A new home for a “new lease of life” at Avenir Jeunesse

Alix Pratlong, directrice, récupère les clefs de la présidente sortante, Muriel Allègre. MIDI LIBRE – Eva Bonnet-Gonnet

L’association, qui œuvre à l’accompagnement et l’insertion des jeunes, a inauguré ce mercredi 19 juin son nouveau siège social. Installé allée de Cendras, Alès, il permet de soulager le travail des médiateurs.

It will be called the House of the Two Cedars. Until now, the Avenir Jeunesse association, a major player in social mediation since 1987 in the Alesian basin, was deprived of a head office. After long months of research and administrative battle, Avenir Jeunesse received, this Wednesday, June 19, the keys to its new building acquired at 9 allée des Cèdres.

With a garden, rehabilitated offices, meeting rooms, intimate meeting places, this structure, placed at the crossroads of the intervention sectors of Avenir Jeunesse , will allow "to give a second wind" to the association.“These offices allow us to re-establish ourselves in the heart of the territory, to give more accessibility to the young people with whom we work, and will relieve us, explains Alix Pratlong, director of the association since 2017. Interviews with young people, until today, were done in fast food restaurants, in cafes, in some cases in cars. Now there is a private meeting place, more reassuring for young people, and a place where we, the staff, can also meet."

Local elected officials and volunteers inaugurated the building. FREE NOON – Eva Bonnet-Gonnet

An essential work for young people

Mayors and various elected officials of the territory, but also volunteers and social workers of the association, were, on this occasion, keen to recall the importance and usefulness of their missions on a daily basis. "Avenir Jeunesse are not service providers, but partners […] assured Amal Couvreur, departmental advisor and regional, microphone in hand, on the occasion of the inauguration. Your action is essential […] Together, we will continue to watch over the most deprived [… ;] I beg you, don't give up."

Watching over young people, Salima Aissaoui, a specialist educator, knows the measures, the difficulties, and the satisfaction, too. A new house is a small step for the association, but the bulk of the work, that of the field, will not be relieved, although the staff is at full strength. < /em>