France

Paseo
Residence Charles Gide
5 Impasse Messager
30900
Nimes
Email: info@paseo-asso.org Website: www.paseo-asso.org
Ph: 0033 466847874

PASEO

Paseo was set up in 2006 in Nîmes, in the south of France. It now has 20 Volunteers supporting 20 families. The scheme is run by one paid Coordinator. The project is well established, with a good flow of Volunteers wanting to work with us, and plenty of families wanting to have a volunteer. The scheme, the only Home-Start in France, is hoping to expand to all parts of the town of Nîmes and eventually to other parts of the country.

WHAT PASEO DOES

We assist families with one or more children under five years of age, by fostering the development of a relationship with other parents. The goal is to enable parents to achieve or retrieve their autonomy as parents, and thereby enable the children to grow in good conditions.

There is no intention to replace the many professionals already active with families in difficulty, but rather to develop a type of support which prevents exclusion and maintains social cohesion.

All our volunteers are parents. With their experience, they can offer help, a friendly ear. Visits take place weekly at home for one year. The fact that they are not professionals makes it easier for them to work at the homes of the families.

GENESIS OF THE PROJECT

In 1999, Laurence Relin, living in London, became a volunteer for "Home-Start". Returning to France in 2002, she noticed the lack of family support of this type in France. She decided to set up a project inspired by Home-Start in Nîmes, in southern France.

In 2005, she made a preliminary study towards a Master's degree in Social Development. After completing her training, she formed the Paseo Association and became a member of Home-Start International.

WHO ARE THE PROJECT'S BENEFICIARIES?

Families with at least one child under five years of age, residing in the Pissevin district (populous neighbourhood west of Nîmes, population 14 000). They are isolated, in the sense that they have no families or relations who can help them or to whom they can turn. Added to this isolation are other difficulties, such as anxiety, economic insecurity, marital problems, a death in the family, a broken home, the absence of a parental model, extreme youth, etc.

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