a different tour
A city has multiple faces, as many as visitors visit them. But not all of these visions are usually taken into account: some are never even known. Among these silenced versions, perhaps the most flagrant is that of homeless people, because, paradoxically, they are the ones who best know the streets of the metropolis.
In Dublin, however, they have decided to put a stop to this reality with the Secret Tours , visits in which the homeless are the ones who guide the tourists through the neighborhoods they know best, such as Smithfield, where many of the services for this group are located.
“Dublin has a growing homeless crisis. The official figures have increased enormously in recent years, although they do not even reflect the real extent of the crisis : Does not include rough sleepers, coachsurfers, or those trying to rest in crowded and unsuitable places. Nor to the more than 160,000 people waiting for social housing, or at risk of becoming homeless”, tells us Tom Austin, founder of the NGO.
Shane in action
aware of the problem, Austin was unexpectedly inspired on a trip to Vienna : “I was first introduced to the concept of homeless-led tours when I was visiting Vienna. The model intrigued me, and I wanted to know how it could be used to empower the homeless by giving them a voice, developing their skills, and earning them a salary."
"After speaking with the company guide Shadow Tours , and tell me the positive impact the initiative had on well-being and the ability to re-integrate into the city from this collective, I knew I had to take the idea to Dublin”, he recalls.
Right now his main guide is Shane, a Cork native who has lived in Dublin for the last 11 years. “Since he started working with us, Shane has honed his storytelling skills, and he's excited about the opportunity to reconnect with society. after spending seven long years isolated in the world of the homeless," reads the NGO's website.
"Shane's hopes for the future are continue his education and have a place to call home, where he can take his son, who lives in Cork, to spend some time watching television ”, continues the story of this guide, already heard by 1,400 people since the tours began in December 2018.
“Our customers come from all over the world, and we also have many locals who want to see Dublin through the unique perspective of someone who has called those streets home . As well as tourists, we also welcome many school groups and businesses looking to make a positive impact and get involved in one of Dublin's most pressing social challenges, homelessness,” Austin tells Traveler.es.
“Our guides are experiencing that homelessness, as they begin the transition to independent living. Our goal is to empower them with the skills and confidence to share their story, while earn a salary and save for the future ”, he concludes.