400 volunteers sought to interview Brussels' homeless

Could you interview a homeless person in Brussels face-to-face and help build a better picture of who they are and what their needs are? A group of charities helping the homeless in Brussels is urgently seeking 400 volunteers to do just that.

400 Toits (400 Roofs), a campaign group bringing together about a dozen homeless associations, will embark on a research mission around the capital from 25-28 September, with a questionnaire to "capture the most realistic image" possible of those sleeping on the streets.

The group is still looking for volunteers to help them at some point over the four-day period. Language skills are an asset, as Brussels' homeless come from diverse backgrounds, much like the city as a whole.

The aim is to get to know Brussels' estimated 700-plus homeless people by name, identify their social and medical needs and find possible housing solutions for them. The campaign also sets out to improve awareness among the public of homelessness, by putting locals in face-to-face contact with those affected.

As well as interviewers - who will receive prior training (in French) - 400 Toits also needs help inputting and compiling the data. All volunteers taking part will be invited to a thank-you event on 3 October where the first results from the survey will be revealed.

A first set of 295 interviews was conducted in June last year, with the help of 300 volunteers. One of the interviewers taking part said: "What I remember of this experience is a tremendous surge of solidarity from people who have decided to give some of their time to tackle the problem of homelessness in Brussels."

Interested? Register online at https://400toits-daken.com