Framing Toolkit Flashcards
What is framing?
Framing means…
Using evidence to make deliberate choices in the words and images we use to tell our stories about homelessness.
Framing makes choices about?
- what to emphasise
- what to explain
- what to leave unsaid
Why do we need to frame homelessness?
We need to tell a new story about homelessness so that we can build public and political will to end it. We’re up against certain assumptions that make it harder for people to understand what needs to change.
We need to frame so that we can…
Tell a new story to build public and political will.
We’re up against certain assumptions (mental shortcuts) that make it harder to understand what needs to change
What are the mental shortcuts (heuristics) people have created?
• Self-makingness: homelessness happens because individuals make bad choices
• Othering: homelessness affects other people, not people like me. Middle-aged men, young runaways, and abused women
• Homelessness = rough sleeping: the most visible form of homelessness is the only form
• Prevention is missing: homelessness can’t be prevented, people can only be helped at crisis point, through hostels and hot meals
• Fatalism: the system is rigged, or governments are failing. It will never change; it’s just how things are.
Together, these lead people to blame individuals for their circumstances.
To see only individual-level solutions and to deny the possibility of wider, systemic change to end homelessness.
Simple changes to avoid ‘Othering’
the homeless/homeless people
people facing/experiencing homelessness
rough sleepers
people rough sleeping
the vulnerable
people more exposed to/at higher risk of
them
people
Combat fatalism with concrete, proportionate solutions…
Homelessness can seem like a problem too big to be solved. We can combat fatalism by talking about t_he things we can do to end homelessness - and explaining how these solutions work_
How Can We Frame Homelessness?
We can dislodge people’s mental shortcuts on homelessness with a story framed to highlight our shared experience.
This means we:
• Emphasise our fundamental commonality
• Show the varied lived experience of homelessness
• Focus on the role of systems
Use values to show why ending homelessness matters
We can use values frames to state powerful, unarguable truths about our world. To remind people that we all care about ending homelessness - without lecturing, othering or talking down.
When we frame homelessness as an issue that matters to all of us, we prime our audience to see how they have a role in creating change.
Use moral human rights to emphasise our shared humanity.
A simple edit to put ‘moral human rights’ into practice:
Reducing street homelessness a ‘matter of urgency’
Reducing street homelessness a ‘matter of urgent human need’
And here is another example in practice:
Crisis used moral human rights to frame its response to homelessness death statistics. Framing with a moral human values frame helps dislodge the idea that homelessness affects ‘other’ people, and drives connection and collective responsibility for action
Value of Moral human rights values frame
To use this moral human rights values frame:
- Call to mind our shared moral status
- Remind people of what it means to live with dignity
- Emphasise the human needs we have in common
- Talk about moral rights and imperatives - not legal ones
Use the value of Moral Human Rights to connect and drive policy support (works)
Presenting homeless people as ‘different’ or ‘other’ (watch out for)
Using the value of Moral Human Rights to connect and drive policy support works
Watch out for presenting homeless people as ‘different’ or ‘other’
An example of using moral human rights values
“Everyone has the right to be treated with
dignity. Living with dignity means having
access to decent housing. Let’s commit to
protecting this essential human need. Right
now, hundreds of thousands of people in our
country are homeless – forced to sleep on
friends’ sofas and floors, live in crowded or
unsafe places, sleep on buses or in cars or
even stay out on the streets. We can do better.”
Examples of moral human rights values
Everyone has the right to a safe and stable home
We should treat people like human beings
No-one should be forced to live like this
Everyone has a right to be treated with dignity
As human beings, we all need a home to build a life and thrive
Denying people access to housing is simply inhumane
This is inhumane and wrong
We can do better than this
We can all see the human cost of homelessness
Decent housing is a basic human need
Value of Dignity
“Everyone has the right to be treated with
dignity. Living with dignity means having
access to decent housing. Let’s commit to
protecting this essential human need. Right
now, hundreds of thousands of people in our
country are homeless – forced to sleep on
friends’ sofas and floors, live in crowded or
unsafe places,sleep onbusesor incars or
even stay out on the streets. We can do better.”
Use the value of Interdependence to place the issue of homelessness in a social context.
