
sharing aroom with the parent.
“One of the things I miss mostaboutmy
old house, is I had space to play freely,
and think aboutthingsI like and enjoy”
“Movingmade me feel like
there’s nothingto look
forward toin life
anymore.”
b. Quality of the social/ shared space
i. Individual privacy
- Creating privacy by
partitioning the room
- Using active play indoors,
like “dancing”, “singing”,
and “jumping on the beds''.
-
- “Moving
made me
calmer.”
-Limited privacy between family
members
“When my bestfriend come over, we
have to go outside to speak because
there’s no privacy in my room.”
“Movingmade me feel
paranoid in the
relationshipsI’m in. I worry
aboutlosingpeople.”
ii. Family privacy/
bonding
-Adolescents of parents who
created space indoors for
family time and bonding
described enjoying this
because it helped them deal
with difficult emotions of
everyday life in the
occupation.
“Saturday is the day we clean. The
music is on, and we play mostof the
time. We dance, we show off, we
shoutand sing. We are a [happy]
family. The kidsjump on the beds
and goon. Thatishow I spend time
with them. Thatishow they can be
themselves”.
“Movingmade
me calmer.”
Family time being interrupted by other
occupants
“WhatI dislike a lotaboutlivingin the
occupation is thatwhen our family is
prayingor eating, other occupants
interruptusbecause of the ‘open-door’
policy. This annoys and frustrates me!”
“Since moving, I’ve been
feelingangry and irritated
a lot… so, I actout”.
The quality of the
space and how
adolescents behave
in them highlights
the NB relationship
between people
and place

10. The adolescent’s residency context mediated their experience of displacement
continued…
2. Quality of the public/ shared spaces
a. Quality of physical public space
i. A gated
community
The“gated”senseoftheoccupationmadesome
participantsfeelsecurefromtheoutsideworld,
enablingthemtoplaymorefreely.
“It’saplaceIcancallhome.Iamateasehere
becauseIcanletmykidsplayoutside.Iknowwhere
theyare,andtheyarealwaysinasafeplace”.
“Movingmade
mecalmer”
ii. Adult
supervision
- - -
Adolescentsfeelingconfined, restricted,andlimitedindoors
meantthattheyspentmostoftheirtimeoutside,on
balconies,inthepassagesorthehallways.Theseareashad
littletonoadultsupervision, whichmeantthattheybecame
placeswhereadolescents“gatheredtosmokeanddobad
stuff”.
“AlotofthetimesIfeel
likepassageshaveeyes
andears…Ifeel
unsafe”
“Movingmade
mefearfulformy
family’ssafety”
iii. “The meeting
room” / public
spaces in the
occupation.
Adolescents enjoyed communal spaces
such as the Meeting Room, where
various social and youth activities took
place. The meeting room housed a
book collection for children. Children
could also use the space to be assisted
with homework. On weekends or
during school holidays, the Meeting
Room hosted movie nights and other
youth activities
“One of my favourite things about moving
here, is that we have help with our
homework in the afternoon.”
-
Some adolescents described “exploring
abandoned rooms” and or areas within the
occupation. As it was once an old hospital, they
stumbled across old “medical equipment” and
“machines” that had cleared out of occupied
rooms. They described “dangerous” spaces such
as an “underground tunnel” but also used it as a
“hideaway” or as a hideout from adults. They also
described “other buildings” in the occupation as
less safe and staying away from them. Overall
safety and privacy were significant concerns for
participants, affecting their ability to adjust to their
new environment.
“Youmustalwaysbe
carefulofthethings
yousay,do,andact…
becausethe
troublemakersare
alwaysouttogetyou.”
;
“Youmustbecareful
whoyoumakefriends
with.Especiallyifthey
havefamiliesthatare
ingangs…youbecome
easytargets.”
“Movingmade
mefeellike
there’snothingto
lookforwardtoin
lifeanymore.”
;
“Movingmade
meactrougher
andtougher.”
;
“Movingmade
mefearfulformy
family’ssafety”.
iv.
Intergenerational
closure
-Adultsandleadersasrolemodelsandmentors
gaveadolescentspurposeanddirectionand
enabledtothinkabouttheirfutureinapositive
way.
“UncleEsaismyrolemodel…Iwanttorollerblade
likehimonedayandcompeteoverseastoo.”
“Moving’s
changemefor
thebetter”
- - -
Lack of conducive space
& programmes for
adolescents result in
poor psychosocial
outcomes

