Installed in the common living room of her establishment in Deux-Sèvres, Madeleine Clochard, 91, chats with Kofi , originally from Guinea. By holding his hand, and not without asking him “ to speak louder », she gives him the recipe for the lentils she prepared for dinner. “ It’s going very well, they are all very friendly
», summarizes the nonagenarian, attentive to everyone. « When I’m with my grandmothers, I think of my parents and it’s good for me », confides Kofi. “ We greet each other, we chat: grandmas, they are so nice », agrees Seydou. Same echo from the “grandmas” side. “ It changes daily life a little, but in a good way: young people are very kind and bring life e,” smiles Micheline Debordes. “
Some still have difficulty with the language. But we speak with our hands and we still understand each other!
», assures Roselyne Guyonnet. Single cohabitation in France This intergenerational collective has existed for five months in Sciecq. A unique cohabitation in France and beneficial for all. “ Over time, affinities are created. There are informal meetings, shared activities and themed meals during the holidays », explains Magali Desvignes, coordinator of the residence. “
Coming from Central Asia and Africa, these young people with complicated backgrounds, traumatic for some, find a cocoon here. Without family, they are looking for connections and have in their culture the respect of the ancestor
», Develops Olivier Orain, head of the Youth Support Mission at the Department. All are educated in Niort colleges, and supported in their daily lives by two educators. Housing was vacant Owned by the Association for the Coordination of Home Care and Help, the Vignes residence had vacant housing, with a low occupancy rate. “ We were in the process of selling the establishment », recalls René Bauruel, president and departmental advisor. In partnership with the association, the Department of Deux-Sèvres, in charge of unaccompanied minors, then imagined the creation of this intergenerational residence, an alternative to welcoming young people in hotels, in compliance with the Taquet law. This “
pilot project
» makes it possible to pool human and material resources, while forging links between generations and life paths.
The ambition is to duplicate this innovative cohabitation in the Deux-Sévrian region. In September, a new one should see the light of day. And the model can serve as an example: it is already arousing interest among other communities.First name changed.
