“Assises des Centers Sociaux in Agen: Strengthening Social Cohesion and Addressing New Demands”

The solidarity department of the city of Agen organised, on 4 and 5 May at the Agora, the first Assises des centers socials with the main objective of strengthening the effectiveness of these social cohesion tools.

These meetings, set up in the space of a few weeks on the eve of the renewal of the social project contracts (2023-2026) have undoubtedly been a great success. 120 participants, representatives of various institutions and associations including neighborhood councils but also elected municipal officials and, of course, the management of the three social centers of the city, worked on Friday afternoon during thematic workshops. On Saturday morning, their restitution allowed different actors to express themselves in order to identify the main issues facing social centers and the new demands they will have to meet in the near future. During the restitution, the mayor, Jean Dionis du Séjour, did not fail to recall some sociological realities of the city of Agen: the Agenais have modest resources, they are young (more than 30% aged 15-30 in certain neighborhoods) and many of them are isolated whether they are students, the elderly or single mothers.

The place of young people and the new governance

Among the four themes chosen for the workshops, the one concerning youth, which must find its full place at the heart of city policy, best represents this “change of gear”, to use the expression of the sociologist Boris Teruel who coordinated the seated. Integrating young citizens into existing bodies seems to be a priority. Whether by creating a municipal council of young people or simply by promoting exchanges that would allow them to meet their expectations. “Today the social centers are more oriented towards the elderly than towards the young. We must first think of the young people”, insisted the mayor of Agen.

Partnership and territorial cooperation

In a more general way, a new governance which would involve the inhabitants even in the management of the projects and unanimously desired by all the actors of the social field.

The other very strong message that emerges from these meetings is the essential direction that the social centers must take, henceforth associated with all the social projects of the territories. Exchanges must be multiplied between the social centers and between them and the various institutions, associations and target audiences. A real social project for the territory must see the light of day.

The fourth theme raised was parenthood. How to meet the needs and expectations of parents who are often overstretched, who find it difficult to access their rights, who are faced with financial problems but also with access to care or mobility? Creating a link between the structures should make it possible to reach a public, sometimes invisible, which also evokes, a recent phenomenon, a climate of insecurity.

These meetings allowed meetings and saw the birth of cooperation projects. “This is a high point of rupture”, dared to affirm Boris Teruel. There will have been, one can be convinced by seeing the commitment of the various actors, a before and after the meetings for the social centers.