In February and March, over five half-days, 13 volunteers of Qim info worked with the Carouge association: Les Colis du Cœur. In groups of two or three, they gave their time to the association.
Here is the feedback from Charlotte Chartier, Product Owner / Business Analyst in the Custom Software Development department of CEXP, who was particularly involved in the project:
What is the Colis du Coeur?
The association Colis du Coeur, created in 1993, distributes food and hygiene products to families and individuals in precarious situations and living in the Canton of Geneva. Every week, the 300 volunteers distribute aid packages to more than 6,000 people at 3 sites.
The association organizes 3 distributions per week:
Rue Blavignac in Carouge on Tuesdays, from 1:30 pm to 8 pm,
Salle du Môle in Geneva on Wednesday, from 1:30 pm to 8 pm,
Pie X in Vernier on Thursday, from 1:30 pm to 8 pm,
Charlotte, can you describe the process of an intervention?
Each volunteer can choose to intervene at the beginning of the session (from 1:15 to 4:30 pm) or at the end of the session (from 4:30 to 8 pm).
The session starts with the welcoming of the volunteers and a briefing to assign each volunteer to a workshop (preparation of food parcels, preparation of hygiene products, welcoming the beneficiaries, distribution of the prepared parcels, management of the returns). Then the beneficiaries are invited to enter the distribution room.
The rhythm is intense because there are so many beneficiaries!
On each workshop, several volunteers work as a team, which makes it possible to meet new people but also to take a break in the volunteers’s room (a snack is always available to regain strength).
Finally, when the end of the session approaches, the volunteers are invited to clean up the workshop.
The atmosphere is very friendly and personally I didn’t see the time go by!
What did this experience bring you?
On a human level, it’s always interesting to be useful and to be aware of critical situations. There are many families who rely on the Colis du Cœur to finish the month.
This made me want to invest myself more regularly with this association and, why not, offer them a few hours of analysis on the distribution processes or their computerized stock management tool.
How can I help the association on a personal basis?
It is very easy to offer your time to the association, punctually or not.
You just need to contact Diane Tschanz (dianetschanz@colisducoeur.ch), the volunteer coordinator, and tell her about your availability (it is for example possible to offer to be available one day a month, from 6 to 8 pm).
Thanks to Charlotte, Iris, Jessica, Julie, Sophie, José, Maydine, Arnaud, Abderrahim, Erduan, Morgan, Bastien and Loïc for their participation!
