30 years of helping young people integrate on the coast in Vendée

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The time of the retirement rang for Véronique Cantinthe emblematic director of the Local Mission Vendée Atlantique. Back with her on a rich 30-year career dedicated to young people and their professional integration on the Vendée coast in particular. A mission that she has seen evolve.

Journal des Sables: How did this 30-year career within the Local Mission begin?

Véronique Cantin: I arrived in 1994 at the town hall of Sables-d'Olonne. At the time, the municipal service was twofold: there was the youth information point and the youth point which already provided individualized support for 16-25 year olds.

Then, a five-year law asked these youth points and National Education to form an association and the PAIOs were born (Information and orientation reception centers). It was on this occasion that I became the director of this associative structure. At the time, we covered the Community of communes of Olonnes, Talmondais, Auzance and Vertonne, the Community of communes of Saint-Gilles and Atlancia.

Then a new law intervened wanting to simplify the structuring of the PAIO network and thus the Local Mission was born in September 2003, bringing together the PAIOs of Sables-d’Olonne and Challans. A merger that went very well. It was a beautiful union.

Can you explain the role of a Local Mission?

We are here to support young people up to 25 years old in daily life, the development of projects for get them into employment and keep them therein collaboration with businesses.

There is also the aspect “ community service “. We can contribute to studies, diagnoses, prevention… The Local Mission is also a territory of experimentation and research. We welcome researchers, we promotes the knowledge of young people.

For example, the last study in which we participated concerned the relationship of young people to work in order to assess the relevance of the “youth engagement contract” system. All this comes nourish public policies.

You have spent three decades in contact with these young people looking for a professional path. What developments have you observed?

A multiplication of devices! And some of these systems are distorted from their primary mission, which is to help young people build their skills in order to access employment. Today, the priority is directly access to work. By skipping steps, we risk missing out.

Especially since we encounter a generation that suffered greatly from confinement. We see a lot of mental fragility. Covid disrupted an important period of school learning but also of life in society.

And then, the information flows to which they are exposed are quite harmful. There are no more filters in communication. Result: we are making this population extremely vulnerable.

In Vendée, we are lucky, this youth is not explosive. She wants to work, to move forward. But they need to give them the keys to making them strong adults. And that’s ultimately the heart of our business.

You are leaving at a difficult time for Local Missions with budget cuts announced…

Yes but we expected it. We had already anticipated a little by reducing the workforce. We suspected that whatever it took would one day stop. We are indeed experiencing staffing cuts. The Region, for example, ends its aid without notice. This still represented 8% of the Local Mission's budget… We know that state aid will also decrease but we do not yet have the amounts.

What satisfactions do you take away when putting an end to this rich career?

In connection with these developments, over time, we have decided towelcome more and more parents. It fills a need and it’s pretty cool. We also redeveloped collective times.

I also remember the golden age of jobs of the futurea great device. We made lace to help young people who were very far from employment. It's a system that struck me because it was positive for everyone, young people as well as businesses.

Another big source of satisfaction for me is the team's ability to constantly adapt. When there were lockdowns, we reinvented the Local Mission! We didn't let go of a single young person.

Otherwise, I would also mention the job dating in the Atlantes which we filled with many companies (87 during the last edition), the first career forum through gesture, the creation of a psychologist position… Actions carried out by the territory for the territory and who made things happen.

I am also happy with the ever-renewed confidence of local elected officials. We receive support and it feels good.

Finally, what's nice is the real connections that are created with these young people. Some come back a few years later to introduce us to their babies, others come back to ask us for advice on a home loan…

And now, what are your plans?

Read the stacks of books on my dresser and eat breakfast until late! And then take care of my family. I have two granddaughters who just ask for that. It is also a very noble mission that I will fulfill with great pleasure.

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