Yan Loup and Mélanie live in an apartment in Montreal. Yan Loup, who has a history of homelessness, says he wasn’t taken seriously by the police and never managed to sleep on the streets. Mélanie, on the other hand, was in prison for a minor offence. Both were helped by Sylvain, their social worker, who worked with them to improve their situation. For Yan Loup and Mélanie, it’s clear that even on the street, everyone should have the right to healthcare. They deplore the fact that people with intellectual disabilities are categorized and isolated, preventing true socialization.
Both speak with hope and determination about what they would like to see for people with intellectual disabilities in terms of housing. Yan Loup would like to see more adapted housing for people with mild disabilities, with personalized assistance. Mélanie would like to see support services to regularly check on residents’ well-being, and deplores the lack of specialists.
Despite the difficulties, Yan Loup and Mélanie emphasize their qualities and resilience, dreaming of an ideal home that would be a joy to obtain. Yan Loup concludes that, for the time being, he has to live with what he has, but that doesn’t stop him from dreaming of better living conditions.
