Couch surfing is a term that is generally defined as when an individual moves from house to house, sleeping in whatever spare space available, oftentimes a couch or floor, generally staying a few days before moving on to the next house. People sometimes couch-surf when they are travelling or because they are homeless.
Couch surfing's cultural significance grew when the website CouchSurfing was launched in 2004. Upon the release of the app, what previously used to be a cheap alternative for budget travelers became recognized as a hip, new way to travel.[1] Couch surfing became not only a way to save money, but a way to meet new people and have new experiences.[1] Its attraction was in the way it allowed people to have a more immersive and authentic travel experience.[2] Besides CouchSurfing, many other platforms were created and groups were formed in order to help people who are looking to couch-surf connect with potential hosts and other travelers. While couch surfing may not be considered the most popular or mainstream way to travel, in 2018 around 15 million people had identified using couch surfing accommodations to travel.[2] However, couch surfing comes with the issue of safety. It can be less regulated than traditional forms of travel accommodations, making it a more risky choice for vulnerable travelers.[2]
Couch surfing as homelessnessedit
Couch surfing is also considered a form of homelessness. It is the most common type of homelessness amongst youth.[3] It can be a result of substance abuse,[4] conflict in home relationships, or aftermath of leaving abusive situations. The individual may turn to couch surfing as a temporary solution, staying with friends or family members while they search for permanent housing or a way to get back on their feet.[5] It is different from sleeping on the streets or in a shelter, but it still has significant challenges, including the lack of stability and the strain on an individual.[6] Couch surfing homelessness can be a short-term solution to homelessness, but it is not a sustainable solution in the long term.[7] Individuals experiencing couch surfing homelessness often face uncertainty and instability, which can lead to negative consequences such as difficulty in finding employment, social isolation, and mental health issues.[6]
Couch surfing is usually missed by homeless counts and is therefore a type of hidden homelessness. For example, in 2017, HUD counted 114 thousand children as homeless in the United States in their homeless count, while surveys conducted by the Department of Education concluded there were 1.3 million.[8] Couch surfing is especially common among those under the age of 25, including children. In Britain, 1 in 5 young people have couch surfed at least once each year, and almost half of those have done so for more than a month.[9]
While safer than sleeping in the rough, couch surfing is not an adequate long term housing solution. Most couch surfers only stay in a single home for a short period of time. This may be because their host limits their stay, they voluntarily leave to preserve friendships, or they are forced to leave the home of a person who is abusive or has a drug problem. Some couch surfers have received housing in exchange for services such as cooking and cleaning. In other cases, people will have otherwise unwanted sexual encounters to be able to couch surf at a person's home for the night. Those who couch surf often sleep in the rough after leaving their accommodations.[10]
^ abcKuhzady, Salar; Çakici, Celil; Olya, Hossein; Mohajer, Boshra; Han, Heesup (2020-09-01). "Couchsurfing involvement in non-profit peer-to-peer accommodations and its impact on destination image, familiarity, and behavioral intentions". Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management. 44: 131–142. doi:10.1016/j.jhtm.2020.05.002. ISSN 1447-6770. PMC7331519.
^Petry, Laura; Hill, Chyna; Milburn, Norweeta; Rice, Eric (May 2022). "Who Is Couch-Surfing and Who Is on the Streets? Disparities Among Racial and Sexual Minority Youth in Experiences of Homelessness". Journal of Adolescent Health. 70 (5): 743–750. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.10.039. ISSN 1054-139X. S2CID 246277741.
^Beaulieu, Myriam; Tremblay, Joël; Baudry, Claire; Pearson, Jessica; Bertrand, Karine (September 2021). "A systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of the long-term treatment and support of substance use disorders". Social Science & Medicine. 285: 114289. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114289. PMID 34365074.
^Curry, Susanna R.; Morton, Matthew; Matjasko, Jennifer L.; Dworsky, Amy; Samuels, Gina M.; Schlueter, David (September 2017). "Youth Homelessness and Vulnerability: How Does Couch Surfing Fit?". American Journal of Community Psychology. 60 (1–2): 17–24. doi:10.1002/ajcp.12156. S2CID 2389925.
^ abTerui, Sachiko; Hsieh, Elaine (2016-11-09). ""Not Homeless Yet. I'm Kind of Couch Surfing": Finding Identities for People at a Homeless Shelter". Social Work in Public Health. 31 (7): 688–699. doi:10.1080/19371918.2016.1188739. ISSN 1937-1918. PMID 27366926. S2CID 41991619.
^Dvorak, Petula. "Perspective | The hidden homeless: Not guys sleeping in tents but kids sleeping on buses and floors". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-03-12.
^Noblet, Paul (2017-09-27). "A fifth of young people are homeless | Paul Noblet". The Guardian. Retrieved 2021-03-12.