(works)
Leading with the economic and financial cost of homelessness
(watch out for)
Interdependence Values Frame - Try these words and phrases:
Homelessness hurts us all
If we work together we can…
This is our collective responsibility
Our society is stronger when everyone has a place within it
Making sure everyone has a safe and stable home benefits us all
In society, our lives are connected, we all depend on others for help and support
Our support systems should work for and include everyone in our society
We’ve failed as a society when some of us are struggling
Homelessness takes a heavy toll on our communities
We can decide as a society to…
We all depend on public services for support
We/us/our/everyone/all
To use interdependence values frame:
- Evoke the day-to-day, real-life interactions with other people that form the basis of our society
- Highlight common social ties, contribution and benefits
- Remind people that we all benefit when our society is stronger - and vice versa
Use interdependence to remind
people of the connections between
us all.
“What affects one of us affects all of us. When
some people are struggling, it hurts everyone.
Right now, many people are homeless or at risk
of becoming homeless - which makes it much
harder for people to contribute to and share
in our country’s prosperity. Making sure that
everyone has safe, stable housing benefits
us all, creating a _stronger, more productive
society_ where everyone can play their part”
A simple edit to put ‘interdependence’ into practice:
Rising homelessness crisis ‘will be felt for generations’
Rising homelessness crisis ‘hurts us all’
Use metaphor
to explain how
poverty and
homelessness work
We can use metaphor to explain why
homelessness happens in _systemic,
straightforward, and concrete terms_.
Use constant pressure to explain
how people can be pushed into
homelessness.
Get creative and think about _different
forms of pressure_ and different ways
you could express it to help people
visualise and feel what it’s like to be
forced into homelessness.
Explain the causes of homelessness by using the Constant Pressure metaphor
(works)
Talking about the choices people make which lead to homelessness
(watch out for)
What is a metaphor?
A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.
A thing regarded as representative or symbolic of something else.
A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide clarity or identify hidden similarities between two ideas. Metaphors are often compared with other types of figurative language, such as antithesis, hyperbole, metonymy and simile.
To use metaphor…
Call to mind an external force that -
- Is constant
- Is cumulative, building up over time
- Could be lessened upstream or further down, with the right support
To use metaphor call to mind an external force that…
• Acts on people in ways we can’t control
• Limits our options and opportunities
• We could be set free from with the right support
Think about different forms of constraint and different ways you
could express it:
Example of using metaphor
“Poverty puts pressure on people - it’s constant and strong.
If the pressure builds up, people can be pushed into homelessness.
We can relieve the pressure on people’s lives by creating affordable housing and helping people get good, stable jobs.
We can help people withstand this pressure by strengthening our social welfare system.”
Use metaphor restricts and restrains to show
how poverty makes it harder to avoid
being pushed into homelessness…
“Our economy is locking people in poverty. Low
paid, unstable jobs mean more and more families
can’t put food on the table or afford rising rents. With
the economy driving up the cost of living, many are
caught in a daily struggle to make ends meet, unable
to think about a different future. Truly affordable
housing is essential for breaking poverty’s grip.”
Try these metaphor words and phrases…
People in poverty are pushed to the brink by high rents and low wages
The pressure of hostel life built up
A sudden increase in pressure - like losing work - can force people into homelessness
Government can release the pressure by…
Lets give people the breathing room they need
Metaphor words and phrases…
Felt suffocated
Carrying a heavy load on your shoulders
Like a pressure cooker
A pressure gauge on red
A tension headache
Pushed to the edge
Squeezed by a vice
The walls closing in
A simple edit to put metaphor into practice…
Private renting now ‘unaffordable’ and low-income tenants ‘at risk of homelessness or poverty’
‘Constant pressure’ of high rents puts low-income tenants on the brink of homelessness and poverty
Think about different forms of constraint and different ways you could express it:
Try these words and phrases:
- Our economy locks people in poverty
- Benefits help release people from constraints and opens options
- Feeling held down
- Too many people are trapped in this system
- Hands tied behind your back
- In the grip of…
- Feeling trapped by…
Place individual stories in context to show systems at work…
We can add context to individual
stories to show how systems can
help or harm. To make sure that our
stories aren’t dismissed as exceptional,
or the result of an individual’s poor
choices. And to explain why ending
homelessness requires us to fix
systems and conditions - not people.
