2023-05-08 14:25:20
Each day begins with the same sound, that of steady footsteps treading the gravel. Blue uniforms, red collars and backpacks, at 8 am, dozens of young people line up in the courtyard of the Château de Montry. This April morning, the sun accompanies the solemn daily raising of the flags, ordered by a master of ceremonies. After a ” take care of yourself “ chewed worthy of the army, The Marseillaise pierces the leaden silence and marks the beginning of the morning.
Despite its air of military barracks, the area of Seine-et-Marne is actually an Épide, an establishment for integration into employment. Structure halfway between national education and the army, one of the twenty existing in France, it welcomes young people aged 17 to 25 in a situation of great precariousness, far from employment and, often, the society.
Girls, boys, French or foreign, they are housed, fed and trained and benefit from a stay of several months which aims to facilitate their reintegration into the professional world.
Bringing young people and companies together
A group of young people who arrived at Epide de Montry in January attend a citizenship course on Thursday April 20, 20213 / Nicolas Sénèze
The course in Épide consists of a program of various workshops (sport, remedial school lessons, civic activities, etc.). Everyone benefits from personalized follow-up by a unique educational team, whose objective is to help identify a project and its implementation.
Moreover, the establishments allow direct contact between interns and companies, regularly hosted on campus. « These meetings are essential to make these young people discover the trades to which they can have access, and to open the companies to a public to which they had not envisaged. (to address) »says Marie-Josée Galas, director of the Montry center which welcomes 180 young people.
Recently, the Épide centers have developed a course called ” secure “ with large companies such as Bouygues, McDonald’s or Eiffage. The idea is to propose a step-by-step process – company visits, observation and then immersion courses… – to integrate a company with, at the end, a long-term contract (long fixed-term contract or permanent contract). « This allows the young person to get there little by little, and the company to get to know their potential recruit. »explains Florence Gérard-Chalet, General Manager.
Volunteers “
Kyllian, 20, has benefited from a secure career in the catering-hotel industry. Arrived in Montry a year ago, he is celebrating his departure from the center this weekend. After several internships in Louvre Hotels Group establishments, he set off for Cholet, in Maine-et-Loire, with a permanent contract in his pocket as a versatile agent. « I will definitely come back here »he politely assures the director of the center, with a smile on his face.
As for the strict disciplinary rules, « it’s not to look prettyassures Marie-Josée Galas. This is necessary to make these young people responsible citizens, actors in their lives. » «To the term “recruits”, we prefer that of “volunteers”: they are here because they have chappy to be there”, completes Florence Gérard-Chalet. The uniform trades are also very popular: about 12% of young people who complete the Épide course enter an army establishment.
A stay of nine months to a year
To get here, some have been advised by local Missions or Armed Forces Recruitment and Information Centers (Cirfa); others by word of mouth. On paper, the course proposed in Épide lasts eight months; but the young stay rather between nine months and one year. All receive an allowance of €523 per month.
In all the centres, 60 to 65% of young people who have gone through Épide leave with a long-term job. “And sif we look two years later, we gain 15 points », supports Florence Gérard-Chalet. Of the “already exceptional results for these audiences who haveoften had extremely difficult journeyscomplete Marie-Josée Galas. Some are from child welfare, others were in a situation of wandering, violence…; some have crossed Europe on foot! »
Unemployment: what should be done to achieve full employment in France?
In Montry, out of 100 young people, on average 30 do not go to the end of the course (eight months). « Often because of personal problems that catch up with them: health problems, family duties…concludes the director of the center. Sometimes it’s too difficult for them to get into the rhythm that we impose. While for others, it’s too early: we advise them to come back to see us in several months. But even when they drop out, we know it hasn’t helped them: they’ll get something out of it. »
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