The volunteers at the Accueil Bonneau hair salon are more overwhelmed than ever with the number of people in precarious situations looking for a free haircut. People can wait up to three months to get a place.
Axel Tardieu/QMI Agency
“Sometimes there are arguments because of the reduced number of places,” observes Aladin. This student in a precarious situation waited three hours to get his free haircut.
He tried to get an appointment four times in three months, but he always ended up on the waiting list at this hair salon that is only open on Thursdays. The two volunteer hairdressers can only take on around ten users per morning.
At 11:30, Aladin’s patience finally pays off: it’s his turn to go. “A nice haircut helps,” he says. “I’m in the process of looking for a job. If I have my hair cut, I’ll have a better chance of people accepting me.”
Photo Axel Tardieu
Aladin is a student in Montreal.
The 22-year-old Moroccan student can only work 20 hours a week due to visa restrictions, he says. After paying his rent and his groceries, he cannot afford a haircut at a paid salon.
Aladin sits on Nathalie Kohler’s chair, proud to have been a volunteer hairdresser here for three years. Her living room is always full. This free service is rare in Montreal. The traffic often creates frustrations for users and for her.
“Those who are at the front of the line, we will be able to take them, but the rest, we will not be able to,” laments Nathalie Kohler. We have a feeling of helplessness, we would like to do more, but the demand is too great.”
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Find your dignity
Yet she knows how much a new haircut means to these men and women. A fragile population that sometimes comes before a job interview that can change the course of their lives.
Photo Axel Tardieu
Nathalie Kohler has been a volunteer hairdresser for three years.
“They feel more beautiful, more presentable, more proud. It changes their image and the way they feel inside,” explains the hairdresser.
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To be judged less
Serge Thibeault lives in low-rent accommodation next door, in Old Montreal. He comes to Accueil Bonneau every day to eat, but this morning, it’s for a haircut.
“It looks better on the street when you don’t have long hair and a big beard,” he admits. “You get less staring, less judgment.”
Photo Axel Tardieu
Serge Thibeault comes to Accueil Bonneau to save money on his meals.
The demand is so high that Accueil Bonneau would be willing to open the salon twice a week instead of once, but they are short of volunteer hairdressers.
“It’s a real need. We could do it on Tuesday and it would be just as successful,” confirms Tristan Badard, coordinator of volunteer services at the establishment.
More than 500 people benefit from these free hairdressing services from Accueil Bonneau each year.
