Close to people | Stories from Bethel
Trust, mediation, change
At 9 a.m. sharp, Leona Husemann sets off from her social counselling office in Viktoriastrasse in the direction of Bielefeld's old town. The 25-year-old has been working as a street worker in outreach social counselling since September 2023. At least once a week, she makes her rounds past the well-known "hotspots" on foot or by bike and tries to draw the attention of addicts or homeless people to Bethel's support services.
"For me, it's really interesting not to wait for people to come to you, but to visit them on the spot," says Leona Husemann, explaining the very low-threshold concept of outreach social counselling. Through small talk, she tries to talk to homeless people or people suffering from addiction about their state of health or their needs. In the meantime, the newcomer has built up a relationship of trust with many people and knows when and where she can meet whom.
Leona Husemann becomes aware when she discovers empty beer bottles, mattresses or shopping trolleys with luggage in car parks and supermarket courtyards - an indication of new camps. Citizens who contact her or the city because they are worried about the people in question are a great help in finding them. "Bielefeld's urban society is very sensitised to this," praises the street worker.
The next step is then to refer them to a help centre. "For me, it's a success if I can put a person in touch with support services like Kava." If they don't want to, however, she always prioritises the person's own will: "I can only support them."
Leona Husemann discovered her pronounced social streak and her great desire to help the socially disadvantaged while she was still at school: "I realised in the ninth grade that I wanted to do something social." Shortly before leaving school, she became aware of Bethel and then did her Bethel Year at Haus Phönix. There, the 25-year-old enjoyed working with people suffering from addiction so much that she went on to study social work at Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences. During this time, she remained loyal to Haus Phönix: "I always found it very useful to work alongside my studies because you can combine theory and practice."
Leona Husemann also always has an open ear for her fellow human beings in her private life: "If my friends have problems, I always try to help them," says the social worker. Leona Husemann finds the perfect balance to her mentally demanding job by painting or crocheting. "I don't think about it and can simply switch off." In just under a year in her new job, she has also learnt to separate her private and professional lives. "I've learnt that I can't save everyone. I can now deal better with people's fates. And if something is bothering me, I can always talk to my colleagues about it."
Text: Simon Steinberg | Picture: Matthias Cremer
This story simply told
Leona Husemann works as a street worker at the outreach social counselling service. The young professional tries to help homeless people and addicts on the streets of Bielefeld. The 25-year-old discovered her social streak while still at school. Even in her private life, she always has an open ear for the problems of her friends.
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Bethel.regional
Social counselling - help for people in special circumstances
Viktoriastrasse 10
33602 Bielefeld
Offers & services
Social counselling is aimed at adult men and women who are at risk of losing their home, have no home of their own or are experiencing other social difficulties. Information, counselling, support and assistance are provided in the event of imminent loss of housing, homelessness and other social difficulties. The counselling includes securing income, enforcing benefit entitlements, support in dealing with the authorities, help with finding accommodation and personal difficulties.