Flagship program of the organization Unis-Cité, “Les Médiaterre” are young people in Civic Service who have taken up the challenge of bringing ecology and energy management to the Pasteur, Moulins, and Ariane neighborhoods.
To achieve this, they raise families’ awareness of sustainable development by offering them daily support to help them reduce their energy consumption.
In Nice, 16 young people aged 18 to 25, from all backgrounds and educational levels, are participating in this project. EDF has partnered with the Urban Community of Nice Côte d’Azur, the General Council of the Alpes Maritimes, and Côte d’Azur Habitat to support them and is committed to accompanying them in their missions.
Thus, “Les Médiaterre” organize an energy-saving workshop directly with the beneficiaries of the social grocery Dialogues. With the help of EDF’s Solidarity division, the volunteers will demonstrate eco-friendly actions that lead to energy savings, and will offer individual support afterwards, lasting until June.
-Unis-Cité is one of the pioneering organizations of Civic Service in France. Present in about thirty cities in France, it has already mobilized more than 6,000 volunteers and is mobilizing 1,600 for the year 2010-2011.
The Civic Service model proposed by Unis-Cité brings together young people from all social and cultural backgrounds and educational levels, who work in teams on various missions in response to the social and environmental needs of their territory.
Unis-Cité recruits its volunteers based on their motivation and ability to commit to teamwork over the long haul.
A Civic Service volunteer receives a monthly allowance of €540, including €100 in kind (food, transportation, etc.). They also benefit from social protection and the counting of their engagement quarters toward retirement. www.uniscite.fr
-The Dialogues association was created in 1994 based on the simple idea of helping people facing exclusion. Since 2004, the social grocery store in the Pasteur neighborhood has enabled the most disadvantaged to choose their groceries in order to eat properly with a variety of products, including fresh fruits and vegetables. The grocery supports 110 families and fosters social connections through its warm welcome and free access to a clothing and toy closet. The association promotes a participatory approach to returning to autonomy through the workshops offered at the grocery store, including the “Médiaterre” program. www.epicerie-sociale-dialogues.fr