Find different ways to repeat and re-imagine this ‘big idea’ across all communications including fundraising appeals
(works)
Solely deploying depictions of rough sleeping and a dire tone to cultivate a sense of urgency in fundraising
(watch out for)
Telling a wide range of stories about the different lived experiences of homelessness works
Watch out for only tapping into people’s existing mental picture of homelessness i.e. rough sleeping
We can add context to individual
stories to show how systems can
help or harm. To make sure that our
stories aren’t dismissed as exceptional,
or the result of an individual’s poor
choices. And to explain why ending
homelessness requires us to fix
systems and conditions- not people.
“Like many single mums I could only work
part-time, when my daughter was at school.
The cost of childcare keeps rising - there’s
no way I could afford it on my salary.
Then my daughter got sick. I needed to
stay home to look after her, and my boss
was no help. She fired me. With last year’s
rent increase, my finances were already on
the brink as it was. Expenses and stresses
and bills just built up and up. We should
have had more support from the benefits
system - but with the switch to Universal
Credit, there’s a five week delay until your
first payment. Everyone is struggling here.”
Bringing context into interview questions
Exploring circumstances and the factors leading to homelessness…
What was going on in your daily life at the time?
What challenges were you facing?
What pressures did you feel you were under at the time?
What options did you feel were open to you? Or closed to you at the time?
What support did you have around you in this situation?
If you didn’t have support, what support did you need or do you think would have helped at the time?
Did you try and get help from anyone? (For example, your local council, healthcare). What happened?
Have you experienced the ‘x’ system? (for example benefits, housing system)
What was your experience like?
You managed to achieve ‘x’ (for example, complete training/ work or find temporary accommodation), what support helped you at the time?
You managed to achieve ‘x’, what were you up against/ what things do you feel were working against you at the time? How did it feel having these pushing against you?
A few phrases that bring in context...
Like a lot of [working parents / people with health problems etc
This support system should be for everyone who needs it…
So many people are affected by this…
[problem] is widespread
I had support from…
Not everyone has access to this support
The benefits system should have been there to…
This affects/affected more than just me
My options were taken away/given back when…
I didn’t have any options…
In my community…
In [place], everyone is struggling to make ends meet
Sealing the story by directing people to concrete solutions works
Watch out for telling stories and delivering messages without a clear solution or policy ask
We can expand the definition of
homelessness by telling different
kinds of stories from lived experience.
Stories about sofa-surfing, living in
cars, insecure housing - and not just
rough sleeping…
“Scott had high rent and a low-paying, zero-hours contract job. When he got ill, Scott was pushed into homelessness. Now, he’s sleeping on sofas and floors. People welcome him in for a few nights, only to tell him that he’ll have to find somewhere else to go. His health continues to crumble and there’s nothing he can do about it. Scott’s story shows us what happens when our society leaves people at risk of homelessness. There are people like Scott all over the country right now who need our help.”
Stats don’t speak for themselves.
We can help people make sense
of facts and figures by putting them
in context; with values, interdependence, metaphor
and systems stories…
“If we want to treat all people with dignity and humanity, we need to
make sure everyone can afford a safe and stable home. And yet more than 170,000 families and individuals are homeless in Britain today - a wrong that must be put right.
We need to create more affordable housing, help people get good, stable jobs to pay for this housing, and strengthen the social welfare system so we all have the support we need to face tough times.”
Tell a wider range of stories to expand peoples understanding of homelessness…
We can expand the definition of
homelessness by telling different
kinds of stories from lived experience.
Stories about sofa-surfing, living in
cars, insecure housing- and not just
rough sleeping.
What works when framing homelessness…
Use the value of Moral Human Rights to connect and drive policy support.
Use the value of Interdependence to place the issue of homelessness in a social context.
Explain the causes of homelessness by using the Constant Pressure metaphor.
Tell a wide range of stories about the different lived experiences of homelessness.
Show people’s lives in context, connecting them with how our society functions.
Seal the story by directing people to concrete solutions.
Find different ways to repeat and re-imagine this ‘big idea’ across all communications including fundraising appeals.
