Le Refuge

Non Profit ID card: present your project/organisation/campaign

Questions answered by Nicolas Noguier, President, Le Refuge

– Where are you based? In the South of France, but we have delegations in many French cities, among which Paris, Lyons and Marseilles.

– What are you called? Le Refuge. The name recalls a haven of peace, a place where young victims can gather without being judged.

– What are you doing and why? Le Refuge is a unique project in Europe. The association manages a housing, psychological and social support system for young people aged between 18 and 25, who are victims of homophobia especially in family environments, inside which they are subjected to psychological pressures and sometimes to physical violence just because of their sexual orientation. Many young homosexuals end up on the streets, facing prostitution as their only mean to survive. Social discomfort is widespread. Young people face suicide, which is between 7 to 13 times higher among young homosexuals

– Do you have a website/email? http://www.le-refuge.org; montpellier@le-refuge.org

– Do you have a Twitter/facebook link/name? We have a Facebook link: Le Refuge : contre le mal-être des jeunes victimes d’homophobie et de transphobie.

– What makes you so special? Our housing offer together with a specific psychological and social support in response to the individual suffering of these young people in a situation of social discomfort.

 

The turning point

– How did you start? In 2003, following a report, I became aware of the suffering of these young people and of the absence of reactivity from public powers.

– What keeps you going every day? It’s young people who give us the strength to go on. They are so brave…

– Who is your target? Our aim is to develop our structure in many other French cities as well as in Europe.

– How are you financed? We are mainly financed through individual donations. It is thanks to the generosity of our donors that we can host today about fifteen wandering young people.

 

The challenge

– A proud moment? The very first young guest who we helped out who is now an auxiliary nurse, he has truly blossomed, or another young guest who has become a volunteer and administrator of the association.

– A problem you face? Intolerance on a day to day level and a lack of support from public institutions towards this problem of public health.

– Your personal motto when things get hard? Thinking about the dozens of young people we helped put a smile back on their faces.

– Another cool project/organisation/campaign you would like to recommend? A project carried out by the association Les Petits Bonheurs, in France, whose volunteers go to hospitals to sit on HIV positive people’s bedsides.

Visit their website: www.associationlespetitsbonheurs.org

http://www.le-refuge.org

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