France/ Défi association immerses migrants in local life at La Roche-sur-Yon
Several associations offer French language courses to refugees in La Roche-sur-Yon. Such is the case of Défi. Focus.
In La Roche-sur-Yon, several associations already offer French language courses to migrants.
DÉFI (Découvrir échanger en français en situation Interculturelle) has opted for a different, less conventional approach: offering immersion in social life to encourage appropriation of the environment and rules of life in France.
In June 2022, their first concern was to establish themselves in local community centers. Pont-Morineau and Liberté were the first to be approached. And not just to provide a meeting room.
Right from the start, we were concerned that group members should break out of their isolation and become part of the public attending programmed events. They helped prepare last year's end-of-year meal, which was attended by around a hundred guests.
Marianne Peneau, co-founder of the Défi association
Working in partnership
Co-founders of Défi with Françoise Thomas-Leprètre, they both had ten years' voluntary service with Cimade, as French language workshop leaders.
Their inspiration for this project came from these sociolinguistic workshops , which originated in the late 1960s.
Since then, these workshops have been structured around a frame of reference in 2016.
A wide-ranging partnership has been set up. Contacts have been made with social workers from the Conseil départemental and the Vista association, who are close to people who might be interested.
The economic integration sector was also involved, with the Graine d'ID local authority, Inserim, Ménage service and France Travail...
Culture has not been forgotten, with the media libraries, Le Concorde cinema and the Scène nationale du Grand R, which have been approached on several occasions.
Integrating migrants into city activities
Once set up, the group of around 15 migrants meets four half-days a week from Tuesday to Friday, from late September to June.
The intensive nature and continuity of the work ensure progress in the migrants' ability to understand and be understood in everyday life.
Participants regularly work inside a room. But the main aim is to expose them to the outside world as much as possible.
Around ten volunteers take it in turns to spend a morning with each pair. Expressing themselves orally and in writing, discovering social spaces, getting involved in local life, acquiring eco-gestures on a daily basis, designing and carrying out a culinary project, preparing for and finding a job...
Has the association achieved the objectives it set itself at the last Annual General Meeting?
Projects for tomorrow
The answers will be given at the meeting to be held at 7pm on September 19 at the Maison de quartier du Pont-Morineau.
As of now, in addition to extending to other neighborhood centers, a new ambition is emerging.
We'd like to expand a project that is currently only experimental: working in partnership with teachers to help migrant parents get their children into school.
Françoise Thomas-Leprètre, co-founder of the Défi association
More volunteers will be welcome.
Source: actu.fr/
