Adie is mobilizing all year round to provide financial support to business creators to bring their projects to life. In the Alpes-Maritimes, the association is calling for the recruitment of volunteers.
They are dynamic, have projects in mind, skills, and a desire to succeed, but lack the financial means to implement them because they do not have access to the traditional banking system. That’s where Adie steps in.
It should be noted that only 21.8% of French households had consumer credit at the end of 2022, according to the Household Credit Observatory (OCM), a decrease of five points since 2019.
The Association for the Right to Economic Initiative was founded in 1989 by economist Maria Nowak. Since then, it has championed the idea that anyone can become an entrepreneur if they wish, no matter where they are or where they come from, with a strong belief in economic integration. In the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, a team of 47 employees and 87 volunteers work daily to meet this challenge.
Adie is looking for 200 volunteers
Financial aid, personal support, training, follow-up, the association offers “the complete range that can allow a person to regain economic independence, move away from social assistance, and meet the basic needs of themselves and their family,” explains Marine Viala, Deputy Regional Director for Alpes-Maritimes/Corse.
Adie is launching a national volunteer recruitment campaign. Its missions can be very varied, so the profiles sought are diverse too: people from banking, accounting, marketing, communication, law backgrounds, with human qualities such as kindness and empathy, and, above all, the desire to commit over the long term.
To explain all the tasks linked to this role, an open day is scheduled in the Maralpin area on September 14. You can attend from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Adie agency in Nice, 8 rue de Russie and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Adie agency in Mandelieu, Parc d’activité de l’Échangeur, allée Maurice Bellonte.
Microcredits up to 15,000 euros
“The association has had the same social purpose from the start: giving people who want to create their own business an opportunity and who may not have the necessary diplomas, network, or money, using just one tool, the accompanied microcredit“, explains the regional director.
These microcredits, up to 15,000 euros, can be granted to project leaders or entrepreneurs already in business. This support can be used to meet various professional needs, such as acquiring equipment or buying stock to start up or boosting their business. Adie is proud of this system’s success: the 3-year business sustainability rate is 83% in the Nice metropolitan area.
80% of businesses in France are created with a budget under 8,000 euros. The average loan granted by Adie is 4,400 euros. Adie also offers microcredits up to 6,000 euros to precarious workers for mobility purposes. This could help with getting a driver’s license or purchasing or repairing a vehicle.
208 project leaders financed in Nice in 2022
Ahmed Hafsa, 24 years old, was able to benefit from Adie’s help. Eager to be independent but lacking the savings to get started, the young man from Nice contacted the association in March 2023 after researching online. He arrived with only a project in mind, without a business plan, or any documents, and was welcomed by Christian Frahi. A volunteer for more than six years at Adie, the retired engineer found that this role gave him a sense of purpose, a way to feel useful, learn from others and add value.
His role is to support aspiring entrepreneurs in the preparatory phase of their projects. He brings all his expertise in project forecasting and budgeting. Technical skills that are nothing without the human qualities needed to be a volunteer at the association.
Ahmed Hafsa wanted to make a living as an online content creator. A challenge for the volunteer, who was used to dealing with more traditional projects in catering or aesthetics. The young man wants to start creating motivational sports videos.
After several coaching sessions with the volunteer, his project became clearer and was financially defined. Thus, Adie agreed to grant him financial assistance of 6,000 euros. Meanwhile, the young man is undergoing training as a sports coach, which reinforces his professional project.
In 2022, within the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur, the association loaned more than 1,250,000 euros to 208 project leaders. Among them, almost a third have an education level below the Baccalaureate, and 19% receive minimum social benefits (including RSA).
