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25 boarding school projects were set up between 2005 and 2007 involving a total of ca.
350 children.
Between June 2005 and June 2007, the DIV 13 has approved 430 projects for the
encouragement of educational success. These projects have taken place in over 450 communities and
have mobilised around 500 interdisciplinary teams for the encouragement of educational success which
have identified over 80 000 extremely disadvantaged children and young persons who are
currently being supervised.
The programme „Réussite éducative“ has received a total contribution of 230 million
euros (2005: 35 million euros, 2006: 85 million euros and 2007: 110 million euros).
The aim up to the expiry of the programme in 2009 is to set up 600 projects for the encouragement of
educational success which will involve 100 000 children and young persons together with their families.
Presentation of the project “Réussite éducative” in Courcouronnes
Courcouronnes has a population of ca. 14.000. The town is situated on both sides of the
motorway A6 and consists of two districts: the centre with its exclusive residential area and
the Canal district in which 60.7 % of the population lives. Courcouronnes is a town with
two separate districts with differing functions and population and this must be considered
in the compilation of necessary measures. This particular urban structure corresponds to
indicators which are unfortunately very commonplace; with a few small exceptions, the
town is typical of the demographic and social geography of cities with one or more
sensitive urban zones.
In reality, there are numerous children experiencing disadvantages in education. The risk
of falling behind is a real problem. Increasing difficulties can be observed in these children
regarding integration in their school class and their relationships with adults in authoritative
functions. This situation of failure runs through all phases of their development. Their
standards at school, social contact with peers and sometimes also family life all contribute
to produce defensive behaviour patterns and avoidance strategies. These children
frequently conceal their weaknesses and difficulties behind a verbal and sometimes also
physical rebellion charged with aggression.
In order to react to these problems, the town became involved with the numerous
political instruments of urban policy at a very early stage and currently pursues an active
educational policy targeted at children and young persons which focuses on a partnership
that examines the child and its family and places the family at the centre of its activities.
For this reason, Courcouronnes made the decision to participate in the programme
“Réussite éducative“ right from the start.
The implementation of this new instrument was made easier by the existence of school
inspection measures (initiated by the town in 2001). The mobilisation and coordination of
various experts who had not previously worked together was at that time already an
13 Délégation interministérielle à la ville – approximate translation: interministerial commission for urban development
[Translator’s note]
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