MAS Marc Toussaint is a non-profit organization which lodges and accompanies disable people having a physical handicap with an intellectual deficiency for all the habits of the everyday life (toilets, meals, dressing…) This day care centre proposes activities in a goal of wellbeing and can host 44 residents. All inhabitants are adults, most of them are dependent for the everyday life movements, some can easily communicate, others communicate in a non-verbal way.

Project description

The purpose of ESC project is to reinforce the socialization of the disabled people hosted in the organization and to get over their marginalization. Volunteer works together with the animation team, thus, s/he will be involved in a support role and in the implementing leisure activities but not in the health care or professional tasks. Therefore, volunteer takes part in activities such as kitchen or computer workshops, various outings, memory games, snoezelen, balneotherapy, poetry, mosaics, etc. and can always propose his/her own ideas for residents occupation.

Project environment

• MAS Marc Toussaint is situated in Cormontreuil, in the suburbs of Reims, a city of 200 000 inhabitants. Volunteer gets tickets of the local public transport for the area of Reims.
• ESC volunteers live in one of the organisation’s apartments with the kitchen and bathroom fully equipped. This apartment has a separate access from the disable people accommodation.
• Volunteer gets a part of his/her meal with the residents and employees during the worktime. For the other part of the meal money is received.

Number of volunteers hosted: 2

A word from ESC volunteer

Alessio from Italy: EVS means spending your time for the others in exchange of experience and emotions. I’m talking about emotions because at the MAS Marc Toussaint we work with people with a disability. It’s an experience that will change you and your way of thinking about many things in your life. I have met the former volunteers returning here to say hello to the residents and to the personnel of the structure. What I love the most while working at the MAS Marc Toussaint – the only thing will be asked from the volunteer is to be creative, to have fun with the residents of the association and to have a good time together. My colleagues are very kind and as the association receives EVS volunteers every year they are used to the main difficulties someone can find at the beginning. To sum up, you will work with a very special team for the amazing people living here at the MAS Marc Toussaint. You will always find someone to help you in case of need and at the end you will be back home with an experience you will never regret. If you are interested in an EVS in France concerning the world of disability – this is the right place for you.

And if you know a little French, read about Veronika and Sohpie‘s experience!

*EVS stands for « European Voluntary Service », the previous name given to the European Solidarity Corps.