Restitution evening for Point-Virgule project
The project Point Virgule held an event on Friday 19 January at the Maison des Réfugiés to mark the end of its first session. UEE was extremely proud to participate and hear feedback from participants about the project and about the importance of mental health and well-being for exiled people in general.
Point Virgule is a project developed by a group of partners (UEE, MADERA, Association ETAPE, POLARIS 14 , Yoga and Sport with Refugees, 7 Level Living, Maison des Réfugiés), which offers activities to groups of exiled people in Paris and in the Paris area. The aim is to contribute to the improved mental health and well-being of exiled people with multilingual workshops (artistic expression, sport, psycho-education, career objectives).
During two roundtables, participants from the first session shared their reflections on the issue of mental health for people living in exile, the aggravating factors and the potential solutions. They also provided feedback on the workshops of the project Point Virgule and on what they had taken away from the different activities. Their feedback underlined the importance of taking time for oneself, having a daily structure and of participating in group activities to break isolation and create bonds. Some also expressed their regret that the session had ended, but also recognised the importance of making way for others to benefit from the experience.
The awarding of certificates to participants was a moment of celebration and especially of pride. For some, this was the first certificate that they had received in France and certainly not their last. In order to continue to prioritise their wellbeing after the end of the session, participants also received a booklet (containing information such as techniques to deal with stress, a guide to CV writing or suggestions for cultural outings). The evening ended with lots of joy and dancing with an inspiring, musical performance by the group THE RESIDENTS, an intercultural orchestral project.
The second session of Point Virgule has just started ! For more information, contact : juliet.meere@ueefrance.org .
Photos : Tobi Alakinde | LinkedIn . For more photos from the evening, see MADERA’s flickr album here
