Nearly 300 volunteers took part in the census of the homeless in the town of Saint-Pierre during solidarity night, this Thursday, June 27 in the evening.
At nightfall like superheroes, some 300 volunteers set out in search of the homeless people of Saint-Pierre. Their mission: to list them as part of the second edition of solidarity night.
52 groups of 6 volunteers crisscross the city playing the role of mediator with questionnaires. “The questions allow us to see if people use the systems and places dedicated to these people, in particular day centers, where food aid is generally offered. explains a volunteer.
The homeless people we met confide in us and hope for concrete actions such as help with employment. “There are stars, people who know how to draw, there are lots of talents”testifies one of them.
Last year, 52 homeless people were counted in Saint-Pierre, a figure which could increase and which alarms the regional director of the Abbé Pierre Foundation, Matthieu Hoarau.
“The figures we have are quite worrying, particularly for people who are homeless and who come to CCAS or associations like ours to find their domicile,” he explains before adding. “We have an increase in the number of homeless people and an increase in the number of people housed with third parties.”
Launched in France in 2018, this initiative makes it possible to diagnose the concrete needs of this public, “know better to act better”explains Ibrahim Cadjee, director of the CCAS of Saint-Pierre.
“Having a good profile of these people who find themselves on the streets will allow us to build, with all the partners, suitable responses so that these people can find a housing and accommodation solution” confides the director of the CCAS.
The diagnosis will help institutions adapt their actions and will feed the Solidarity Night database managed by INSEE covering 43 cities in France.
