Live data from Hacker News

Investigating a ten-year-old estimate that “most social programmes don’t work”

80000hours.org

21–30 of 86 posts

Re: Investigating a ten-year-old estimate that “most social programmes don’t work”

#21
post #19

I would love to see more work-for-benefits programs. Where you are required to do some labour work for the community (cleaning wild areas, swiping side walks, planting trees etc.) in exchange for some better than average benefits. IMO everyone should be entitled to such a work. This way we would eliminate involuntary extreme poverty.

Many people who are currently homeless are not the bums you see on the side of the road. Many have assets (computers, clothes, maybe even cars) but have been temporarily displaced from a home. Usually due to unforeseen financial hardship like an unexpected medical bill, or an auto accident etc. These people don't have a safety net of family or friends they could borrow money from so they get evicted. These people may currently have a job but no place to stay when they leave form work.

Many of the successful homeless programs are "housing first" programs. Search for "colorado homes first program" to read more about it. In many cases it's also the cheapest way to do it as well. If you want to organize a group of currently homeless people to do some task, you have to coordinate travel, pick them up, have a van or a truck, hire a coordinator to plan the events and oversee them, and then at then on top of it pay for housing. It's actually cheaper just to provide housing.

Anyway, just wanted to say the issue goes deeper than "why won't these lazybones work".

Re: Investigating a ten-year-old estimate that “most social programmes don’t work”

#22

My S/O used to work at a company AuntBertha. They're a "search engine for social services" but they are a for-profit company (a B-Corp). Their biggest clients are hospitals and insurers. There are people called "frequent flyers" who come to the emergency room frequently and while they might only be 2% of clients they account for a huge share of costs. It's actually cheaper to hire social workers to provide these peop…

Let's just say if you live in a country where you cannot get insulin if you need it, that is a pretty fucked up country.

Re: Investigating a ten-year-old estimate that “most social programmes don’t work”

#23
post #19

I would love to see more work-for-benefits programs. Where you are required to do some labour work for the community (cleaning wild areas, swiping side walks, planting trees etc.) in exchange for some better than average benefits. IMO everyone should be entitled to such a work. This way we would eliminate involuntary extreme poverty.

I think this is a great idea, and we should apply it to insurance benefits in other areas. Go to the doctor? You have to clean the gutters in a street for a few hours. Claim for stolen property? You have to help paint fences. House burns down? Get on those overalls. Car accident? Time to dig a hole.

You wouldn't have to do it, you just wouldn't get full payment unless you did.

Re: Investigating a ten-year-old estimate that “most social programmes don’t work”

#24
post #19

I would love to see more work-for-benefits programs. Where you are required to do some labour work for the community (cleaning wild areas, swiping side walks, planting trees etc.) in exchange for some better than average benefits. IMO everyone should be entitled to such a work. This way we would eliminate involuntary extreme poverty.

Many people who are currently homeless are not the bums you see on the side of the road. Many have assets (computers, clothes, maybe even cars) but have been temporarily displaced from a home. Usually due to unforeseen financial hardship like an unexpected medical bill, or an auto accident etc. These people don't have a safety net of family or friends they could borrow money from so they get evicted. These people may…

In Salt Lake City they gave their homeless peeps homes and many of them ended up going right back to work once their living situation was stabilized.

Re: Investigating a ten-year-old estimate that “most social programmes don’t work”

#26

My S/O used to work at a company AuntBertha. They're a "search engine for social services" but they are a for-profit company (a B-Corp). Their biggest clients are hospitals and insurers. There are people called "frequent flyers" who come to the emergency room frequently and while they might only be 2% of clients they account for a huge share of costs. It's actually cheaper to hire social workers to provide these peop…

Let's just say if you live in a country where you cannot get insulin if you need it, that is a pretty fucked up country.

Let's not forget insulin formulations are ancient yet generics don't exist for "reasons". It's as corrupt as it gets.

Re: Investigating a ten-year-old estimate that “most social programmes don’t work”

#27

My S/O used to work at a company AuntBertha. They're a "search engine for social services" but they are a for-profit company (a B-Corp). Their biggest clients are hospitals and insurers. There are people called "frequent flyers" who come to the emergency room frequently and while they might only be 2% of clients they account for a huge share of costs. It's actually cheaper to hire social workers to provide these peop…

Let's just say if you live in a country where you cannot get insulin if you need it, that is a pretty fucked up country.

Yeah, it's shocking how inhumane this is. And how casually the op mentions it, like it's not a big deal.

Re: Investigating a ten-year-old estimate that “most social programmes don’t work”

#28
post #19

I would love to see more work-for-benefits programs. Where you are required to do some labour work for the community (cleaning wild areas, swiping side walks, planting trees etc.) in exchange for some better than average benefits. IMO everyone should be entitled to such a work. This way we would eliminate involuntary extreme poverty.

Many people who are currently homeless are not the bums you see on the side of the road. Many have assets (computers, clothes, maybe even cars) but have been temporarily displaced from a home. Usually due to unforeseen financial hardship like an unexpected medical bill, or an auto accident etc. These people don't have a safety net of family or friends they could borrow money from so they get evicted. These people may…

You are going extreme on me now.

I did not say "lazy guys won't work".

I said a lot of people would love to work for their benefits. I have been in this situation and hated. And I know a lot of pride people, that would not take free money.

I have not said this is a solution to everything.

I said, this would be a good thing and additionally should be put in the Constitution ("right to work").

I think there should be multiple social programs and people should be able to choose ones.

Programs that are performing best should get more funds, the ones that are the worst should be removed.

Re: Investigating a ten-year-old estimate that “most social programmes don’t work”

#29
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let's just say if you live in a country where you cannot get insulin if you need it, that is a pretty fucked up country.

Yeah, it's shocking how inhumane this is. And how casually the op mentions it, like it's not a big deal.

Am I "op" here? I live in America so it's all I've ever known.

Another example involving insulin: The client got free insulin but did not pick it up. It was only after a social worker dug into the issue found out the client did not have a fridge and so when picking up the insulin the pharmacist said "do you have a fridge", they said "no" and walked away. The social worker found a program with home depot to get a free mini fridge.

Re: Investigating a ten-year-old estimate that “most social programmes don’t work”

#30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many people who are currently homeless are not the bums you see on the side of the road. Many have assets (computers, clothes, maybe even cars) but have been temporarily displaced from a home. Usually due to unforeseen financial hardship like an unexpected medical bill, or an auto accident etc. These people don't have a safety net of family or friends they could borrow money from so they get evicted. These people may…

In Salt Lake City they gave their homeless peeps homes and many of them ended up going right back to work once their living situation was stabilized.

And attracted every homeless person from 3 states around.

The situation is so bad(both in terms of crime, and total population) that our state legislators are non-ironically talking about calling the national guard. To clear out camps where violence is becoming a problem.

They already totally cut to the ground the shrubbery near one major camp because there were multiple assaults and a rape using those bushes as cover.

Post reply on HN