Lyonnais. The Bureaux du Cœur mobilize businesses to allow homeless people to sleep warm
Through Nathan Lautier
Published on
Heated, comfortable, equipped offices… But empty. You might see them every day. They may be your neighbors’ or yours.
Association Offices of the Heart, launched in Nantes, has moved to Lyon (Rhône) since April. Time to build a network. She launches into the deep end for the first time lone week from December 6 to 12, 2021.
What concept, what mission? Explanations with Solène Marsollier, head of the Lyon delegation.
Guests for a few months
The story was therefore born in Nantes. “It is a Nantes manager, owner of offices, who realized that some remained empty and heated. In the evening when he returned, he saw homeless people on his way. He told himself there was something to do. It’s business optimization: we can accommodate the homeless in the evenings and weekends, if the offices are not in use. “
The concept was thus born: “We welcome guests, men or women, in partner companies. We first work with associations which we send in relation to people who need it. We started a relationship of trust. “
Thus, the person will arrive in a place where “there will be all that is necessary in terms of sanitation, food, equipment for the night… It varies according to the offices and what companies have in terms of location. What is sought is complementarity of use, not a dedicated room. Often, they are meeting rooms during the day, and at night it is a place of rest for our guests ”explains Solène.
The “guests” can find a double bed a sofa bed, or even ottomans convertible into mattresses.
And this invitation is not limited to an evening: the average device lasts three months. “Sometimes it’s less, when the person is in transition. But the classic time is three months, renewable once ”.
The association does not want it to be longer: “we are there for shelter, to help bounce back, but we are not intended to follow the course over time. “
All the people benefiting from this service are followed by associations, which then put the Heart Offices in touch with each homeless person. ” It’s important that we forge a bond, because we will see him in the morning when arriving at the office and in the evening when leaving, ”explains the manager from Lyon.
A precise profile, company-compatible
The profile of homeless people who can benefit from this assistance is however very precise : “It must be a single person, not in a relationship or who has no children, no animals, she must not bring people back, she must not have addiction… “
A profile strict that Solène Marsollier assumes: “It is very precise, but it has to correlate well with the business world”, she justifies.
In Lyon, she works with five associations:
The first guest welcomed will therefore arrive in a current company from December 6 to 12.
For two years, in Nantes, 15 structures have welcomed 30 guests. While waiting for the Lyonnais. Other delegations should open from all over France in the coming months.
If you are interested in this program, you can contact the Bureaux du Cœur at [email protected].
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