A social living space project in Najak

With many residents and representatives of the Najac associations, Estelle Gérard, founder of the “Les Petitous de Najac” association, is working to create a social living space (EVS), with consent issued by the Family Allowance Fund (cif).

The aim is to stimulate a structure by and for the residents of the area around the animation of social life: cultural, leisure, sports, festive activities, services and mutual assistance of the residents.

Café and Ouest Aveyron are co-piloting this project within the framework of the Global Regional Convention (CTG) in which the association participated.

Escalate needs

“For more than a year, we have been experimenting with different forms of operations and types of activities related to social life by creating Petit instead, installed in the former private school of Najac, which we have rehabilitated in collaboration with our association The Petitous of Najac”explains Estelle. And since September, it has held weekly activities for children and adults (with or without children), parenting workshops, occasional activities given by the residents on a voluntary basis, performances, training exercises and the Festival of Young Wizards on Halloween …

“We have a full time staff member since September who coordinates all activities offered by the residents, associations and professionals of Le Petit Lieu”She continues. But it is now a matter of expanding this project in order to integrate it into a more global reflection on a regional scale. For this, and for several weeks, many actors of local social life in Najac were consulted. Then, the EVS Project Group was born. “We are now at the stage of regional diagnosis (at the level of the former Ngac Canton), according to her analysis, in order to provide additional activities and services to improve local social life and facilitate mutual assistance. Between associations and structures, we want to find out the real needs of the population, associations, professional structures, merchants and communities and also determine what is Already exists.

Proceeding from the premise that it is necessary to consult everyone and be able to express themselves because their answers will lead to the axes for the development of the space of social life. “We do not want to be a small group of people who imagine luxury in place of others, we would rather like everyone to have the opportunity to put forward their needs and also what is already there so that we can offer entertainment and services that meet their needs. Real expectations of as many, while continuing integration”, Slide Estelle Gerard.

To do this, a questionnaire was sent to residents’ mailboxes in early May. Other, more specific surveys will be sent to associations, regional municipal structures and merchants via e-mail.