For many Oregonians, the problem of homelessness may seem like a situation that will never end. But The Register-Guard is attempting to change that outlook.

When the paper announced an editorial project on homelessness in February, the stated plan was to show what’s working and what isn’t, both in Eugene and around the country. And thanks to UO journalism professor Nicole Dahmen, they also have a term for what they’re doing — solutions journalism.

“We didn’t know it was called that,” said Jackman Wilson, the Register-Guard’s editorial page editor, “but that does seem like as good a label as any.”

Dahmen remains excited about the project, and has co-authored an op-ed piece in the paper explaining why solutions journalism is a valuable approach.

“This is journalism that intends to make a difference,” she said. “It’s not doing away with the journalism tenets that we hold dear. It’s just acknowledging journalism’s role in democracy.”

For the full article, see “In Eugene, Oregon, the newspaper takes on an issue ‘in a way that couldn’t be told from the outside’” on the Poynter Institute website. To learn more about the Register-Guard’s project covering homelessness, see “Editorial team zeroes in on homelessness.”