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Street workers

Street Workers are inspirational, ordinary, local people doing an extraordinary job and who represent a lifeline for Street Children.

Street Workers (Often known as Outreach workers, Street educators, Field workers) are similar to Detached Youth Workers or Community Youth Workers here in the UK. They are responsible, trustworthy, trained, local people who work on the streets with and for street children.

  • Street children are in cities across the world. Surviving, living, working, forgotten, alone.
  • The reasons are many and varied BUT no child should be alone
  • All children should have at least one responsible, trustworthy adult in their lives.
  • It should be just the ordinary way of things. We expect it for our children. It should be the case for all children - even those who are hard to reach, indeed especially those who are hard to reach.

   It isn't the ordinary way of things - StreetInvest exists to make it so.

Street worker talking to two street children

The Street Worker works on the street because that is where the children are.

The street worker takes himself to the streets, with all his care, with all his feelings and above all with commitment that will not waiver when the first child tells him to go away.

The street worker is present when other workers are going home at 5 p.m. The street worker's office is the street and community. The street worker conveys a message to the child that ‘You are important' and ‘whatever your story is I am interested to know and to help.' The Street Worker does not blame or punish.

Their job is to understand the world of the Street child and bring that understanding into his relationships with street children. It is from this relationship of trust and understanding that possibilities can be explored, wishes, wants and needs listened to and solutions found.

The street worker listens, challenges, is consistent and reliable. He can tell us what street children need. Through these relationships and networks the Street Worker provides a pathway to family, education, work skills, healthcare, safety, identity and dignity.

Street Work is a deeply human process driven by workers who strive to support, care, challenge and protect the rights and needs of Street children. Without Street Workers many children are alone, frightened, imprisoned, sidelined, recruited by gangs, abused and even killed.