Article 1 (France)
Animations Scientifiques Prof. Dino (Canada)
Article 1 strives to contribute to a society where educational orientation, academic success and professional integration do not depend on an individual’s social, economic and cultural background, as they believe everyone should have the opportunity to build their future according to their potential. Article 1 supports youths from underprivileged backgrounds in their educational and professional endeavours.
2021/2022 marked a turning point in Article 1's mentoring programme: as part of the French Government's “1 young person, 1 mentor” plan, the Article 1's goal was to grow its programme mentees from 2.000 to 20.000. This goal has been reached globally as 26.255 mentoring duos were established during the year, 52% of which comprised young people on scholarships and/or living in priority areas.
The association’s mentoring programme, Dema1n, comprises digital individual mentoring, where each young participant registered on the platform is paired with a mentor according to his or her needs. It also includes a collaborative local programme. Local officers operate regional branches to strengthen the reach of the programme, engaging with local partners to reach youths from underprivileged backgrounds. They organise events to offer support on specific needs, facilitate socialisation and mobilise local communities around the issue of inequality.
Article 1 has successfully experimented with this dual dynamic of digital platforms ran at a national level and specific actions and outreach at local level. This hybrid model makes it possible to reach a large number of young people through the national digital platform, while also meeting young people who are identified as priorities directly.
In 2021, the Eurofins Foundation supported the expansion of the Dema1n Mentoring Programme into four new geographical areas, as local implementation of the programme is key to its success and effectiveness:
- Grand-Est- Bourgogne Franche Comté : 1188 mentees / 59 participants;
- Grand-Ouest : 1015 mentees / 40 participants;
- Nouvelle-Aquitaine : 1133 mentees / 35 participants;
- Normandie: 592 mentees / 40 participants
Reporting data from the organisation shows that 77% of youth and 76% of mentors would recommend the experience at the end of their mentorship, and 73% of youth said that the mentoring allowed them to maintain their motivation to continue their training. The project also has an effect on the local ecosystem, as Article 1 works in close cooperation with local non-profit organisations, institutions and private companies (in particular to recruit mentors).
This project contributes to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