Focus on the connection between us as human beings and the moral rights we share.
What works, and what to watch out for when framing homelessness…
Certain words and ideas work better than others when talking about homelessness. We need to keep using these words and ideas to tell our stories - and avoid the ones that cause harm.
Look at your work through a framing lens. When you start on a piece of communications, ask yourself these checklist questions to plan and check your work:
- What are the harmful mental shortcuts I want to avoid?
- What is missing from public thinking that I need to bring through?
- Which values frame will I use up front to say why this is important?
- How can I use the pressure metaphor to explain what’s going on and bring solutions into the picture?
- How can I make sure systems and structures play an active part in this story, as both causes and solutions?
Place individual stories in context to show systems at work…
Ashley’s story: ‘Homeless people have become commodities now’
Luckily, I’ve still got my HGV licence and have finally managed to find a driving job, so now I can get out of the system, but being here you start to realise that bridge just doesn’t exist for most people. I wouldn’t be able to afford my own place without a permanent job’
Thomas & Ruth: Searching for safety with no local connection
‘We stayed in a couple of B&Bs when we first got here while we tried to register for housing benefit, but that was two months ago now and we’ve just been bounced from one place to another ever since’
Adam’s story: Working full-time and still homeless
I stayed on a friend’s sofa at first, but you quickly end up feeling like a burden to people. I didn’t want to overstay my welcome, and I still had that bit of pride that I could do things on my own, so I moved into a B&B, just so I had a roof over my head’
Use constant pressure and moral human rights to combat fatalism…
“The way our immigration system is designed can have the unintended and inhumane consequence of pushing people into homelessness, and blocking efforts to resolve homelessness when it happens. We can redesign the immigration and welfare systems to treat everyone like a human being and provide access to support with housing when people are in need.”
Tips for bringing context into interviews…
If you are interviewing someone about
their experience of homelessness,
try using questions like these to draw
out the circumstances, external
factors, and structures and systems
at play into the story:
What to watch out for when framing homelessness…
Presenting homeless people as ‘different’ or ‘other’.
Leading with the economic and financial cost of homelessness.
Talking about the choices people make which lead to homelessness.
Only tapping into people’s existing mental picture of homelessness i.e. rough sleeping.
Treating and talking about people as ‘those’ that need help.
Solely deploying depictions of rough sleeping and a dire tone to cultivate a sense of urgency in fundraising.
Suggesting that we are all only a few pay days away from homelessness.
Focus on the connection between us as human beings and the moral rights we share
(works)
Suggesting that we are all only a few pay days away from homelessness
(watch out for)
Help people see what your facts and stats mean…
Stats don’t speak for themselves.
We can help people make sense
of facts and figures by putting them
in context; with values, metaphor, interdependence
and systems stories.
Bringing context into interviews:
Experience of homelessness…
What do you want people to know about homelessness?
Does this affect other people you know? Do you think it is widespread?
Why do you think that is?
How does it affect people you know?
Some people tell us this feels like being under constant pressure. What do you think about that?
What support do you think people should have to help them?
What do you think needs to change to prevent this happening to people?
What do you think needs to happen to end homelessness?
There is some research which tells us that most people think we have a moral right to have a safe home. What do you think about that?
Have you ever thought about having a safe home as a moral human right?
To end homelessness for good…
A powerful new story must replace old notions of poor choices and inevitability. Working together, we can tell a new story about homelessness in the United Kingdom. One that builds public understanding an support for change. One that drives political will for action.
Show people’s lives in context, connecting them with how our society functions
(works)
Treating and talking about people as ‘those’ that need help
(watch out for)
Moral human rights values can be used to…
…connect and drive policy support (works)
How can we combat fatalism?
We can combat fatalism by talking about the things we can do to end homelessness - and explaining how these solutions work
Combat fatalism with…
…concrete, proportionate solutions.
Frameworks Institute research is based on…
…interviews with more than 10,000 people.
To end homelessness for good…
…a powerful, new story must replace old notions of poor choices and inevitability.
Framing makes choices about…
…what to emphasize
…what to explain
…what to leave unsaid
Framing poverty…
…it’s not right that in a classroom of 30, on average, 9 children would be living in poverty (JRF).
