Free Hands, Free Head: the Locker which Gives Freedom
Creating a space of solidarity where everyone, with or without a home, is valued
“When you are forced to live on the streets, one of your major concerns is theft. I had found a good hideout to hide my belongings - under a concrete slab, but despite this, they were stolen from me several times. But now, I no longer have to ask myself if my bag will still be here when night falls. Now, when we have an appointment with a social worker, we can go with our hands free. We can move without being identified by others as being homeless. Plus, when we get up in the cold and frosty morning, we know we’ll be able to make ourselves a coffee; that changes everything!”
Maurice no longer has to worry because each morning he drops his personal belongings off at the “Free Hands” lockers in Paris, and then each evening he returns to pick them up. The lockers are open for two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. “Free Hands” has been in existence for ten years, run only by volunteers — some of whom are themselves clients and some who work on the board of directors. There are no paid employees; Free Hands relies solely on self-governance.
At the beginning, in 2006, the people living in Les Halles, a neighborhood in Paris, were preoccupied: how could they help the homeless people whom they were meeting every day? Some of them had already come together, mainly thanks to a “Community Cafe” open to all and especially people living rough. When asked about the future of the neighborhood, which was changing a lot because of a public construction project, all the homeless people expressed the same wish: “We want somewhere safe to leave our stuff”. This meant having to find a place; but more than that, it meant inventing a new approach!
Soon, a number of people, both with and without a home, supported by local nonprofits, came together: regular surveys and meetings were held, with a particular space reserved for the voices of the homeless. “I realized that it was serious, so I stayed”, said Bernard, after fifteen years living on the streets by himself. Future users of the planned facility defined the rules for themselves, taking into consideration what they could reasonably expect in terms of support from volunteers who have homes, jobs, and families to tend to. The most experienced reached out to their contacts. Everyone’ skills and knowledge were useful.
“Everyone had something to contribute”, said Jean. The local authorities became convinced by the cause and agreed to provide a room.
This was a real “we” which was created with the birth and design of “Free Hands”. “From the beginning it is essential to consult with everyone, both people with a home and those without a home, from the very start. This way, everyone feels involved”, shared Maurice.
Initially created to function as just a dropping off point, the lockers soon turned into a place for meetings and exchanges. Free Hands also plays a part in neighborhood parties, garage sales, or others events, either an as organizer or as a member of the facility security.
“We are seen differently now, not just as beggars”.
“Being part of Free Hands implies that we contribute to keep it working”, adds Pascal. “For the moment, I just participate in the big monthly cleaning, as this is all that I can do. But I now identify myself with a place which values everyone. Here, we can recover some of the identity that we lost on the streets”.
Over the past ten years Free Hands has had to relocate three times, and as a result some things have changed. The user profile has also changed; homeless immigrants are a larger group now. “For the new people, doing their part to help the lockers available is a way to integrate”, says Maurice. “If it wasn’t for here, I would never have thought of talking to some people. I used to come across Sam from time to time, but I didn’t talk to him. The lockers have helped me get to know him better”.
“Proximity, solidarity, security, respect, freedom, help with integration”
— these are some of the words Jean mentions to describe Free Hands. The organization has two distinct purposes: firstly, it gives to the users a personal ‘locker’ which offers more freedom, and secondly, for all of the participants, it offers a place of exchange and belonging.
Why doesn’t this kind of initiative spread? The story could go on………
