This week, university students across Canada are trading in their textbooks and dorm rooms for loaned sleeping bags, cardboard boxes, tarps and handouts.
As a part of the 5 Days for the Homeless campaign, students will spend a full five days living and sleeping on campus. They will have to rely on the generosity of the public for food and are not allowed to shower.
“I have a real passion for volunteering,” said past participant Meha Sethi, an international business student at Carleton. She was not fazed by the strict conditions of the campaign.
“I love to put myself in situations that are a little bit outside of my comfort zone,” said Sethi.
This is the third year that Carleton is hosting the event. Â Although it is run through the Sprott School of Business, all Carleton students can apply to participate. The purpose is to not only give back to the community, but also change the perception of university students as privileged and uncaring.
“I really feel for youth who are homeless for reasons beyond their control,” said Aisling McCaffrey, a second-year international business student at Carleton. “For anyone who’s not as fortunate as me I’d really like to help them.”
All donations from the Ottawa initiative will be going to Operation Come Home, a resource centre for homeless and at-risk youth in the Ottawa community which focuses on supporting them through school and finding employment.
“We’re one of the smaller organizations that don’t receive a lot of government funding so this money means a great deal to us,” said Elspeth MacKay, 49, executive director for Operation Come Home.
“The campaign raises a lot of awareness about the severity of homelessness not only in Ottawa but across Canada.”
Started in 2005 by a group of University of Alberta business students, the initiative went national in 2008. This year, 24 universities across Canada are working together to raise a collective goal of $220,500.
Kristina Partsinevelos, a Masters of Journalism student at Carleton and a five-year veteran of the campaign, is happy about the start of the Carleton campaign but is worried about reaching this year’s goal.
“Even students without any money are still donating change from their pockets, which is really nice. I just wish we had more support from the faculty and administration,” said Partsinevelos.
Carleton hopes to raise $12,500 while University of Ottawa has set $10,000 as their goal. Last year, the two universities raised $16,763.48.
“I think it’s a great campaign,” said Dr. Jerry Tomberlin, Dean of the Sprott School of Business at Carleton. Tomberlin is planning to spend a night with the Carleton campaign along with MP Justin Trudeau.
“It’s about giving people a second chance,” said Sethi.
“It’s about recognizing that those people have the same goals and ambitions as many of us but somewhere along the way, they got lost.”
Follow the 5 Days Ottawa campaign on their Facebook page!
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Photo Credit:
Carleton participants with MP Justin Trudeau
Carleton participants with Dean of the Sprott School of Business, Dr. Jerry Tomberlin