"L'Ascenseur refers to social mobility, which we, within the collective, consider to be stuck,” explains Mathilde Boulay. “In any case, we are really committed to wanting to fix it.”
L'Ascenseur is a community space with 8 floors and 2,300 m² located in Paris Bastille, with a ground floor entirely dedicated to associative life, welcoming beneficiaries, hosting association events, as well as institutional and corporate receptions. Originally, it brought together about twenty associations. Today, there are around a hundred across France, including in overseas territories. Initially, it supported 300,000 beneficiaries. Today, there are over a million. The collective has grown from 200 to more than 1,500 collaborators.
A place that unites beyond its walls, but which has the advantage of being located in the center of Paris and bringing beneficiaries to the heart of power centers. “And that was really what we wanted with this project of L'Ascenseur, to ensure that young people feel they have their place at the heart of these places of activity, power, and decision-making.”
Geographical proximity for these associations, but also a shared vision around equal opportunities, which facilitates exchanges on feedback, sharing advice. “And it really allows for creating complementarity in action programs,” specifies Mathilde Boulay.
“We created the "Génération Ascenseur", a program that continues to support young people who have already gone through associations in the collective. And we make them today the ambassadors of equal opportunities because we believe they are the best positioned to advocate and speak on the issues we defend.”
Because these young people have a role to play in society, both human and economic. "They are already fully part of our society. And when we live in an inclusive society, it helps avoid feelings of downgrading and reaching moments of societal breakdown. Moreover, these are young people who will have, for some, careers in the public sector, in the private sector, in the associative sector, and therefore have a real role to play, but also the role of showing that, regardless of where we come from, regardless of our culture, our religion, our gender, we all have qualities to share. We are not on a single trajectory of success; rather, we are on a path of individual flourishing, whatever our aspirations for success,” concludes Mathilde Boulay.
