The student proposes creating a public service announcement on the issues of homelessness and lack of access to sports programs for children, to bring awareness to the struggles faced by homeless youth and families. The PSA will highlight how homelessness can affect anyone and that those experiencing it are still deserving of dignity and opportunities. It will air on television and online to educate both teenagers and adults on understanding homelessness beyond superficial judgments.

1. Media Project
Grade 9 Language Arts
Creating a Public Service Announcement
Questions:
1. Homelessness andKidSport. I will focus on the pain many children/teens are hiding, and
how misunderstood they are—that all they want to do is fit in and take part in Sports,
like any other kid.
2. My issue is a combination of Homelessness, and KidSport—as I mentioned above. I
want to engage not only teens in the sense that they realize that just because someone
may not “look” homeless, or in pain… does NOT mean they aren’t. My issue can affect
anyone really. Whether you’re the single parent, the younger child, or just the kid that
wants to play sports. I want my PSA to engage adults as well.
I think this issue affects the kids somewhat physically because they can’t afford to play
Sports, resulting in obvious lack of physical activity. It may also affect them physically
because sometimes, they choose to hurt themselves due to chronic depression or
abuse. My issue affects people facing homelessness or single parenting emotionally and
a great deal psychologically because they may constantly feel like they aren’t good
enough, or that it may be their fault; for everything that is happening/happened to
them.
“What are strategies/tools……”This is where KidSport comes in. I think that kids who
want need to play sport to keep it together should be given that opportunity. I think that
if a child does/feel best when they’re on the court, something as mere as cost should
not hold them back.

2. The Mustard Seed, Daily Strength, and Grace Centers of Hope, are just three of the
many Homeless foundations and support groups there are out there. They provide,
refuge and safety to those in need.
I don’t think homelessness is completely preventable, it is seen on all parts of our globe.
However, there are definitely courses of action we can take to help out people affected
by this issue; like looking into sheltering programs, food banks, etc. We have to
remember that homeless people are human. They haven’t done anything to deserve to
live on the street—no one deserves that.
Research and summary:
Homeless people do not look any different than you or I. They come from all walks of
life. They are children, average or middle class families whose financial health has
crumbled or changed over time. A homeless person can be a young woman suffering
from abuse, or someone whose life has been ripped apart from drug and/or alcohol
corruption/addiction. They are people you once knew. They are all around us. So open
your eyes, and look around. It’s not as obvious as you would think.
Although 75-80% of the homeless in North America are men, the rate of women and
children found on the street is growing rapidly. In the year 2000, it was estimated that
there were around 35,000 to 40,000 homeless people in Canada. In the US this same
statistical method resulted in an approximation of 350,000 homeless people, which is in
line with the 10 to 1 ratio regarding most other things in all other countries. As of 2011,
the homeless rate has skyrocketed, and 150,000 of Canada’s homeless are youth alone.
Also, the age of the homeless has dropped significantly over the decades. In the 1950’s,
the average age of homeless people was around 50. Today, the average hovers around
30, and under.
Giving homeless kids the opportunity to play sport would be a miracle. I think that giving
kids that outlet that they so desperately need, could potentially save their life. Sports
help kids develop motor skills imperative to the life ahead of them. With the
involvement of sports, kids establish problem-solving, decision-making, teamwork, and

3. leadership skills. Without them, kids are more likely to be experimenting with drugs and
alcohol, and becoming exposed to violence/abuse.
3. My goal/end result of my PSA is to get people (teens, adults) to understand that just
because you may look a certain way, does not define who you are, OR your worth.
4. From the Focus Questions we answered, is that teenagers my age will be MOST affected
by the Shock Method. I asked adults and they had said that they are MOST affected buy
things that induce emotion, or makes them think. Although my commercial exceeds the
average teenager’s attention span, I believe that it is necessary for my commercial to be
as long as it is.
5. The method I will use to spread my message will be in the form of a commercial. It will
be aired during the evening, when adults get home from work. I also want to put this
commercial online, (ads before YouTube) because I know that teens spend a lot of time
using the internet.
Bibliography
“Building Community, Growing Hope, Supporting Change” http://www.theseed.ca/The
Mustard Seed 2011
“Homelessness”March 13, 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homelessness Wikimedia
Foundation Inc.
“Homelessness in Canada” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homelessness_in_Canada
“Hope: is caring” http://www.gracecentersofhope.org/?gclid=CIago8Xk4q4CFUcGRQodil54Zw 2
2011

4. Pohl, R. “Homelessness in Canada”
http://www.streetlevelconsulting.ca/homepage/homelessnessInCanada_Part1.htmNov
ember 2001
Clark, W. “Kids” http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-008-x/2008001/article/10573-eng.pdf 3
June, 2008.