Thirteen Queen’s law students lived outside from March 11 to 15 to take part in the national 5 Days for the Homeless campaign.

The participants raised awareness about youth homelessness in Kingston and asked for donations to renovate bedrooms and bathrooms at the Kingston Youth Shelter.

While participating law students are to be commended for raising $8,690 for the shelter, it’s important to look at the campaign critically.

Sleeping outside and asking for money isn’t a true emulation of homelessness. It’s patronizing to reduce homelessness to a stereotype and brushes over complex issues.

There’s no doubt that the funds raised will be put to good use, but the campaign may have added to the stigmatization of homeless people.

Dressing in an orange uniform to solicit donations reduces homelessness to a spectacle, an object of pity that needs to be rescued. It ignores the multitude of causes that lead to homelessness, such as addiction, abuse, or a plethora of other circumstances.

Asking for money at the corner of University Avenue and Union Street is an effective way to raise funds, but the 5 Days for the Homeless campaign didn’t make an adequate attempt to educate people on what it really means to be homeless.

Extra money to the Kingston Youth Shelter will repair beds and bathrooms, but it won’t affect homelessness’ root causes.

The campaign had good intentions, but it needs to make changes if it takes place again. Uniforms need to be dropped — homeless people aren’t a unified group with matching outfits. Sleeping outside for five days needs to be rethought as well.

It shouldn’t be necessary to take part in a spectacle to raise money for a cause, and emulation shouldn’t be a condition of empathy.

The Kingston Youth Shelter will benefit substantially from the 5 Days for the Homeless campaign and that in itself made the campaign worthwhile. Homelessness though is an ongoing issue that requires a multi-pronged approach. Kingston requires better infrastructure, including an increased number of youth shelters in the city. Education and awareness of issues surrounding homelessness are also essential.

Charity campaigns often have the best intentions and positive outcomes — something that proved true for 5 Days for the Homeless. Nationally, more than $230,000 was raised in 2012. But unintended consequences need to be looked at and there’s always room for improvement.