The Cocagne Network – Professional inclusion through organic gardening.
People who have been socially and professionally excluded often struggle to reintegrate into the demanding job market. The therapeutic benefits of working in nature can help to slowly reconnect. The Cocagne Network, which partners with Caisse des Dépôts as part of their territory development, comprises over 100 back-to-work gardens and promotes the return to employment of women and men in precarious situations. It allows them to (re)build a professional and personal project through organic gardening. So far, on the 580 hectares of cultivated land, 5000 “employees in integration” have been supported and the goal is to grow this number by over 500 in the next two years. The harvested vegetables are sold in the form of weekly baskets to member consumers and are also provided to vulnerable people through a solidarity baskets program.
During the participation in the acceleration program, the project team aims to build a partnership strategy with the private sector based on a shared vision and values to further grow and strengthen the program.