Enjeux de professionnalisation des intervenants de la rue en Suisse romande : entre correspondants de nuit et travailleurs sociaux hors murs

Abstract

Presented as a missing link between the police and social workers outside the walls, night correspondents have recently appeared in French-speaking Switzerland. This study, conducted in two urban locations, describes the interweaving of the work of these street actors. It shows that the arrival of the latter has raised questions about their legitimacy in relation to the former, already present, both from the point of view of their activities (the conduct of projects) and the space invested (the neighbourhoods). It also indicates that a number of activities help to draw professional boundaries between the two types of actors, particularly with regard to the different way of exchanging information or interacting with the police. Finally, it highlights that each system is based on a local logic, the actors maintaining peaceful relations in the peripheral city while their collaboration is more strained in the central city. Thus, the professional boundaries remain blurred between the two groups of actors while the process of professionalizing their work is underway.