She is the first point of contact for Gerwenaren when there are problems, the new village support worker Louise Harks. Whether it concerns loneliness, informal care or nuisance in the home. She is an important link between the resident and the authorities. “I want to be a connector.”
A study by the Werkgroep Leefbaarheid Gerwen (WLG) earlier this year showed that residents of the village needed a village support worker, just like in Oirschot or Gemert, for example. Louise (58): “The slogan of WLG is ‘Pleasant living in Gerwen’ and with this the working group wants to convey that it is important to take care of each other and look out for each other. As a village support worker, I can certainly contribute to this.”
At the same time, Louise emphasises that every village – and therefore also the role of the village support worker – is different. “A very large municipality in terms of surface area like Oirschot cannot be compared to Gerwen. They even have five there. One for each core. I have visited them to see how they do it there, but ultimately I have to give my own interpretation to the function here. In Gerwen, I mainly want to be a connector.”
Well-being
As a link between the residents (‘Young and old’, says Louise) on the one hand and the various agencies on the other, the Eindhoven native feels responsible for the well-being of her ‘Gerwense fellow human beings’. “See me as the district nurse of the past. However, I can not only provide support with medical matters, but am also the point of contact for any marital conflicts and questions about loneliness, informal care and problems with nuisance in the neighbourhood. Where necessary, I call in professional help.”
In the past, Louise worked as a nurse at the Catharina Hospital in Eindhoven, but also at the ENT clinic and at the ambulance service control room and as an allergy consultant and district nurse in Helmond. “In the latter role, I gained the necessary experience in the neighbourhoods. Very nice to do. When I saw the vacancy for village support worker in Gerwen, I responded immediately. I have lived here for a year or two and have seen that some people really need help.”
To change gear
In her previous work, it was often necessary to be able to switch quickly. “Whether it concerns the police, GP, psychiatrist, neighbourhood mediator or youth worker. I have now set out my lines everywhere and also within my employer (LEV group, ed.) there are all kinds of possibilities to get support. Sometimes calling in a willing neighbour is enough. For example, to do some shopping or pick up a medicine.”
Gerwen has about 2,300 inhabitants and a nice mix of young and old. “But the largest group is still over seventy”, Louise acknowledges. “Those people have a different need for help than a young family with children. It is up to me to look for the right agency or volunteer who can offer support. Hence ‘pleasant life in Gerwen’. Quality of life is not tied to age. And fortunately, within WLG we have about ninety volunteers at our disposal who can offer a helping hand.”
Ask for help
Louise knows that getting help is not such a problem, but asking for help and experiencing it turns out to be more difficult in practice. “Many people do not realise that they have a need for help. Think of the informal caregiver who has been taking care of her mother or her neighbour for years and does not realize the toll it takes on her own life. That she also needs support. As a village support worker, I can be the one who can make her life easier. Isn’t that great?!”
Source: Studio040
For Eindhoven News: Lila Mehrez
