Tackling exclusions

Intervention in Master 2 MEEF STMS on actions carried out with non profits at La Mosson.

🎯 Objective

The objective of this course is to see the different actors tackling exclusion. The different themes addressed in this course: housing, over-indebtedness, support for 18/24 years old who have dropped out of school, unemployment = different sources of exclusion… - Helene Gautier-Pelissier, MEEF manager of the STMS, Medical Sciences & Techniques course - Social 2 second degree.

Introduction

• Round of presentations and emotional weather
• Theme, objective and plan for the course

The GSC non profit

In a few words

The GSC non profit is a neighborhood association (Oxford city), as opposed to a local branch. Its strength lies in its proximity to residents and is partly explained by the fact that the non profit is made up of residents of the neighborhood, like Aziz Khallouki (director) or Morgann Raillecove (Kapseuse at the AFEV non profit).

GSC is one of the rare non profit that remained open all summer to offer activities to families who cannot go on vacation. Thanks to youth summer cards, the non profit provided cultural and sports activities in July and August for around a hundred beneficiaries:

• Cultural outings: At the Fabre Museum, at the MOCO, Street Art, Cinema, Pizza and Film evening, visit to Planète Océan, a bookstore, etc.
• Sports activities: Day at the Olympic swimming pool, Futsal, Climbing, Ice rink in Vegapolis, Roller skating outing, etc.
• Other: Outing to Aqualand, Laser Game, Trampoline, Bowling, reading workshops, pre-school workshop, etc.

By comparison, local branches present in La Mosson are better equipped (budget, premises, etc.), but without an audience, without a relationship of trust, nothing happens. This is why local branches of La Mosson regularly come to see the GSC association to ask for young people as if they were a commodity or stocks: “We manage everything (the budget, subsidies, training, etc.), give us young people…”. This leads to the following problem: How to promote the invisible skills and work of neighborhood associations? ✨

Concrete actions

In June 2023, as part of the cité éducatives program aimed at strengthening support for young people and children aged 3 to 25, the GSC non profit co-hosted a preventive workshop entitled Young People and Social Networks, with and for families, at the CAF Social Center in La Paillade Family Island. The workshop gave rise to concrete proposals: One in two young people suggested doing more sport! Many young people also expressed their wish to go out more and meet people. See the report of the workshop here.

👉 The cultural and sporting activities offered during the summer meet the proposals and expectations of residents. The program was co-constructed with families and institutional, cultural, sporting partners, etc.

Operational realities and difficulties on the ground

• Limited resources ($, volunteers)
• Stress, burnout, conflicts…
• Biases and stereotypes

Role play game

Scenario #1: Request for grants and conflict of interest
Three people - a financier, a local branch (former journalist at Midi Libre), a neighborhood association (resident of the neighborhood). 100k grants to share. Everyone has a secret not to divulge during discussions. The game led to the following result: 93k in subsidies for the local branch and 7k for the neighborhood association.

Scenario #2: Recruitment of civic services
Analysis of flyers (civic dating service). Review of the 10 areas of civic services and 5 job descriptions (Education for all mission; Solidarity; Sport; Culture & Leisure; Environment).

Questions answers

Conclusion

The non profits world is above all about people, about meaning… but in practice there are significant differences between neighborhood associations and local branches, particularly in terms of skills and resources 🍰. How to promote invisible skills and work in society, and empower local residents?