The mobile phone tower reminds us that we are here a few hundred meters from the homes and businesses of Écrevolles, the industrial zone between Troyes and Pont-Sainte-Marie. Because, for the rest, the Ozeraie orchard is a little green lung paradise, next to the allotment gardens of the City of Troyes. “It belongs to the town of Pont-Sainte-Marie,” recalls its mayor Pascal Landréat. It is a space which accommodated a nurseryman and which we acquired in 2009 when it was put up for sale, in order to preserve the orchard and garden part. » A volunteer now ensures the maintenance of the site, which welcomes numerous associations throughout the year.
“What more beautiful place than the Ozeraie garden for gardening, pruning trees, planting, maintaining nature? » exclaims Pascal Landréat, whose town has just signed a partnership with the Gai Soleil medical-educational institute in Troyes, managed by the Association of Parents of Maladapted Children of Aube. “Relationships already started some time ago,” explains the elected official. There are children from the Institute who already come regularly to the town’s House of Animation and Culture to participate in workshops. We said together that it would be good to have outside activities. »
For several weeks, disabled children have been participating in numerous activities in the heart of this natural, soothing and relaxing environment. “At Gai Soleil, they are generally young people with a mild, medium or severe intellectual disability,” explains Sarah Morin, head of department. It’s quite heterogeneous. Depending on the disability, we created groups of need. The young people who come here have mild disabilities. They will do things like others, with a pace more suited to their problems. »
This is the whole meaning of the partnership, officially signed this Friday, April 12: an opportunity to offer outdoor activities and introduce something else to the young beneficiaries of Gai Soleil. “It is our desire to move towards inclusion and sharing,” emphasizes Sarah Morin. It was an opportunity to set up things here around green spaces and basketry. »
An expert in the art of weaving plant fibers, Gladys Manfait, specialized technical educator at IME, has planned a whole program for her young students. “It’s really promoting inclusion with other young people by having as support basketry, singing, dancing, the vegetable garden, the garden… everything that can revolve around nature and children”, with also the desire to teach young people with disabilities to pass on the know-how they have learned.
During two to three sessions of 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, they are welcomed in small groups. And, there is already work there! “We started with rehabilitation,” explains Gladys. Tidying up the whole place, including weeding, access to the cabin for days when it rains in order to change your shoes and work clothes, also discovering fruit trees, flowers, insects, everything which revolves around nature. » The veranda to renovate, radishes and cucurbits to plant… the space is also suitable for outdoor rehearsals of the songs and dances of the institute’s future fair. The chirping of birds and the greenery play their role to the fullest. “There are quite turbulent children who, here, find a beautiful haven of peace,” rejoices the educator.
An exchange between disabled children and able-bodied schoolchildren
This desire for inclusion is at the heart of the exchanges between the IME Gai-Soleil and the commune of Pont-Sainte-Marie and it goes beyond the Ozeraie orchards. If a teaching unit already exists in the establishment, the idea is to be able to allow a greater number of children to access the school environment. Hence the creation, at the start of the 2024 school year, of a class dedicated to these children with mental disabilities within the city’s school, in conjunction with National Education. “Initially, there would be around ten students who could, depending on their abilities, join the school,” explains Ali Mouchene, director of Gai Soleil.
A space will be dedicated to them from September, 150 m2 above the library and the school canteen, with a specialist teacher, an educator and time for those supporting students with disabilities. “The objective is also to create inclusion between these disabled young people and our able-bodied children during recess, school celebrations, educational outings”, is already planning Laurent Clément, director of the education center at the town hall of Pont-Sainte-Marie. “The IME children will thus be able to share the reading time of children from CP to CM2. »
Enough to enable disabled children to develop cognitive, social and practical skills, but also to create exchanges by inviting schoolchildren to visit the Gai Soleil Institute. A form of reciprocal inclusion. As Ali Mouchene, director of Gai Soleil, summarizes, “the two stakeholders are committed to openness”.