Open drug dens are a burden on western Swiss cities like Lausanne and Geneva. Fribourg is showing how to deal with such problems. “Le Tremplin,” or the springboard, is the name of the local contact point for addicts. The federal government considers it exemplary.
Arriving in Fribourg is relaxed. Of course, Fribourg also has a drug scene. But the reception center for addicts is ten minutes away from the train station, somewhat hidden and away from the crowds. Unlike Geneva and Lausanne, where the drug scene starts right at the station, with addicts asking passersby for money and dealers waiting day and night for customers, writes SRF.
In front of the reception center in Fribourg, people sit at festive tables. They talk about everything under the sun and listen to music. Lunch is prepared in the poor kitchen next door. “Le Tremplin,” or the springboard, is the name of the institution. It is housed in a single large building.
Everything under one roof
Size is essential. “Le Tremplin” brings together everything important in one place. City Councilor Mirjam Ballmer lists: “Here there is a center for safe drug use, social welfare offices, work studios, a kitchen for addicts and even a specialized center for assisted living.”
This shows that drug addicts receive help from all sides here. Social workers and drug specialists work side by side, looking for solutions on a case-by-case basis. This makes it easier for addicts to return to work and social life.
Director Yan Desarzens describes what happens every day at "Tremplin" like this: someone can arrive in the morning and be offered a coffee. They are then told they can do a small job to earn a warm, healthy lunch. They are also able to visit a social worker, albinfo.ch reports.
While they can't organize the money, they can help pay bills and create a budget, Desarzens said. And those who want to use drugs are not sent to the streets, but to their own pharmacy. An institution like "Tremplin" is extremely important for any city, emphasizes city councilor Mirjam Ballmer.
“What Fribourg has built should be adopted by other cities of similar size,” says Frank Zobel, deputy director of the Swiss Addiction Foundation. Not only does the center offer comprehensive support, but experts at Tremplin regularly exchange information with the police, which is also important.
Praise from the federal government
At a recent conference, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) praised the Fribourg model as a model for the whole of Switzerland. In the work against addiction, “collaboration between the actors involved and all those involved at these interfaces is very important. The better the measures are integrated, the more effective they are.”
The people who gather at Tremplin don't have an easy life. But without Tremplin, it would be even harder. "It's a little hidden, but the food is good here and the people are very helpful," says one man.
His colleague becomes completely euphoric. He says he knows many such institutions, but none like this one. “Here people eat well, are treated well and always receive help for everything, even if they are missing some documents.” These examples show that people are grateful to “Tremplin”. Without this shelter, many would be living on the streets, like in Lausanne or Geneva./Abinfo.ch
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