\u201cPutting the person at the centre\u201d: for those who know us, this is a familiar phrase. If we say it a lot at M\u00e9decins du Monde, it\u2019s because we strongly believe in it.<\/p>\n
But what does it mean, concretely? And above all, what difference does it make? Since we were recently asked this question, we decided to pass the microphone to our teams so they could tell us how this mantra translates into their daily work, and how it impacts the people they support. A quick overview of their responses, straight from the field.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":5132,"template":"","actualite_type":[12],"actualite_sujet":[177],"action_combat":[],"mdm_pays":[],"class_list":["post-5131","actualite","type-actualite","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","actualite_type-campaigns","actualite_sujet-care-without-judgment"],"acf":{"mise_en_avant":false,"chapeau":"\u201cPutting the person at the centre\u201d: for those who know us, this is a familiar phrase. If we say it a lot at M\u00e9decins du Monde, it\u2019s because we strongly believe in it.\n\nBut what does it mean, concretely? And above all, what difference does it make? Since we were recently asked this question, we decided to pass the microphone to our teams so they could tell us how this mantra translates into their daily work, and how it impacts the people they support. A quick overview of their responses, straight from the field.","cta_type":"don","cta_lien":{"title":"Faire un don","url":"https:\/\/dons.medecinsdumonde.ca\/JLT2017GENERAL\/?lng=0","target":"_blank"},"contenu":" \u201cAs a nurse, when I care for someone who has substance use issues, I know there\u2019s a part of their reality I\u2019ll never understand.<\/em>\u201d explains Andr\u00e9anne, who works on M\u00e9decins du Monde\u2019s mobile clinic. Is that a problem? \u201cIt\u2019s okay.<\/em>\u201d she says gently. Listening to her, it quickly becomes clear why: the goal isn\u2019t to find solutions for the person in their place, but rather to listen to and respect their needs, their pace, and their limits.<\/strong> This is far from the stance of a worker who would have all the answers to others\u2019 problems. \u201cWe\u2019re not trying to be right; what we want is for the proposed approach to meet the person\u2019s needs.<\/em>\u201d And it works: listening to what people have to say, what they want, \u201cis a sign of respect<\/em>,\u201d adds Andr\u00e9anne.<\/em> The result: \u201cthe care experience is much more positive.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Respect is a pretty important concept when working with people whom society too often treats with contempt<\/strong>\u2014sex workers, people experiencing homelessness<\/strong>, or migrants with precarious status<\/strong>. \u201cPeople want to be seen, to exist, and to be valid.<\/em>\u201d says Farin, a peer<\/strong> in harm reduction<\/strong>, who works alongside Andr\u00e9anne. Pierre, a psychologist at M\u00e9decins du Monde, sums it up: \u201cwhen no one has ever listened to you and finally someone does, it gives value to what you say, and it works on self-esteem.<\/em>\u201d An essential ingredient for making the decisions that will help someone get better.<\/p>\n Mathieu, an Indigenous<\/strong> navigator, puts it well: the goal is above all to co-construct<\/strong> with service users a \u201ctoolbox<\/em>\u201d that will finally make it possible to \u201c<\/strong><\/em>break the cycle<\/em><\/strong>\u201d of marginality<\/strong>. And step by step, heal injustice.<\/p>\n\u201cWe\u2019re not trying to be right; what we want is for the proposed approach to meet the person\u2019s needs.\u201d<\/h2>\n
For the teams: a humble and empathetic stance<\/h2>\n
\u201cPeople want to be seen, to exist, and to be valid.\u201d<\/h2>\n
For the people: respect and empowerment<\/h2>\n
In short, breaking the cycle<\/h2>\n