Operating since 2019, the Liège Street Nurses team has 10 people and aims to get homeless people in extremely precarious situations off the streets, and reintegrate them sustainably into housing and society. By the end of 2023, Street Nurses is looking for €50,000 to fund her activities.
Interview with two Street Nurses field workers: nurse Amy, 27, who joined a year ago, and social worker Doriane, 35, who joined 3 years ago.
Why did you get involved with Street Nurses?
AMY: I have always been interested in the cause of homelessness. I wanted to break its representations, go beyond certain preconceptions and, above all, move at the people's rhythm. At Street Nurses, we approach health in a global way, unlike in a hospital, where a single problem is focused on.
DORIANE: That homelessness still exists in the 21st century, in a developed country like ours, has always intrigued me. I knew something about the methodology used by Street Nurses and that I would be able to meet people, go at their own pace and carry out a global and long-term follow-up. This gives time to move forward and support the person, which adds value.
What is the specificity of your job at Street Nurses?
DORIANE: It's really the way we work, the fact that we go out and meet people in their own environment, taking the time to create a link and establish a relationship. The work and the relationship with those who don't need it is also interesting. Finally, we use the "Housing first" methodology, which is very inspiring.
AMY: Here we are creating trust so that a request is made and we can, together with the patient, start the process. It is a long-term work and our support is unconditional. Contrary to what you might expect from a nurse, I'm more involved in social work. But for me, it remains a work on health in its entirety. Financial and social aspects, well-being, everything must be taken into account when it comes to someone’s health.
What are the characteristics of your patients in Liège?
DORIANE: These are people who are at high risk of dying on the streets and who have a combination of issues (physical health, mental health, addictions, etc.). They have been on the streets for a long time and their social, family and friendship relationships have been impoverished. They are generally a long way from housing and are in survival mode.
AMY: We've noticed that homeless people are known by a lot of structures. They tell us themselves, and we have monthly meetings with other organisations. When we follow up with a new person, we contact other organisations. Each has its own specific missions and we want to check that our support is adding value. Together, we plan to raise awareness among care structures for people with mental health problems and addictions, because care is often too restrictive. We are also looking for solutions to raise awareness among citizens.
What are the main difficulties in the follow-up of the patients?
DORIANE: It's the fact that the structures are not always adapted to our public. For example, in some shelters, people are asked to call every week, or even every day, to prove their motivation and keep their place on a waiting list, whereas the majority of our patients have no mobile phone. The problem of drug use is not given enough consideration either. It's often a way of surviving on the streets, so how can you ask someone to give it all up from one day to the next in order to be admitted to hospital or a hostel? How can we follow a precise framework when our patients have been on the streets for several years? In this context, the Housing First methodology is really interesting and well suited to our patients. Fortunately, over time, with certain structures, we manage to get to know each other better, discuss things and get things to change a little.
AMY : Our patients are subject to stigmatisation and discrimination, and this complicates the management of certain types of care. In fact, the difficulties don't come from our patients, because our work allows us to take the time and we have less pressure. For me, the problem doesn't lie so much on the persons but rather on societal and political choices, etc. And if we had the financial and human resources for housing, things would go better. I'm sometimes told that I have a difficult job. But it's the society we live in that's difficult, not my job! And it's demoralising to see that we're still dealing with the homelessness problem on an emergency basis. We work with humans, and society tends towards the opposite. We should try to bring people together rather than divide them.
What keeps you motivated despite everything?
DORIANE: You meet people who are very rich from a human point of view, and you see that our work has a real impact on people's lives and on society. It puts things into perspective. You feel useful every day. The most important thing is to keep believing until the end and to savour every little victory. Sharing ideas and working as part of a team also helps to keep you motivated.
AMY: Keeping a positive attitude, even when you take a step backwards, is what allows you to move forward. Working with great teammates, also. At Street Nurses, we have the space to talk and express our feelings after each meeting. There're a lot of exchanges respecting everyone's feelings, because we're all unique. It's accepted, it's a strength. Every opinion is taken into account. There are a lot of powerful moments in the team, both very complicated and very happy: a person who decompensates on the street or a return to housing. At our team meetings, there's a lot of exchanges and debate about the patients' situations. We feel heard and it's a form of recognition. You could say that there's a lot of goodwill in the team.
Can you mention a significant event in your work?
AMY: During one of my first visits in housing, I wasn't expecting this, but a person was verbally aggressive. Her personal problems had resurfaced, she was more nervous than before moving into housing, because of loneliness, etc. We are their point of reference and anger is exteriorising on the person with whom they feel confident. Housing is a big step forward, we can imagine it, but the first moments are very complicated. Faced with aggressiveness in an encounter, we learn to put distance between ourselves and work.
DORIANE: I think it's the fact that living on the streets is much harder than it looks from the outside. We often think of the lack of food, the cold, the physical discomfort, but the consequences for mental health are extremely important too. The street takes a heavy toll on the body and soul.
What is your hope for the future?
AMY: I dream of a society that no longer divides, that looks at everything happening in the world and is interested in the people around us.
DORIANE: That our work can be refocused on supporting people, without being burdened by the search for funding, housing, etc. That more structural solutions be proposed and implemented to counter homelessness.