11. The adolescent’s residency context mediated their experience of displacement
continued…
b. Quality of the social-public space
i. Facility management
(placement criteria,
house rules, leadership,
and disciplinary
committee).
Socialregulationandintegrationcontributeto
thequalityoftheenvironmentinthe
occupation,thesocialdynamicsandsenseof
community.Leadership plays a crucial role
this.Thus,participantsdescribedhow
governanceintheoccupationcontributedto
theirexperiences,theirabilitytocopewith
displacementandtheirabilitytoadjusttotheir
newenvironment.
- -
Adolescentparticipants seldom like
the house rulesthattheyhadto
complywith.Forexample,houseruleslimited
thenumberofguestsatanyonetimewhich
theyfeltwereparticularly“unfair”and
“annoying”.
“Sometimes,livingintheoccupationfeelslikeyou’reinjail
orsomething…”
-
ii. A sense-of-
community and
belonging in the
neighbourhood.
Becausetheoccupationwascentrallylocated,
i.e.,closetoTown,participantdescribingliking
howeasily accessible amenities in
Town were.Likethe‘Gardens’,‘School’,and
‘churches’.
“BeforeIwouldonlygoto
churchonceaweek,but
nowthatI’msocloseIgoto
church3-to-4timesaweek
andammuchmoreinvolved
intheiryouthprogramme
andactivities”.
Movingmade
memore
empatheticto
others’
problems”.
Ex-Woodstockresidentsfelt ostracised
since moving into the
occupation whichlimitedtheirabilityto
movearoundfreely,andaccesspublicamenities
comparedtobefore.
“Sincemoving,Idon’twalkaroundtoshops,thelibrary
andotherplacesthatmuch”
“Sincemoving,
it’salmostlike
myneighbours
don’twantto
knowme
anymore”
iii. (Together in) The
‘housing struggle’
Adolescentswerenotreallyinvolvedorpartof
mobilisingeffortsintheoccupation;butthey
spokefondlyoftheyouth camps and
programmes organised by the leadership.
“Oneofmybestmemories
ofmytimehere,waswhenI
wentontheyouthcamp
andwaspartoftheyouth
exchangeprogramme.”
“Movingmade
mechange[for
thebetter].”
Adolescentwerestressedoutbythe
frequentSAPSraids,policeandlaw
enforcementpatrols,andon-goingcourt
casesthatthreatenedtheiroccupation.
Ifeellikethepoliceisalwayswatchingme[suspectingme
ofthings]”.
“Movingmade
meactrougher
andtougher.”
iv. Social dynamics in
the occupation
(cohesion/ hostility)
Theleadership was the glue keeping
the occupants together. Parent
participantandadolescentdescribedtheir
positiveexperiencewithadolescents.
“OneofthethingsIlike
mostabouttheoccupation
ispeoplelikeUncleQand
AuntyJ whotakemelike
theirson”
“Movingmade
mechange[for
thebetter].”
Asthephysicalspace in the occupation
was not conducive to meeting
residential needs, thisaffectedhow
residentsintegratedsociallyasacommunity
withintheoccupation.Studyparticipants
describedregularlyexperiencing hostility
in the occupation.
Adolescentparticipantsdescribedtheenvironmentas
“everymanforthemselves”,the“peopleintheoccupation
arejusttoomuch”,andpeoplebehaveinan“uncivilised”
way.Moreover,adolescentparticipantsdescribedtheir
peersas“enemies”,“bullies”,and“haters”.Parents
describedtheirpeersas“troublemakers”who“stabyouin
theback”.
“IthinkcomingtoliveheremadeSimeonafighter.There
wereincidentshehadtofighttobeapartofthespace.
Thisissomethingeverychildisgoingthroughinthe
occupation…tobeapartofthespace.Butofcourse,weall
carrythetraumaofbeingevicted”.
“Movingmade
meactrougher
andtougher.”
The quality of spaces
influences
adolescent’s
behaviour in a very
real way…

