As part of the Cordées de la Réussite programme, and in cooperation with the Corporate Relations Department at NEOMA, twenty secondary school students belonging to the PHARES programme enjoyed a visit to VILLAGE BY CA in Reims, on 24 October to explore the subject of entrepreneurship.

PHARES (French acronym Par-delà le Handicap, Avancer et Réussir des Etudes Supérieures meaning disabled people progressing and succeeding in higher education) is a programme that helps disabled secondary school students enrol in higher education. The student association Prépa’Rémois at NEOMA’s Reims campus organises and supervises professional and cultural trips for these youth.

Ms Isabelle Henrot Adam, general secretary for the Fondation du Crédit Agricole du Nord Est, welcomed the students and explained the role of the foundation, which supports the Cordées de la Réussite.
“It’s important for us to help students in need. Along with financial aid, we also support student tutors who help young people navigate school and their studies. We believe that trips like the one today are beneficial, offering greater open-mindedness, and can guide young people in their future choices”.

Amélie Mahaut, communications manager, then presented VILLAGE BY CA and its function and explained what a start-up is, before letting three entrepreneurs talk, share their experience and answer the students’ questions. Stéphane Louis, from IMPAAKT, a digital development agency specialising in natural indexing, offered advice to the president of Prépa’Rémois, Victor Komorn, to help optimise the website that is having competition issues.
 Patrick de Dieuleveult, from SOLINNOV, explained that the basic principle of creating a start-up is “a new profitable idea that changes the world. An idea that solves a problem and makes money”. This principle is applied to his company, “the caring house”, which aims to improve daily life through technology, focusing first and foremost on frail people.
Thibaut Guillet from AG Tracks, a creative digital agency, explained that his company now has a European clientele and he recalled the importance of receiving support, particularly from organisations like VILLAGE BY CA. “It’s an enriching, daily experience to be able to talk with people who are entrepreneurs, others who offer support and to take advantage of co-working spaces so you can build a larger network and communicate more”.

It’s through the long-standing partnership between Crédit Agricole du Nord Est and NEOMA that this visit was possible and full of educational moments for the students.