L'Îlot


Using IT to help social reintegration

Launched in 1969 in France, the L'Îlot association was created to help the socially distressed, specifically those who have served time in prison. This organisation tries to help these individuals re-adapt to social life as well as find a job and a place to live.

L' Îlot provides temporary room and board, and support, such as counseling and material goods to help them successfully resolve their problems.

Therefore, the association calls upon several organisations which focus on: guidance, education, employment and accommodation.

  

In order to achieve these goals and afford the use of these organisations, the Steria Foundation-Institut de France was asked to help.

The Foundation's project was to set up an IT workshop, which allowed participants to: look for a job or a place to live using the Internet, facilitate the completion of administrative tasks, improve reading and writing skills, create relationships and avoid isolation via the Internet, These actions contribute to restoring self esteem and creating self value.

 

  

The Steria Foundation-Institut de France made a commitment to L'Îlot
Joëlle, project sponsor for the Foundation and Steria employee:
"When Jean Carteron (Founder of Steria and Vice-president of the Foundation Steria-Institut de France) presented me with the L'Îlot project, suggesting that I take on the role of project sponsor, I didn't have to think twice. This is a great project. When you think of the importance of information technology in our daily lives, which seems to be a necessity, you wonder why we didn't think of this project sooner! When I met with the Ilot volunteers and they told me their needs, I was comforted in the idea that I could help others just as others have helped me," she explained.

The Steria Foundation-Institut de France worked with L'Îlot on four levels:

Financing IT equipment (computers, software and office furniture)

Training the association's volunteers for the animation of the IT workshops (office programs and Internet), in which two IT instructors were trained.

Co-animation for the IT workshops (defining the PC components; Windows, Excel, Internet and e-mail applications; back-up and restoration)

Physical security of the computer lab

L'Îlot Evolves
In 2005, the L'Îlot association has become an experimental centre for ex-prison inmates equiped with an electronic bracelet.

For further information contact Dominique Lambert: dominique.lambert@fondationsteria.org