France

A deep distrust among youth in the suburbs of French cities is increasingly leading to radicalisation. Our trustbuilding work aims to integrate and prevent further radicalisation of French youth through workshops and civic initiatives.

Why is trust needed?

Many young people suffer from identity crises, frustration with the education system, and difficulty imagining their future. They do not feel accepted and respected by French society. This lack of belonging causes a negative ripple effect in the community.

At the end of 2005, youth violence exploded in France, which lasted several weeks. Since then, the desire to confront society has led to a dramatic increase in radicalisation, with hundreds of young people who have left France to join Daesh/ISIS in Syria.

How is trust built?

Black female youth smiles and reaches out to the camera

Empowering youth as citizens

Each workshop cycle in a school ends with a civic project as a way for young people to add value to their local community.

French youth listen to a facilitator speak outdoors

Establishing trust between youth and authorities

There is tension between youth and authority figures such as police in migrant and low-income communities in Paris. Through open dialogues, mutual understanding is created.

Impact to date

The team's work has reached over 1,500 young people directly through 977 workshops delivered in educational institutions in the suburbs of Paris and two summer camp-style forums, bringing young people from different schools together.

We measure their work in numbers (quantitative) and stories (qualitative).

'Oui Act knows how to make us understand important things through photos, videos, or how they spoke with us. They always explained things very well, which surprised me because not many organisations know how to do that.'
~ Student

'I saw a shift in my classroom; now the students listen to each other, and there is cohesion. They learn how to debate and get to know each other.'
~ Madame Bertrand, teacher.