Association Montagne Emploi Sud

description of organisation

The « Association Montagne Emploi Sud – AMESUD » - has been set up in 1988 in South Ardèche (south France), on the initiative of farmers, crafts people, shop keepers and teachers who shared their ressources and skills to encourage the creation and preservation of professional activities in their rural environment.
Noting the difficulty for the inhabitants to find a job locally or to maintain an economic activity,
the association is committed to helping people settle and work in rural environments through bringing people together, mutual assistance, informing and training to all forms of activity.
It aims for the economic, social and cultural development of Ardèche and the rural world as a whole. AMESUD offers a wide range of means to people desiring to "move to and work in Sud Ardèche".
30 years later, the goal has remained the same.
It is recognised as a hub for the activities' creation and development, for employment, citizen projects, social and solidarity economy, by inhabitants, projects' developers as well as local authorities and territorial agents.
With a team of 21 multidisciplinary experts, it has become a key role player in communities territorial activities in southern Ardèche. The diversity of people concerned (inhabitants, young people, job seekers, beneficiairies of social benefits...) together with proximity support enable AMESUD to remain in line with territory realities; thus enjoying a sharp and up-to-date knowledge of the challenges and needs faced by territories.

AMESUD actions rely on methodologies considering the potentials of the territory and implying the participation of all people and partners involved. The Association has been encouraging collective approach and therefore participating to the stakeholders network. It ensures an inclusive development of the territories as per popular education ways. Our support entails a global approach of the individual, taking into consideration one's project as much as one's background and ressources. We are acting as 'facilitators' to help each person carry through with one's objectives, thanks to an educational process aiming at "implementing together" rather than "implementing in the name of". We thus make sure that our projects developers become autonomous, in both personal or collective initiatives. Due attention is equally paid to social and cultural diversity of all projects we promote.


AMESUD operates around four clusters of activity : a youth and citizenship hub, the support of the promotion to the social and solidarity economy, proximity services entailing an employment development and the creation of all types of activity. AMESUD manages a house of services to the public and a digital space. It is also recognized as a training organization and offers various training courses: training for voluntary associations, training for professional purposes in its fields of expertise and an 8-month "entrepreneur of the social economy and sustainable development" certification training course.

Our annual activities in 2020 :
1/ 98 people made aware of citizenship and social and solidarity economy issues
- 2 “Entreprendre Autrement” discovery trail in partnership with local structures - 37 participants (18 - 30 years old)
- 4 collective citizenship awareness sessions - 61 participants
2/ 1,749 people and structures supported
- 35 social and solidarity economy project leaders
- 17 participants in the collective support around the creation of a "catering, world cuisine" activity in Le Teil
- 38 young people and 24 structures supported in civic service and 8 in European mobility - 2 departures
- 180 people or structures received in individual and collective interviews (336) on employment, entrepreneurship and the employer function.
- 883 people received - 1,176 administrative procedures
- 596 entrepreneurs or project leaders supported
3/ 98 people trained
. 42 participants in training courses for association volunteers
. 16 participants for the initiation course for the 2021 certification training
. 17 participants in the "gateway to employment" collective action.