An enriching meeting took place last week between the association La Cravate Solidaire and the On Seniors' Side Foundation. A student from the Damartex group came to us last month to talk about a potential partnership between the association to which she belongs and the Foundation.

 

La Cravate Solidaire, a fight against discrimination in hiring,

 Two observations were made at the outset:

  • Appearance, and in particular dress, is one of the primary sources of discrimination in employment, and
  • a garment is worn on average 7 to 10 times before it is thrown away.

This is how the idea of La Cravate Solidaire came about: a network of associations working for equal opportunities by fighting against discrimination in hiring.

Since 2012, they have been accompanying job seekers (especially those in precarious situations) by preparing them for their interviews.

Born in Paris, La Cravate Solidaire has grown and is now established in 13 towns in France. Today, more than 16,000 candidates have been supported during the Coup de Pouce workshops and 70% of them have found a professional activity.

 

A "helping hand",

To help job seekers, La Cravate Solidaire accompanies them during a workshop that boosts candidates by giving them the keys to success.

How does a workshop work? The 4 key steps.

      1. The workshop begins with a friendly welcome that makes the beneficiaries feel at ease as soon as they arrive.
      2. Next, the volunteers help the future candidates to choose the outfit that best suits them and their professional project: this is image coaching. During this workshop they are involved in their choices and are listened to.
      3. After the choice of the outfit, the HR coaching takes place during which people are put in real interview conditions. Volunteers with experience in recruitment conduct the interview simulation and give several tips to avoid being unsettled by certain questions.
      4. Finally, a photo session is held in their studio to give future employees a professional photo for their CV.
 

An operation based on Upcycling,

The clothes offered during the Image coaching are donated. With the aim of reducing textile waste, La Cravate Solidaire recovers unsold or unused clothes and givesthem a second life. Volunteers sort the collected clothes in a warehouse and choose those suitable for maintenance. Unsuitable clothes are given to partner associations. This operation is based on recycling in order to avoid over-consumption of clothing.

If you also want to donate your time or clothes, click here: https: //lacravatesolidaire.org/nous-soutenir.

The Foundation is proud to have supported an association that works to reduce textile waste and promote the employability of people in precarious situations.