A few homeless people in London are now working as tour guides, offering others a view of the city from their perspective.
Unseen Tours is a program started by Sock Mob; a group of people who decided to share food, drinks, clothing and conversation with people on the streets.
The people who work as guides are trained and they are able to keep the bulk of the money people pay to take the tours, which cost £5 to £8 ($8 to $12). Those going on the tours get to choose which price to pay.
If people are unable to pay, or are accompanying someone as a carer, they are able to go free.
“Uniquely, the tours interweave the guides' own stories and experiences, introducing a new social consciousness into commercial walking tours,” states the Sock Mob website.
“So come and see the well-known landmarks through their eyes, and the tucked-away places no-one else knows - you may just end up learning more than you bargained for.”
Sock Mob wants others to see homeless people as having something to offer, and they believe the tours will help with this.
One of the guides, Henri, came to London, from Latvia, to study. He then worked as a painter and decorator for seven years, bought a house and got married. His relationship broke down and he ended up on the street. “I was very interested and happy when I was offered the possibility to do these tours, which involve the area where I live and which I love,” he said on the Sock Mob website “I can show other people the places and the regular aspects of my life.
I’m just happy that life on the street hasn’t put me in the situation where I’m a drug user or heavy alcoholic. So I hope that by meeting me people might re-think stereotypical perceptions of what it means to be homeless – not all of us are so bad.”
In an article on the Get Off The Beaten Path website the author wrote that Henri admitted that when he does tours he is always hoping that someone in the group will see his potential and offer him a job.
Another guide, Sean, has an academic background in philosophy and a career background in the army. He worked as a weapons master, demolitions expert and intelligence gatherer. The other two guides are women; Hazel and Viv.
“The best thing is… the human touch,” said an article on the Tea Time In Wonderland website. “Within seconds, you forget the guide is homeless. You’ll chat, laugh, talk about books, dreams, colours…
So comforting after years of cold guides who know their speech by heart, have synchronised their jokes. Here it is all about talking, exchanging thoughts.” The writer said that she never felt like she was doing a good deed by taking part in the tour, but that she wanted to thank the guide for what he did.
The tours are designed to appeal to both Londoners and visitors.
“So come and see the well-known landmarks through their eyes, and the tucked-away places no-one else knows - you may just end up learning more than you bargained for.”Sock Mob wants others to see homeless people as having something to offer, and they believe the tours will help with this.One of the guides, Henri, came to London, from Latvia, to study. He then worked as a painter and decorator for seven years, bought a house and got married. His relationship broke down and he ended up on the street. “I was very interested and happy when I was offered the possibility to do these tours, which involve the area where I live and which I love,” he said on the Sock Mob website “I can show other people the places and the regular aspects of my life.I’m just happy that life on the street hasn’t put me in the situation where I’m a drug user or heavy alcoholic. So I hope that by meeting me people might re-think stereotypical perceptions of what it means to be homeless – not all of us are so bad.”In an article on the Get Off The Beaten Path website the author wrote that Henri admitted that when he does tours he is always hoping that someone in the group will see his potential and offer him a job.Another guide, Sean, has an academic background in philosophy and a career background in the army. He worked as a weapons master, demolitions expert and intelligence gatherer. The other two guides are women; Hazel and Viv.“The best thing is… the human touch,” said an article on the Tea Time In Wonderland website. “Within seconds, you forget the guide is homeless. You’ll chat, laugh, talk about books, dreams, colours…So comforting after years of cold guides who know their speech by heart, have synchronised their jokes. Here it is all about talking, exchanging thoughts.” The writer said that she never felt like she was doing a good deed by taking part in the tour, but that she wanted to thank the guide for what he did.The tours are designed to appeal to both Londoners and visitors.