Mission Buddy of hospitalised children

Children are needier when faced with exclusion, poverty and illness. The Buddy project provides support to children separated from their families by hospitalisation.

Protecting isolated victims

Activities:

Hospital buddies: “an energy transfusion”. Buddies visit the child they support three times a week, including once during the weekend. The visits mean they can support isolated children while they are in hospital. They also help to break down loneliness, the children's needs are listened to and they are given the strength to fight on. The volunteer makes contact with the nursing team and helps maintain the relationship with the child's family in terms of respecting his or her identity and culture. Buddies are monitored by experienced co-ordinators, and always complement the nursing team. At the end of 2005, the project was introduced in Cayenne hospital.

Types of work :

> Hospital buddies: Paris and the Paris area; Guyana. Personalised monitoring of hospitalised children away from their families.
> Healthcare centres: paediatric consultations, referrals to MCW.
> All healthcare centres see children.

Outlook:

• Buddies:Set up the project in the provinces in MdM's regional delegations in Marseille and Lyon. Make a link with Saint-Denis hospital in Reunion. Develop training for volunteers and co-ordinators to improve the quality of listening and presence amongst the children in hospital.