Design Research
How do veteran - specific services cater to an aging homeless population?
“ Veteran Homeless, worked all my life since 8 years old payed tax served fought for our country. Now live on street after losing all in fire.”
Stakeholder - Veteran - John
John Glenn
64 years old, he enrolled in the army at 17 years old. He was a soldier for eight years and he was in the Vietnam War for eight months.
Pain Point
During the army: felt scared, took drugs, friends died in battle…
Ending service/returning home: couldn’t connect with people. Tried to find job...
About family: his wife and children died in a car accident…
Go back NYC: is a person facing homelessness
Struggle
Against the government
Asked help for VA (the US Department of Veterans Affairs)
Searched for some NGO’s for help
Found Supportive Service for Veteran Families
Unmet Needs
His own place can live
He will move to his new place in 10 days, but it’s not his own.
Expectation
Shooting the video make more people know about the group of veterans
Teaching free classes about music and cooking
Wish organizations can know different veterans and provide to meet their real needs
Synopsis of info from services
A social worker from The Bowery Mission has worked at several different organizations throughout the Boroughs and feels that this faith-based organization does the most good by those it serves and treats its employees the best. For comfort reasons, they do not collect information from those seeking temporary housing and services, meaning it’s very possible they serve very many veterans unknowingly. She loves The Bowery Mission because it allows her to use her faith to help people through the darkest points in their lives.
John found out about Supportive Services for Veteran Families online.
John introduce us Elliot, he studies in NYU and shoots a video about veterans.
John mentioned Josh, he has his own nonprofit organization and he usually organize activities to help homeless.
Supportive Findings from VACI Reports
“Many Veterans and other stakeholders benefit from a support network – a knowledgeable buddy, groups of peers, or colleagues – to enable successful access to care.”
Older ‘lifer’ VA users feel
I don’t want to tell my story over and over, especially after using the VA for so long
I want to know what’s going on with my services and especially my benefits
I’d like patient, nurturing healthcare
I’d rather do it myself than have somebody do it for me
Research Details and Thinking Details
1.Identify the topic
2.Categpry & Collection
3.How might we...
4.Information integration
5.Journey
6.Narrow
7.Prototype
8.Storytelling - Video