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2020 was for everybody a strange and difficult year but even more so for homeless people. This “lockdown year” has at least put the spotlight on the consequences of homelessness, especially in Brussels and Liège.

This brought up the question as to when we could let our patients go. Under what conditions? Following which procedure?

Joséphine has been working for six years as a nurse in the non-profit organization "Street Nurses". She tells us about her daily work.

When quarantine started, in March, hotels in Brussels have opened their doors to offer a total of 820 rooms to host the homeless people. Meanwhile, those infrastructures have closed and as off today, only 92 rooms are available (according to Bruss’help).

To “Infirmiers de rue” it is a big regret.

A lack of times and human resources makes it impossible for us to look after all homeless people at the same time. We must make a selection.

Each of us is gifted in some way. For some that’s obvious, for others much less so. Knowing what we are capable of and communicating it to other people gives us self-confidence and self-esteem.

Émilie Meessen, a graduate in nursing and community health, has been working in the homelessness sector in Brussels for 2 years when she makes the following observation: despite the presence of a developed network of associations in Brussels, the number of homeless people remains considerable in the streets of the capital.

A good hygiene allows the human being to maintain good health. It also allows us to gain self-confidence and to feel in harmony with the society that surrounds us. We have, indeed, more facilities to approach others if we feel clean and presentable. Our body speaks. Moreover, non-verbal communication represents 55% of our communication.

In the first quarter of 2021, the modules will be installed on a citydev.brussels site in Forest for a minimum of 2 years. We are very excited! This means that 6 homeless people will be able to have a roof over their heads, in a safe and sustainable way.

Street nurses’ ultimate goal is to rehouse all of its patients and ensure that they return to a stable situation. Access to housing is, in fact, one of the first levers for ending homelessness. It also allows thousands of men and women living on the streets to regain their dignity.

The phase of post-follow-up provided at home, known as "My Way", is the phase where we aim to improve the quality of life of people who have been stabilized in a home, and eventually to get them out of the follow-up by street nurses.

Organisations around the world are insistent that homeless people need better protection from Covid-19.