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Peer Review

Skip navigation Search Sign in How to Stop Homelessness Before It Starts | Jen Loving | TED

Reviewed:

Nov 9, 2026 by Health Sciences
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Ratings

Overall Rating: 5.0 stars
Content Quality: 5.0 stars
Effectiveness: 5.0 stars
Ease of Use: 5.0 stars
Overview:

Homelessness can feel like an issue that’s too big and complicated to fix, something we've learned to walk past. Jen Loving, who leads the nonprofit Destination: Home, has spent her entire life proving that mindset is wrong. She shows why we must stop waiting until someone is pushed outside before intervening — and introduces Right at Home, a proven model helping communities across the US keep people from becoming homeless in the first place.

Type of Material:

  • Video TED Presentation
Recommended Uses:

  • In-class video
  • Homework video
  • Self-paced learning
  • This short video explains homelessness from a prevention perspective. It can be used in many ways, including in-class discussion or individual learning, to provoke empathy and action toward people who are at risk of homelessness.
Technical Requirements:

  • Internet Access
  • Speakers, or use closed captioning
  • Web Browser
Identify Major Learning Goals:

After active engagement with the material, the learner will

  • Describe how to prevent homelessness.
  • Explain viable solutions to prevent homelessness.
Target Student Population:

  • College Lower Division, College Upper Division, Graduate School, Professional
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

  • No prerequisite knowledge
  • Basic computer skills

 

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:

  • This TED Talk includes audio, video, and closed captions.
  • The speaker uses an excellent hook to pique interest in homelessness by telling the story of a woman and her newborn.
  • The speaker incorporates research evidence about how to prevent homelessness.
  • The video information is accurate and may be used for a variety of teaching/learning purposes.
Concerns:

  • While the presentation is concise and clear, it could be improved with additional visuals of the people or data about homelessness.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:

  • This TED talk provides evidence on homelessness statistics.
  • It is a video, but the key learning objective is not listed; it is well described in the introduction and video.
  • The speaker effectively promotes learning about preventing homelessness and is a skilled, easy-to-listen-to speaker.
  • It discusses the financial and socioeconomic benefits of preventing homelessness.
  • Although the TED Talk video does not assess learning outcomes, journaling, discussions, reflective questions, and reaction papers are examples of measures that could be used.
  • The speaker demonstrates the relationships between concepts that lead to homelessness and the subsequent downward spiral.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:

  • The TED Talk video is easy to play; just click the play button.
  • Closed captioning and transcripts are available.
  • The TED Talk can be paused, and the playback speed can be adjusted.
  • Clear, thought-provoking information about a new approach to homelessness.
  • The audio, video, and closed captions are working properly.
  • The video is short and succinct, which helps reduce cognitive load.
Other Issues and Comments:

  • This outstanding TED Talk video presents accurate information, and the speaker effectively holds the audience's attention.
  • The presentation's strength may be its simplicity and concise format.
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