Zara Boutayeb elected to the presidency of the School of the 2nd Chance Nice Côte d’Azur

Zara Boutayeb has been elected president of the School of the 2nd Chance Nice Côte d’Azur. The 17th deputy mayor of Nice, in charge of women’s rights, wishes to continue the development of this structure that supports young people far from employment in the Alpes-Maritimes.

The School of the 2nd Chance Nice Côte d’Azur (E2C Nice Côte d’Azur) is opening a new chapter. Meeting on July 20, 2026, the association’s board of directors elected Zara Boutayeb to its presidency.

This appointment comes in continuity with the missions carried out by the institution since its creation. The E2C Nice Côte d’Azur supports young people aged 16 to 25 without qualifications or holding a CAP, BEP or baccalaureate, but far from employment. The proposed pathway is based on personalized support combining remedial education, skills development, periods of immersion in business and building a professional project.

Zara Boutayeb is also elected 17th deputy mayor of Nice, in charge of women’s rights, within the municipality led by Eric Ciotti. A former model turned to the world of art, Zara Boutayeb is also the wife of Jean-Pierre Rivère, former president of OGC Nice.

In taking the presidency of the association, Zara Boutayeb intends to continue the School of the 2nd Chance’s commitment to professional integration: “The School of the 2nd Chance is much more than a training organization: it is a place where young people regain confidence, reveal their talents and find a future perspective. I am happy to be able to support this wonderful collective dynamic alongside administrators, teams, partner companies and all stakeholders committed to inserting young people in our territory.” The stated objective remains to strengthen bridges between young people, businesses and economic actors in the Alpes-Maritimes.

Each year, the E2C Nice Côte d’Azur supports over 200 young people thanks to a network of economic, institutional and associative partners mobilized to promote access to employment, apprenticeship or qualifying training.

Over 1,000 young people supported since 2019

This new governance comes in a context where the integration of young people remains a major issue. According to figures provided by the association, the unemployment rate for 15-24 year-olds reached 21.5% in France in 2025. In the Alpes-Maritimes, 17.3% of 20-24 year-olds are no longer in school and have a low level of qualification, a proportion slightly higher than the metropolitan average.

For Ronan Souquet, director of E2C Nice Côte d’Azur, this new presidency should allow the continuation of the actions undertaken: “The arrival of Mrs. Zara Boutayeb to the presidency is a strong signal for our structure. Her commitment to young people and her knowledge of stakeholders in the territory will be valuable assets to continue our development, strengthen our partnerships with businesses and continue to offer young people demanding, innovative and profoundly human support.” The structure wishes in particular to consolidate links with companies in order to meet the needs of sectors that are recruiting while offering more opportunities to young people.

Member of the E2C France network, which brings together 152 school sites, E2C Nice Côte d’Azur is based on two sites in the Alpes-Maritimes (at 52 Avenue Denis Semeria and at 455 Promenade des Anglais, editor’s note) and has been welcoming trainees since 2019. Over 1,000 young people have entered a program within the structure since its opening. According to the data provided, 60% of trainees subsequently left for employment, training or apprenticeship.