Focus on Multi Services Développement
Promoting the integration of young people in difficulty through shipbuilding.
Dominique Grandjonc, GM Novotel Lyon Part-Dieu
The ”Voil’Avenir” programme is run two by French associations:
- Multi Services Développement (MSD), which was created in 1988, helps people in difficulty (unemployed people, unqualified youth, etc.) by facilitating their professional integration or reintegration. It welcomes these people in the framework of integration projects. MSD is sponsor of the Voil’Avenir programme.
- Watever, which was created in 2010 by the naval architect Marc Van Peteghem, brings assistance to poor populations living near oceans and rivers by researching and implementing technical solutions tailored to their social, economic and climatic situations. Watever is in charge of engineering (catamaran drawings, models, technical expertise) for the Voil’Avenir programme. The latter represents a technical challenge for the association since this is the first time it has made a boat for disabled people.
From November 2011, 16 young people are helping build 2 catamarans facilitating sailing for disabled people (quadriplegics and paraplegics).
This programme therefore has two objectives:
- to train young people in difficulty to acquire new skills (joinery, electricity, plumbing, naval industry, etc.) and so facilitate their integration into the job market;
- facilitate sailing for disabled people by building specially-designed catamarans.
The programme is divided into two 6-month projects (8 young people per project). During these projects, training alternates between catamaran-building (with technical supervision), academic classes (French, mathematics) and sailing sessions. The youngsters also participate in a qualifying sandwich training programme.
Over the 6-month period, the young people are also accompanied by an advisor with whom they can discuss their personal issues (housing, health, integration, etc.). After the project is over, the young people will be assisted for 1 year with their job integration.
