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#IWD2022: 9 women committed to helping young people through TotalEnergies Foundation

A museum director, social entrepreneur, founder of an association are just some examples of the professional careers of these 9 women, mobilized to help all young people – and particularly those in socially vulnerable situations or with educational difficulties – to be able to show their talents and find their place in both the world of work and in society. TotalEnergies Foundation puts youth inclusion and education at the heart of its commitments and is proud to be a partner of these 9 women.

Published on 07/03/2022
5 min reading time

Véronique Blanc, builder of bridges between teachers and businesses

Her job:

On top of her role as regional academic delegate in professional training, in 2013 Véronique Blanc created the R2E association, to open communication channels between teachers and the corporate world and to encourage young people to become entrepreneurs.

Her career history:

Having taught BTS (associate degree level) students in the Management of Business Units for 20 years, Véronique Blanc has always been aware of the importance for a teacher to have a tangible understanding of economic stakeholders to efficiently guide and advise young people. Deputy Manager at the CERPEP (The Centre for Studies and Research on Partnerships with Businesses and Professions) from 2013 to 2018, she worked there to forge links between teachers and businesses.

Her motto :

“Thanks to collective intelligence, we can create educational innovations.”

Françoise Candier, iron woman

Her job:

Françoise Candier is Manager of the Iron Academy. This École de Production, which opened in Stains, France in September 2021, aims to provide young people experiencing difficulties at school, with training in metalwork and locksmithing professions through an approach based on ‘learning by doing’. Students acquire know-how by working on actual orders from businesses.

Her career history:

Françoise Candier has been involved in professional integration and social inclusion for 25 years now. In particular, she worked for the Maison de l’Emploi in Rueil-Malmaison, Paris, then as Director of the Foundation Agir Contre l’Exclusion (FACE).

Her motto:

“Make young peoples’ success our priority.”

Ericka Cogne, fighting to maintain mentoring

Her job:

Ericka Cogne has been Managing Director of Télémaque since 2016, an association that works for equal opportunities in education. In seven regions in France, the association offers middle school students in vulnerable situations, personalized support including mentoring, cultural events, and financial support.

Her career history:

After starting out in human resources and then moving to Accenture, Ericka Conge has underpinned her career with a resolute solidarity commitment: from the Fondation Accenture in Télémaque through Emmaüs Alternatives, the Institut de l’Engagement, the Fondation PWC or the Bleu Blanc Zèbre association.

Her motto:

“Mentoring is one of the keys to restarting social mobility!”

Vanessa Dequidt, sower of success

Her job:

Vanessa Dequidt has been in charge of the development of Écoles de Production since 2018. This network of establishments offers young people in socially vulnerable situations or with educational difficulties, certificate-based training through a ‘learning by doing’ teaching approach. Its objective is to achieve 100 Écoles de Production by 2028. There are already 44.

Her career history:

After studies in social psychology, Vanessa Dequidt began her career in associations in Lyon, France, committed to inclusion through accommodation, then professional integration. In 2014, she contributed to setting up the Cités d’Or, a project that aims to support young people who have dropped out of school, on the road to independence by providing them with basic human skills.

Her motto:

“A successful career for all.”

Clotilde Gilbert, guardian angel in prisons

Her job:

In the Île-de-France region, Lyon, Montpellier, Marseille and Valence, Wake up Café, founded by Clotilde Gilbert in 2014, provides support for prisoners and those leaving prison, who are motivated to be supported through a long-term social and professional reintegration without reoffending. The results are conclusive – less than 10% reoffend as compared to the 59% usually observed.

Her career history:

A mother of six and a prison chaplain in Nanterre for seven years, Clotilde Gilbert is well aware to what extent incarceration removes structure and social codes from prisoners’ lives. She created a choir to give prisoners’ talents a chance to shine and boost their self-confidence.

Son motto :

“Give freedom to prisoners’ talents.”

Amel Kefif, Freedom, equality, commitment!

Her job:

Since January 2021, Amel Kefif is Managing Director of Elles bougent, an association that aims to awaken the interest of young women for technical, industrial, and engineering professions in France and abroad. The association was created in 2006 and, every year, it leads more than 500 awareness-raising actions in middle schools, high schools, and higher education establishments to encourage gender diversity in the corporate world, and fight against gender stereotypes.

Her career history:

Amel Kefif has a rich and eclectic career history, through several positions as entrepreneur and Director of partnerships and international coordination. In 2017, she joined the Secretary of State in charge of equality between men and women and was head of Marlène Schiappa’s cabinet. She is also a member of the Women’s Forum for the Economy and Society and of the Presidential Council for Africa.

Her motto:

“The earlier we tackle gender diversity challenges, the better we’ll be, and faster.”

Marie Lavandier, Louvre-Lens Museum

Marie Lavandier, a trail blazer

Her job:

Marie Lavandier is the Director of the Louvre-Lens Museum. Her aim is to capture a local, mainstream, and family visitorship in a region scarred by the end of mining activity. To help her achieve this, she has created free activities for young people and families, citizen and mainstream discussion groups, partnerships with the French Job Center and a series of regional integration structures.

Her career history:

As a heritage officer, Marie Lavandier has taken on countless challenges, from the Museum in Dreux to that of the Branly quay, through the Center for research and restauration of French museums to the museums of Nice. Her exceptional career path and relentless dedication recently saw her decorated with the Legion of Honor.

Her motto:

“Go beyond the cultural role of museums by shouldering a societal responsibility.”

Marie Lavandier's Twitter profile

Florence Rizzo, on equal terms

Her job:

Florence Rizzo has been co-founder and co-director of SynLab since 2012. The aim of this association is to enable all children, particularly those in the greatest difficulty, to enjoy a fulfilling educational experience, based on trust, open-mindedness, and cooperation. SynLab’s actions include support to stakeholders in education (teachers, heads of educational institutions, etc.).

Her career history:

Florence Rizzo comes from a modest background and having attended several Grandes Écoles, she soon felt the weight of inequalities in education. Prior to joining Synlab, she lent her desire for solidarity to players in social entrepreneurship such as Ashoka, and also the UNESCO and the FAO.

Her motto :

“So that mainstream education remains an opportunity for everyone.”

Elsa Wardé, digital technology, cubed

Her job:

Elsa Wardé has been the Managing director of the Cube since 2018, a center for digital creation and training based in Issy-les-Moulineaux. She is particularly focused on educating young people and raising their awareness of the challenges of digital technologies, so that they can grasp change through experiments that encourage discovery, open-mindedness, and skills development.

Her career history:

Commitment and solidarity are two values that have always been part of Elsa Wardé’s career, since her work with micro-funding agencies, her job as Mission Advisor in Morocco for the United Nations Program for Development, and her job as Development Manager for the Simplon foundation, which offers inclusive training free of charge in digital technology professions in France and abroad.

Her motto:

“Making digital technologies a springboard for creativity, solidarity and responsibility.”