Dangers Related to the Work of a Streetworker

Abstract

Streetworking as an innovative method of working with homeless people, it becomes a field of interest in the academia. Due to its character, this raises justified worries about safety of this occupation. This article aims at a practical analysis of dangers related to the time and space of the work, pecularities of homeless people and the inadequacy of the organizational infrastructure. Each of these elements may pose threat to life and health. Awareness of the danger is therefore essential for everyone who wants to provide real help/support. Acquaintance with the environment of homeless people as well as knowledge of institutional background should therefore be an essential part of streetworker's workshop. We wish our activity (both scientific as well as professional) contributed to better understanding of how homelessness works. We also maintain that prevention of residential exclusion is possible only on grounds of coherence between academic approach and practical analysis of the socially marginalized people.