Anne-Marie Ferrandez, director of France Travail Béziers Courondelle: “We have decided to feminize our sponsorship system”

Anne-Marie Ferrandez dirige France Travail Béziers Courondelle. Antonia Jimenez – ML

On October 1, France Travail Béziers Courondelle is launching “Marraine’Oc”, its new support system for job seekers in the area.

Can you present the new France Travail Béziers Courondelle Marraine’Oc system ?
We wanted to feminize the sponsorship that already exists at France Travail at the national level. Namely, a business leader who supports a candidate, on a voluntary basis, in order to facilitate their return to sustainable employment.

By what means ?
By providing its professional network and advice in its procedures. The France Travail advisor will however continue to follow the candidate. Marraine’Oc therefore proposes the same system but, this time, the business leaders are only women.

Why such a choice?
We realized that our sponsorship system affected the vast majority of male business leaders. Furthermore, being myself invested in gender equality at the departmental level at France Travail, I proposed to the women of Medef and the Zonta service club, with whom I work regularly, a partnership to become sponsors of our users.

How many female business leaders responded to the call?
For the moment, about twenty, in Béziers, the Biterrois, the Agathois… from all professional sectors. We are also organizing the first meeting between godmothers and godchildren on October 1st, at France Travail Courondelle, around a breakfast.

Who is this system for??
Candidates of all ages facing integration difficulties, who lack personal and professional networks. These candidates may be long-term job seekers or people who have just arrived in the territory and are therefore unfamiliar with the economic fabric.

What is the program for this morning of October 1st??This will be an initial contact. We wanted this friendly meeting over coffee. The godchildren will receive their follow-up booklet where they can already set their appointments with their godmother.

And then?
The duos will have to meet at least once a month for a period of six months. A final group meeting will then take place at France Travail Courondelle to review these six months, on March 11.

What do you hope for Marraine’Oc ?
I hope to remain optimistic and that all the sponsored children have found work in this time frame. It is entirely achievable.