In Lyon, the Métropole and Emmaüs provide computers to precarious young people
Bruno Bernard, president of the Métropole and Victor Baysang-Michelin, regional manager of emmaus connect. © Nathan Chaize
This Thursday, October 20, the Emmaüs association officially launched its program to fight against the digital divide in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, called LaCollecte.tech. In the Metropolis of Lyon, approximately 20,000 young people do not have a computer.
Access to rights, bank account, health insurance, job search, more and more, these steps carried out by a computer. Except that, according to INSEE, in 2019, 17% of the population did not have access to the internet, a rate which rises to 39% among non-graduates. In the Lyon metropolitan area, approximately 20,000 young people do not have a computer.
300 computers distributed
Branch Emmaus Connect from the Emmaus association attempts to reduce this digital divide with its LaCollecte.tech program. This Thursday, October 20 at the student house in the 7th arrondissement, she has now launched it in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, in partnership with the Métropole de Lyon. With funding from the latter, 300 computers refurbished by an integration company will be distributed to middle school students, students and beneficiaries of the young solidarity income (RSJ).
Michael is one of them. At 21, they have been touching the RSJ for a year”due to health and administrative concerns“. Refreshed, he intends to pass his B license then the public transport license to become a coach driver.”Having a computer will help me for the highway code lessons and for the administrative procedures“, he says, with a big smile on his face. More shy, Imad, a schoolboy, was also equipped, a great help “to check my homework on the internet“he tries, under the eyes of his dad.
Equip 1,000 people in 2023
“We know that among young people, precariousness is greater than among the rest of the population. We wanted to support this virtuous device“, says Bruno Bernard, president of the Metropolis. The program makes it possible to give a second life to computers intended to be thrown away. They are reconditioned by the Tri Rhône-Alpes cooperative as part of their integration project.
For 2023, Emmaüs Connect has set itself the objective of equipping 1,000 people in the region, mainly in Lyon and Grenoble. For its first year of existence, the laCollecte.tech program has equipped 15,000 people throughout France. “We want to rely on local actors, no longer recover equipment throughout France“, explains Victor Baysang-Michelin, regional manager.
If the funding of the Metropolis made it possible to provide these 300 pieces of equipment free of charge, the usual price is 150 €. “It is believed that the purchase makes worthy. Also, this makes it possible to finance other solidarity actions“, adds Victor Baysang-Michelin. Once equipped, the beneficiaries can, if they wish, follow training courses.
“On the proposal of several thematic routes. For example one dedicated to health insurance, and this can go as far as the management of personal data“, explains Lambert, volunteer trainer for a year and a half.
In mainland France, other players, such as the WeeeFund association, are committed to reducing the digital divide, Métropole has also set up digital advisers.