Secours Catholique Volunteers Combat Social Isolation Among Homeless in Toulouse

SDF- illustration.

Credit: (Wilfredor/CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED); Homeless man on Paulista Avenue, São Paulo, Brazil

In the rue de Toulouse, social isolation is another barrier for the homeless. To overcome the latter, Secours catholique has gotten into the habit of standing up and putting itself on the same page as the homeless. Beyond food distribution, some volunteers try to create a real social bond, like Alexandre who has already slept on the streets of Toulouse in the past before finding work and accommodation in a hostel. From now on, he has become the point of reference for marauding in the Pink City and does not hesitate to stop for long minutes to speak with the homeless. “I’ve been in the same situation so I know how to talk to them, what to say to them. The idea is to understand them as much as possible, each person is different, has their own journey. I talk a lot with them“, he confides. On the street for 3 years, Djibril takes the time to chat with Alex at the supermarket in the Saint-Michel district. “What I want… I would just like to welcome my daughter and my mother. Have a table and chair for them to drink coffee and chat.“

According to the director of the Ariège Haute-Garonne delegation, Lydie Carloux-Yog, “some sometimes just want to chat, they want to combat social isolation“By stopping to provide this support, the maraudes sometimes last longer or reach fewer beneficiaries, but the volunteers do not count their hours.”The objective of our marauding is this social bond. We have two types of marauding, by car in the evening or on foot in the afternoon. We check on people, ask them how they are, make sure they are well, etc. We also seek to support them towards reception structures or accommodation centers during the day.“, adds the local director.

2024-01-30 04:17:47
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