The City of Geneva is taking advantage of the current closure of the Varembé sports centre to increase the support it provides to vulnerable people during the current health crisis. From Wednesday 15 April, the showers in the changing rooms of the Varembé football stadium are accessible to people living in dire poverty.
This is a very welcome offer at a time when the nearby Point d’Eau, operated by the Carrefour-Rue association, has been forced to close its doors due to the pandemic. Access to hygiene – an essential factor in health prevention – has thus been improved.
This free shower service is available Monday to Friday from 8.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The service has a capacity of some forty showers every day. Signs have been installed on site and those people wishing to make use of the service are admitted via 33, rue de Vermont.
Unprecedented collaborations
This new service provided for people living in dire poverty is the result of an unprecedented collaboration between the Social Service and Sports Service, with the support of the Youth Service. The reception is manned by a two-person team consisting of a social outreach worker and a skate park caretaker while staff of the Sports Service guide users towards the showers and clean the premises, thereby supporting the Social Service which is responsible for the service provided.
Partnerships and MSF expertise
The partner associations providing support for homeless people – some of which have been forced to curtail their activities – serve as relay points, providing potential beneficiaries with information. In light of its experience in the field of hygiene care among vulnerable populations, Le Caré plays a key role. Furthermore, as at other sites (the Frank-Thomas shelter and the Caserne des Vernets), the City can call on the expertise of Médecins Sans Frontières to make the staff and beneficiaries more aware of preventive measures. The duty staff of the Civil Defence unit is responsible for security.
Continued care
This new service implemented by the City of Geneva is part of a general support concept intended for vulnerable people – and in particular the homeless – which has been widely redeployed since the beginning of the health crisis with the opening of the Frank-Thomas shelter (in the Eaux-Vives district) 24 hours a day to welcome women and people who are ill as well as the provision of the Caserne des Vernets, which has space to house homeless people and people suffering from COVID-19.
Finally, please remember that a toll-free social emergency solidarity hotline has been opened on 0800 44 77 00 to answer any questions you might have and is available from monday to friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
All the information is available on http://geaide.ch/
Contact
Manuelle Pasquali de Weck
Direction du département de la cohésion sociale et de la solidarité (DCSS)
Conseillère personnelle
Article modifié le 23.10.2023 à 15:27