Want to leave Île-de-France ? The Émile program helps you settle in Lozère

Laëtitia Plo, Frédéric Salvetti and their manager Frédéric Merel are in charge of the Emile program in Lozère. – DR

For almost five years, the Émile program has been repeated in Lozère. It allows people in poor housing situations in Île-de-France to settle in departments where access to social housing and employment is easier. Laëtitia Plo and Frédéric Salvetti, from the Aurore association, are in charge of support.

Launched in 2019 by the Interministerial Delegation for Accommodation and Access to Housing, the Émile program is dedicated to people in poor housing situations in Île-de-France, and recently in Lyon. Nine French departments are members of the program.

In Lozère, Laëtitia Plo and Frédéric Salvetti, employees of the Aurore association, are in charge of this program. The Aurore association deals with various issues related to health, employment and housing.

They support users from the beginning to the end of their process: diagnosis, proposals, immersion stay, job interview, new accommodation and even moving.

On average, from the moment candidates contact the structures in Île-de-France, they are settled after six months.“Once they have done their immersion and they have the position, often a month and a half or two go by before they settle in. It goes relatively quickly”, explains the social support officer.

Providing a service to the department

The installation does not only take place in Mende, the objective being also to provide a service to the host department. Laëtitia Plo and Frédéric Salvetti study each case. They make proposals based on the needs of the territory. “In Lozère, we need people who arrive”, laments the business relations manager.

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In addition, the program is not only dedicated to single people. The move can even concern entire families. In this type of case, Laëtitia Plo takes care of the procedures for registering children at school, for example.“It depends on the needs of the people. Sometimes it can concern medical care, the CAF… explains Frédéric Salvetti. We make sure that they have as little to think about as possible to start their work and their new life.”

“It's true that leaving everything behind is no small thing. It's a huge step in their lives, that's why we organize an immersion stay to discover the area, before they commit”, adds Laëtitia Plo. The latter assures that after each immersion, the users she met were always ready to settle down. In 2024, twelve people moved thanks to the Émile program.

“That they want to come”

“In Paris, poor housing affects a lot of people.”However, if users leave some difficulties specific to the Île-de-France, they find others when they arrive in Lozère. “Upstream, we explain to them the difficulties they may encounter and what we are putting in place to remedy them. We explain the advantages and disadvantages of each territory so that they can choose their department as best as possible. We want them to want to come, and not be disappointed”, affirms Frédéric Salvetti.

And it works. Of all the installations that have taken place since the duo took office, only two people have left the department. “Ultimately, even if there are other difficulties here, people are better off here.”

The sectors of activity in which users are hired are quite broad: supermarkets, medical sector, truck drivers, catering, etc. Depending on people's CVs, the program also allows them to be directed towards training, “if we realize that it will be complicated to find them a job directly.”

Even after settling in, the two employees stay in touch with the new Lozère residents. “It's not always easy, especially for people who are alone. We are their only point of reference. We allow them to create a bond”, concludes Laëtitia Plo.

Contact: programme.emile@ares-association.fr or 06 26 65 04 83.