The integration project at the Jesuit Chapel concluded with the renovation of the floor of the Carcassonne building. Supported on several levels by the Amicale Laïque, the eight employees carried out meticulous work to resolve this problem which had become dangerous for the reception of the public.
Job done. Eight employees in professional integration, aged 21 to 40, have just finished renovating the floor of the Jesuit Chapel in Carcassonne. Mandated by the town hall and Patrick Hoffmann (Heritage Department), they were supported in their work by the Amicale Laïque.
The Independent – BOYER Claude
A problem solved
During this work, the employees took care of the stone paths and restored them. “Pebbles had been removed, it made holes. It had to be filled in. When welcoming the public and concerts, it had become dangerous”underlines Alain Samama, their technical supervisor. He explains the work carried out on this paving: “We wedged the stones together. The joints were mounted with lime. We then watered every day for two weeks to harden these joints.”
An important action for a problem resolved as summer begins. Although the activities are varied, these workers, whose gender parity is always sought among them, are mainly responsible for renovating old buildings, meeting the needs of individuals and maintaining green spaces. Other projects, such as a bench in a private home, the Carcassonne aqueduct or even on the site of the Château de Lastours, will punctuate the coming days.
The Independent – BOYER Claude
Social, professional and technical support… to be independent
The eight employees present on this integration project work 26 hours a week, from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. during the summer. But for this, they are accompanied by the Amicale Laïque de Carcassonne. A minibus picks them up from rue de Verdun to take them to the different projects. Then, Alain Samama takes care of helping them “on the ground”, particularly on the technical side, so that they “gain confidence in themselves and sometimes get advice”the aim being to “make them independent”.
This objective is also that of Marie Monteuuis, professional integration advisor within the Amicale Laïque. It provides social and professional support to employees on the integration site, as well as taking charge of the sites on which they work. “I meet with them every two weeks about their professional project. I take care of the administrative procedures for all things in life and their ‘periods of putting them into a professional environment’ (PMSMP, their internship(s), Editor’s note). The internship can confirm what they want to do later. It can also allow me to seek training for them. My goal is to make them independent from businesses.”