12. Case Study: One
Participant 1: Experience of being displaced
1. Nature of displacement
a. Disruptions to social circles & everyday life
i. Extent of displacement x5
ii. Distance of displacement Moved all over.
iii. Reason for displacement Multiple evictions
resulted in becoming
homeless.
2. The role the environmental plays in supporting or
hindering adjustment
a. Quality of receiving neighbourhood
i. Physical space Upgraded when he
moved into the
occupation.
ii. Social quality of the space Supported family
bonding.
Participant one’s story title, “Moving made me feel like my life
was over… So, I became a gangster, but I’ve changed”,
represents his experience of displacement in its entirety. Firstly,
as depicted in the table 1, he experienced multiple
displacements that caused severe disruptions to all his social
circles making him feel “like [his] life was over”. Therefore, he
started exhibiting more and more impulsive behaviour like
becoming violent and aggressive, causing him to “become a
gangster”. In his story, he describes how “[he] caught [his] first
case of armed robbery when [he] was 10-years old”. Soon
thereafter, he moved into the occupation and was reunited
with his grandmother and later his mother. As depicted in the
table, participant one’s physical space improved significantly
from being homeless and alone, to living with family in the
occupation once again. The quality of environment in the
occupation therefore, supported his adjustment by allowing
him to rebuild his family social circle and causing to “to
change” for the better.
Table 1: How we understand the adolescent’s experience of being
displaced – by considering the nature of their displacement and the
quality of the receiving neighbourhood.

13. Case Study: Two
Participant 2: Experience of being displaced
1. Nature of displacement
a. Disruptions to social circles & everyday life
i. Extent of displacement x1
ii. Distance of displacement Remained in the same
neighbourhood.
iii. Reason for displacement Evicted & moved into
occupation.
2. The role the environmental plays in supporting or
hindering adjustment
a. Quality of receiving neighbourhood
i. Physical space Certain aspects
upgraded, while other
aspects downgraded.
ii. Social quality of the space Hindered family bonding.
Similarly, participant two’s story title, “Moving made me think more
strategically…So, I seldomly think about things I like and enjoy, and
feel like there’s nothing to look forward in life anymore”, describes her
experience of displacement in its entirety. Firstly, as depicted in table 2,
participant two was only displaced once through eviction and managed
to remain in the same neighbourhood. This resulted in little to no
disruptions to her friendships, school, and other institutional
relationships. However, moving into the occupation resulted in her
father taking up a leadership position, decreasing the amount of time
he spent with her, isolating her from her extended family, and
disrupting her inner family circle. This caused her to change the way
she thinks, i.e., to “think more strategically” about things in general but
more specifically about herself. Thereby, disrupting her sense-of-self
and lowering her self-esteem. Additionally, moving into the occupation
meant that certain aspects of her physical and social space were
downgraded. In her story, she describes missing her “own room” and
her “big avocado tree” because these spaces afforded her to “think
freely about things she like[d] and enjoye[d]. Whereas her current
space restricts her in this regard. Therefore, sadly she “feels like “there’s
nothing left to look forward to in life anymore” and her father is
concerned that since moving she may have “become depressed”.
Table 2: How we understand the adolescent’s experience of being
displaced – by considering the nature of their displacement and the
quality of the receiving neighbourhood.

14. Concluding remarks: why we as urban professionals should care, and the role these
types of research could play in our practice and in transforming our city
How could this relationship, between people and
place, inform our practice?
• We play a key role in shaping our cities…
WHAT WE DOING: Action research, people-centred-planning
approaches, etc.
WHAT WE CAN DO MORE OF: Tell our stories, in a way that
facilitates the narrative about people and place. Particularly,
how people experience space and how it manifests in their
everyday lives – like in the case of this study.
How could these types of research contribute towards
transforming our city?
• The City pushes to becoming a ‘world-class’ city.
WHAT THE CITY’S DOING: attracting companies like Amazon and
major VCs, hosting more events like e-racing, and facilitating the
development of ‘smart-cities’.
• If the city continue to prioritise technology over
understanding people’s relationship with their surroundings,
it could widen the gap between social groups even more.
WHAT THE CITY SHOULD BE DOING MORE OF:
• Instead of surveilling, they should be supporting.
• Instead of criminalizing they should be engaging.

15. Thank you
For more information you can
email me at:
Naeemah.sadien@gmail.com
Urban Professional,
Specializing in Residential
Displacement