"Intergenerational" database for Concordia Logis

"Concordia Logis is ideally placed for the issues associated with sustainable developments, by contributing to the reinforcement of social cohesion in particular. I therefore fully approve of its concept, which for me, meets a genuine need of the first-time earners, students, trainees and apprentices, on the one hand, and of the senior citizens too."

Xavier Héber-Suffrin

The nonprofit Concordia Logis was created in 1984 for the purpose of attenuating the isolation of elderly persons and remedying the difficulty of housing for young people, by developing an intergenerational link through shared moments based on mutual aid and solidarity, without any ties of subordination or substitution for professionals. It works in the Montpellier and Nîmes urban communities, and more widely in the Hérault and Gard districts. In October 2005, the Crous social agency provided it with premises and, thanks to the Foundation, the nonprofit now has an interactive internet site.

One year later, Concordia Logis initiated the national L.I.S. France (Logement intergénérationnel et solidaire - intergenerational and outreach housing) network, which federates 11 nonprofits around the same values and ethics covering 18 territories. With over 800 members, the nonprofit continues to grow particularly since 2007, when it expanded its activities to include young workers, first-time earners, apprentices and trainees. In 2009, Concordia Logis was asked by the national LIS France network, in connection with social integration by intergenerational housing, to participate in drafting the Youth Green Book of the High Commissioner for Active Solidarity, Martin Hirsch, a five-month project. In 2011, the nonprofit launched the first initiative in Languedoc Roussillon of outreach meals for senior citizen of Montpellier at 5 Euros in a partner city restaurant. On January 1, 2013, the L.I.S. FRANCE network had a total of 2248 teams, meaning 4496 members.

Greater availability of the teams

Faced with the deterioration in leasing opportunities for young persons and the present view of intergenerational housing by senior citizens, Concordia Logis wants to conduct a review/development study of its activities. Based on the results of this in-depth study, it aims to set up development projects in phase with the new IT resources, thanks to the creation of a database. The database will facilitate both the formation of the senior/youth pairs by matching their common aspirations and needs (tastes, preferences, availability, etc.) but also the counseling of the teams throughout the residents of the young people at the homes of the seniors.

The time saved by the IT capability will allow for greater availability of the teams, to make profile comparisons in order to create harmonious pairs, which only individuals can do. Moreover, since intergenerational housing is a proximity service, the database can be adapted to any associative structure in the rest of the territory. After experimentation, it will be proposed to the members of the L.I.S FRANCE (Logement intergénérationnel et solidarité) network, with the final target of identifying and informing the 46 % of the senior citizens ready to share their homes (IPSOS/Pleine Vie/Les Seniorales survey, published March13, 2009).

The Foundation is participating in this project.