By the end of 2023, Liège Street Nurses needs €50,000 to finance its action with the most vulnerable homeless people. But what does this action actually consist of? Here is a brief overview of what a day could look like for the Liège team!
8.45 am - Arrival
The first members of the team arrive, not yet entirely sharp in the morning. Quickly, quickly, we settle down, prepare coffee or tea for a good start of the day.
9 am - Getting ready
We begin with a meeting of 15 minutes where the team goes through the list of the day’s missions. We briefly discuss the situation of patients, their possible development, and needs.
9.30 am - Starting
After preparing the material for the day, the different pairs hit the road.
One pair will take a shared car to visit a patient relocated in the outskirts of Liège. The gentleman has made a lot of progress. His apartment is very clean, and he drinks less. He still has mobility issues and administrative procedures to close.
Another pair will go on an inspection tour in the center of Liège around the Place Saint-Lambert and the Opera, hoping to find a patient just included in the Street Nurses follow-up. The contact with the gentleman is still precarious; creating a bond is therefore our objective of the day.
A third pair has an appointment with a patient, ready to leave street life, to visit a fairly spacious duplex. Already seeing the photos, she couldn’t believe her eyes! Thanks to the collaboration with a private owner who has decided to make his accommodation available to a patient of Street Nurses, the lady will be able to live in a newly renovated accommodation. Accompanied by the field team and the housing manager, she can move in 2 weeks’ time.
1 pm – Lunch time
Most of the team came back to the office for a bite to eat. During the break, they relax and have a good laugh. This helps to detach from the emotions of the morning!
2 pm – Second half
The meal is eaten, the dishes are done… It’s time to get back to work!
A pair goes to a consultation meeting with the other network stakeholders to discuss the situation of a patient whose mental health is not improving.
The others stay in the office for collaborative and/or administrative work. If we want to improve the lot of people, we must consult with other actors to stabilize the medical and/ or administrative situation. This involves long calls with other associations in the homeless sector, but also with public social welfare centers, hospitals, medical houses, pharmacies…
4 pm – Closing
As the day comes to an end, we close shop, and the team gets ready to go home.
5 pm - End of the day
The team members leave the office, as well as the worries of the day, to return to the comfort of their home.