Partnership with

Find below an article from the economic bulletin issued in April 2013, relating the signature of a partnership between the Foundation“Terre Plurielle” and Handisup.  

The economic bulletin, April 2013

Helping hands

This partnership allows disabled students to go abroad for an internship or allow autistic students to find professional opportunities: both actions are carried out by Handisup.

Handisup Haute-Normandie has signed an agreement with the Corporate Foundation of Bouygues Construction “Terre Plurielle” for the occupational integration of students with Asperger or high level Autism. The project, named SIMON, experimental and unique in France, consist of the accompaniment of these students in internship and in companies with the support of a “job coach”.

SIMON is the name of the first Asperger autistic student who has been followed for six years by the association. The young man is in Master 2 today. "The project started with an observation. More and more young autistic students study superiors. We followed 24 by it in 2012. We exceed 30 today. Their difficulty is: there is nothing for them after graduation” reports Charlotte Lemoine Handisup’s General Delegate These students often have a high intellectual capacity and sometimes they manage their higher education brilliantly.

Some are able to realize within fifteen days a job scheduled to last 2 months during their internship. But their employability remains problematic. "Employment cannot be found in the Autism Plan. “France is 10 years behind on this subject" said the delegate. Their difficulties are such that without an "adequate preparation" they won’t be able to integrate the professional environment.

SIMON project is modeled on the model that exists in the Anglo-Saxon countries. The Asperger Syndrome is manifested by difficulties in communication and social relationships. These difficulties are transformed into stress in a company. Sometimes it’s enough to change the telephone bell, the desk location, or to put a screen in an open-space so that the internship is a success" ensures Simon Beck our "job coach".

The operation is considered credible to Quille Construction Company. "It’s our interest to open us to the diversity, source of collective progress and personal enrichment. It’s our duty of responsible company and corporate citizen. It’s a legal obligation, but it is above all the conviction of a nice approach and a pride for his colleagues», explains Didier Cloix, Quille Construction HR Manager.

The partnership since 2008 between QUILLE and Handisup is concrete. "It has allowed us to welcome 23 trainees, to realize 4 hiring and sign 1 contract of professionalisation" report the HR Manager. SIMON Project is supported by other companies (Caisse d'épargne Orange, Bolloré, Prévadies, Adecco) and by the Region and the Department. Handisup is also involved in the Organization of stays abroad for students within the Erasmus course framework.

To organize his (her) trip can become an obstacle course quickly when you have a disability or a invalidating disease, as you must find a housing, a company, human aid and verify in situ the foreign University accessibility.

Forerunner in France, the association set up from 2010 an innovative project in terms of mobility abroad of disabled students in terms of the partnership as well as with the academic world as with European companies. Since then, disabled students were able, through the project, to go to European companies and universities to check accessibility as a first step. So thanks to the logistical and human Handisup help, students from Normandie have more facilities to study in England, in the United States, in Spain or Ireland.

Crédit Agricole Normandie-Seine joined this initiative. Every electronic bank statement endorsed by a customer (no extra cost for him) is put back to Handisup.