Balanced Bliss: Promoting Leisure Participation in a Daytime Homeless Shelter

Abstract

Opportunities to engage in leisure activities are limited for individuals experiencing homelessness who attend daytime homeless shelters (Palimaru et al., 2023). The purpose of this capstone project was to develop and implement a leisure participation program for homeless individuals attending daytime shelters, addressing the gap in leisure exploration and participation. The program was structured around an 8-week timeframe, with weekly thematic focuses on physical, social, emotional, spiritual, environmental, intellectual, financial, and occupational wellness. The program consisted of one-hour sessions, four times a week, incorporating 32 structured activities designed to encourage engagement in diverse leisure pursuits. To support ongoing wellness, weekly newsletters were provided to participants. The project was executed in five phases over a 15-week period: Strengths and Needs Assessment, Program Development, Program Implementation, Program Evaluation, and Program Dissemination. By providing a structured leisure program within the daytime shelter setting, the project aimed to enhance the quality of life and well-being of homeless individuals, while exploring the broader potential impact of such programs on homeless support services.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2025/1003/thumbnail.jp