Coeur de Lozère grants exceptional aid to leisure centers without accommodation in Mende

Les accueils de jour sont indispensables à Mende. Illustration Midi Libre – MICHAEL ESDOURRUBAILH

The community granted a grant of 15,000 euros; in Maxi'Mômes and Alisée on the occasion of its community council, on Wednesday February 21.

The two leisure centers without accommodation (ALSH) in Mende – Maxi’Mômes, managed by the Lozère Education League; and Alisée, managed by the Association for Youth Works (ALOJ) – encountered major financial difficulties at the start of 2024. The two establishments were threatened with closure, which would have had significant repercussions for the parents of children cared for by these ALSH. In fact, these structures welcome children during after-school hours and during vacations.

15,000 € help

To support them economically, the Cœur de Lozère community of communes voted, Wednesday February 21, 2024, to pay exceptional financial aid of 15,000 € for the 2023 financial year for each of the two managing associations. "The ALSH present a chronic and structural deficit, explains Laurent Suau, president of the community. It's complicated in terms of funding but also in terms of personnel management. We have to help them get their heads above water."

Emmanuelle Soulier, opposition advisor, has the impression that the situation repeats itself every year. And she questions: "Why the Lozère Education League is having big difficulties at the Chalet and with the ALSH while the League at the national level is holding up well? Laurent Suau retorts: "It's not up to me to put the League of Justice on trial; teaching on its management." 

At the end of the discussions, only Emmanuelle Soulier and Bruno Portal (by proxy given to the former) abstained from voting for the payment of this aid.