^Reeve, Kesia (May 2011). "The Hidden Truth about Homelessness" (PDF). Crisis.org.uk. (PDF) from the original on 2021-03-03. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
December 15, 2023
couch, surfing, other, uses, disambiguation, sofa, surfing, redirects, here, other, uses, sofa, surfing, disambiguation, term, that, generally, defined, when, individual, moves, from, house, house, sleeping, whatever, spare, space, available, oftentimes, couch. For other uses see Couch surfing disambiguation Sofa surfing redirects here For other uses see Sofa surfing disambiguation Couch surfing is a term that is generally defined as when an individual moves from house to house sleeping in whatever spare space available oftentimes a couch or floor generally staying a few days before moving on to the next house People sometimes couch surf when they are travelling or because they are homeless Contents 1 Couch surfing in travel 2 Couch surfing as homelessness 3 See also 4 ReferencesCouch surfing in travel editCouch surfing s cultural significance grew when the website CouchSurfing was launched in 2004 Upon the release of the app what previously used to be a cheap alternative for budget travelers became recognized as a hip new way to travel 1 Couch surfing became not only a way to save money but a way to meet new people and have new experiences 1 Its attraction was in the way it allowed people to have a more immersive and authentic travel experience 2 Besides CouchSurfing many other platforms were created and groups were formed in order to help people who are looking to couch surf connect with potential hosts and other travelers While couch surfing may not be considered the most popular or mainstream way to travel in 2018 around 15 million people had identified using couch surfing accommodations to travel 2 However couch surfing comes with the issue of safety It can be less regulated than traditional forms of travel accommodations making it a more risky choice for vulnerable travelers 2 Couch surfing as homelessness editCouch surfing is also considered a form of homelessness It is the most common type of homelessness amongst youth 3 It can be a result of substance abuse 4 conflict in home relationships or aftermath of leaving abusive situations The individual may turn to couch surfing as a temporary solution staying with friends or family members while they search for permanent housing or a way to get back on their feet 5 It is different from sleeping on the streets or in a shelter but it still has significant challenges including the lack of stability and the strain on an individual 6 Couch surfing homelessness can be a short term solution to homelessness but it is not a sustainable solution in the long term 7 Individuals experiencing couch surfing homelessness often face uncertainty and instability which can lead to negative consequences such as difficulty in finding employment social isolation and mental health issues 6 Couch surfing is usually missed by homeless counts and is therefore a type of hidden homelessness For example in 2017 HUD counted 114 thousand children as homeless in the United States in their homeless count while surveys conducted by the Department of Education concluded there were 1 3 million 8 Couch surfing is especially common among those under the age of 25 including children In Britain 1 in 5 young people have couch surfed at least once each year and almost half of those have done so for more than a month 9 While safer than sleeping in the rough couch surfing is not an adequate long term housing solution Most couch surfers only stay in a single home for a short period of time This may be because their host limits their stay they voluntarily leave to preserve friendships or they are forced to leave the home of a person who is abusive or has a drug problem Some couch surfers have received housing in exchange for services such as cooking and cleaning In other cases people will have otherwise unwanted sexual encounters to be able to couch surf at a person s home for the night Those who couch surf often sleep in the rough after leaving their accommodations 10 See also editHousing First Internally displaced person Right to housingReferences edit a b Chen De Jung March 2018 Couchsurfing Performing the travel style through hospitality exchange Tourist Studies 18 1 105 122 doi 10 1177 1468797617710597 ISSN 1468 7976 PMC 6294175 PMID 30595668 a b c Kuhzady Salar Cakici Celil Olya Hossein Mohajer Boshra Han Heesup 2020 09 01 Couchsurfing involvement in non profit peer to peer accommodations and its impact on destination image familiarity and behavioral intentions Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management 44 131 142 doi 10 1016 j jhtm 2020 05 002 ISSN 1447 6770 PMC 7331519 Petry Laura Hill Chyna Milburn Norweeta Rice Eric May 2022 Who Is Couch Surfing and Who Is on the Streets Disparities Among Racial and Sexual Minority Youth in Experiences of Homelessness Journal of Adolescent Health 70 5 743 750 doi 10 1016 j jadohealth 2021 10 039 ISSN 1054 139X S2CID 246277741 Beaulieu Myriam Tremblay Joel Baudry Claire Pearson Jessica Bertrand Karine September 2021 A systematic review and meta analysis of the efficacy of the long term treatment and support of substance use disorders Social Science amp Medicine 285 114289 doi 10 1016 j socscimed 2021 114289 PMID 34365074 Curry Susanna R Morton Matthew Matjasko Jennifer L Dworsky Amy Samuels Gina M Schlueter David September 2017 Youth Homelessness and Vulnerability How Does Couch Surfing Fit American Journal of Community Psychology 60 1 2 17 24 doi 10 1002 ajcp 12156 S2CID 2389925 a b Terui Sachiko Hsieh Elaine 2016 11 09 Not Homeless Yet I m Kind of Couch Surfing Finding Identities for People at a Homeless Shelter Social Work in Public Health 31 7 688 699 doi 10 1080 19371918 2016 1188739 ISSN 1937 1918 PMID 27366926 S2CID 41991619 Willimott Amanda 2019 04 17 Hidden homelessness the realities couch surfing VincentCare Retrieved 2023 05 05 Dvorak Petula Perspective The hidden homeless Not guys sleeping in tents but kids sleeping on buses and floors Washington Post ISSN 0190 8286 Retrieved 2021 03 12 Noblet Paul 2017 09 27 A fifth of young people are homeless Paul Noblet The Guardian Retrieved 2021 03 12 Reeve Kesia May 2011 The Hidden Truth about Homelessness PDF Crisis org uk Archived PDF from the original on 2021 03 03 Retrieved March 12 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Couch surfing amp oldid 1178486116, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
