Belgium/Young and committed: when summer jobs become meaningful
At the height of the summer season, many young people are swapping traditional jobs in supermarkets or fast-food outlets for work experience in the community. A choice that combines remuneration and positive social impact, revealing a generation more concerned with giving meaning to their first steps in the world of work.
"I wanted a job with meaning".
"I think it's fabulous to enable people who don't have the use of their legs to get some fresh air and take a walk in the woods", testified Marie-Claire, preferring a job "with meaning" rather than in a supermarket. Her experience illustrates a growing trend among young people to look for seasonal jobs that match their values.
In Wallonia, the "Été Solidaire" program has been transforming the very concept of the summer job for three decades. Paid €8 net per hour, these young people discover that their value is measured not just by their purchasing power, but by their ability to positively transform their environment.
More than just a livelihood
Beyond the financial aspect, these summer work experiences offer young people immersion in the world of work , while enabling them to make a concrete commitment to civic actions that have a direct impact on their community. The skills acquired - punctuality, responsibility, teamwork - are complemented by deeper learning about empathy and solidarity.This year, the participating towns and municipalities received €1,390,480 in subsidies to enable 2,483 young people, at least 50% of whom are in vulnerable situations, to work in July and August.
The ASBL Volont'R offers a different approach, supervising young people from the age of 17 in relational volunteer missions. Clémentine, 17, did an observation placement at the Libramont hospital: "I'm here to help others, but also to discover the different hospital professions."
The human element at the heart of the experience
Emma, also a volunteer in pediatrics, emphasizes the human dimension of her commitment: "Sometimes you get attached to people, to moms. It also made me realize that after childbirth, it's not that easy, that it's not all rosy and pretty."
These initiatives build bridges between worlds that rarely rub shoulders: young and old, working-class neighborhoods and public institutions. "It gives a bit of life back," sums up Marc, 68, a beneficiary of these initiatives, underlining the importance of the intergenerational dialogue that takes place.
Repairing" the social fabric
The originality of these programs lies in their social experimentation dimension. Without fanfare, they enable young people to develop an awareness of citizenship through practice rather than theory. Hélène Errembault of ASBL Volont'R explains : "We welcome people of all ages, but we really target young people and the opportunity for them to discover that they can get involved in society."
Every year, thousands of young people form an invisible network of "repairers" of the social fabric, transforming work experience into a school of citizenship, and pocket money into a vehicle for collective emancipation. Far from the clichés of disengaged youth, these initiatives demonstrate that, given the right framework, teenagers are ready to get involved in building a more caring society, while preparing for their professional future.
Source: www.rtbf.be/
