Description of organisation

The “résidences Habitat Jeunes” in the French seaboard city of La Rochelle is a halfway house operated by the “Association Horizon Habitat Jeunes”, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1922 for the purpose of providing affordable downtown housing, laundry facilities, recreational activities and other support services to low income youth of both sexes; residents include students, interns, jobseekers and casual laborers who have enrolled in job training programs, aged 16 to 25 yrs (cut-off age is 30). Our annual turnover is 300 residents.
Over the years, the “associations Habitat Jeunes” (ex Foyer de Jeunes Travailleurs, FJT) typically hosted youth craftsmen and apprentices from out of town, but recent erosion of the job market has diversified the population of residents to include the local jobless, casual laborers, work/study trainees, youth from broken homes and others.
The association Horizon Habitat Jeunes of La Rochelle accommodates up to about 150 youth. The average stay is currently six months but runs from a few weeks to several months.
The aim of the association is to provide youth a bridge between living at home with parents and becoming a self-supporting member of society as well as to help them secure optimum possible housing when they move out.
The association has additional functions:

It is a forum for cross-cultural encounter and dialogue as well as racial and socio-economic integration where youth can express their specific personalities and ethnic identities.
It is a place that teaches civic spirit and the values of modern democratic society.
It is a place to meet new people and find a friendly ear in residents, staff and other youth or adults.
It is a place for convivial socializing.

The association Horizon optimizes its fundamental project goal of fraternization among youth of different ethnic and socio-economic origins by drawing on a set of basic moral values which include tolerance, mutual help and respect for others by learning to understand them.

Thus, “Horizon Habitat Jeunes” performs the following for its residents:
Provides housing and related services that are affordable to low-income youth
Provides follow-up and social counseling tailored to individual needs
Organizes group activities to broaden personal horizons and increase general knowledge

In order to implement this project, the association has two residences offering accommodations furnished with fully equipped corner suite shower room (sink, shower, WC). On the other hand, various services are implemented for the residents of the two residences:
Support facilities include the following:
Laundry room
PC room with Internet access and standard office software
Music rehearsal studio
Activity and entertainment rooms
Garden and recreational area for socializing

The association is run by an administrative council composed of voluntary administrators, members of the association and two elected representatives from the local authorities (the town of La Rochelle and the Council of the Department).

Horizon Association is networking with other associations and government agencies in its neighborhood, city and metropolitan area, e.g. welfare bureau, cultural centre, city theater, cinemas, youth hostels and social services.

“Horizon Habitat Jeunes” is a member of the Regional Habitat Jeunes Union for Poitou-Charentes, which totals 19 club groups. The staff of theses members associations meet regularly to set up and coordinate group projects covering the entire region. Horizon Habitat Jeunes is also a member of the National Habitat Jeunes Union, which has 450 members nationwide.