Paris Clubhouse: A New Beginning
By Claire Le Roy Hatala, Director
“Our members often tell us how important it is to have a place where they feel welcome and valued.”
Our new Clubhouse in Paris––the first ever in France–– opened in November, 2011. Thanks to the support of Clubhouse France and the efforts of an amazing team, our dream has come to fruition!
For six months, Céline, Maëlle and the first 3 Clubhouse members (Allison, Jean-Jacques and Timothée) worked every day to make the opening of the Clubhouse possible. They accomplished multiple tasks: securing funding, finding the perfect location, organizing work and translating Clubhouse documents into French. We owe many thanks to Phillippe Charrier, President of Clubhouse France, for mobilizing economic, institutional and community support.
Clubhouse Paris is located in the very heart of the city, at the end of a leafy courtyard. Walking to the Clubhouse is always a pleasure. In addition to the daily work of the Clubhouse (cooking meals, administration, job search and event planning), we also provide leisure activities at the end of the day such as fitness workshops and culinary lessons.
We currently have 30 active members and the participation of our members is highly variable. Our members often tell us how important it is to have a place where they feel welcome and valued. Our Clubhouse is providing hope, friendship and purpose for our members and we are confident that we will continue to grow.