Cheerful security guard welcomes everyone at WijWest Dichtbij

Security guard Shurette Oleana stands with a broad smile at WijWest Dichtbij, in the Hoven shopping center. A man with long dreads and a radio blasting Bob Marley comes in to give him a speaker. A woman waves at him as she walks past the entrance. "Shurette is the lifeblood of WijWest Dichtbij," his colleagues say. "If you want to know something, ask him; he knows everyone."

The security guard, who meanwhile raises his hand to a garbage man walking past the shopping center, was arrested a year ago Werkse! He started his job immediately upon the opening of WijWest Dichtbij. At WijWest Dichtbij, any resident can drop in to ask for help. Seventeen organizations collaborate here.

Shurette loves his work. He hands out flyers, directs visitors to the right people for help, and of course, ensures safety. "We've really built this place from scratch. Slowly but surely, you see people gaining trust, daring to step in and ask for help. We try to be as accessible as possible. Everyone is welcome. There are no false promises, and people aren't passed from pillar to post. We don't guarantee we'll solve problems, but we do guarantee we'll listen and think along. That's worth a lot."

Motivating people to ask questions
The security guard understands what people are going through. “I wasn't an easy kid when I was younger. I grew up in the Schilderswijk neighborhood in The Hague and was always outdoors. Many people from that time ended up here when the houses in the Schilderswijk neighborhood were demolished. I lived in the apartment building above the Hoven for a while, so I'm a familiar face in the neighborhood. That's also good for young people. They're slowly starting to find WijWest Dichtbij. It takes time before they dare to actually ask a question. I understand that. You don't just ask an agency for help; you don't do that, you don't want to look like a loser, but you still get caught. When they see me here as a security guard, they're surprised and ask: 'Hey Shurette, how did you do that?' But if I can do it, they can too. Being here motivates people who still have to take the first step.”

People keep coming in to give out boxes and shake hands with Shurette. "Hey!" Shurette calls out to a woman walking by, "Don't just walk past me!" She comes in laughing and gives a box too. "This is my old supervisor from Werkse!", says Shurette. "I'm inviting everyone in. Come by, even if it's just for a chat, and who knows, we might be able to help you with something."