by Anna Szlendak
Today we are talking with Marion Lobé-Elémé, who is AYCH project manager at Brest Metropole.
Marion, how did you get in AYCH?
I’ve been in the project for a month and I’m still discovering all the great activities that have been done for the past two years. This is my first job and I’m really excited to begin my work career with a project as complete as AYCH is. There’s still a lot to do for this last year! That works for me, because I’m a very active person so I like when there’s a lot to do and a lot of challenges! I’ve been studying law and European studies in different cities in France and I came back in Brest for my internship and now my job. I’ve always been really interested in youth and in European projects. I’m also really interested in culture and I’ve always wanted to do a job that makes sense. AYCH gives me this feeling.
I think the strength of this project is that it gathers several actors from different fields and that young people have the opportunity to be in contact with so many other people and therefore able to concretize their projects. I’m so amazed by the creativity and the originality of young people and the diversity of their projects. I think it’s really important to focus on youth, because it’s the future.
Nowadays everything is organized in a way that everyone should be able to make their business but I had the impression that it was not so much about the culture and creative field and not so much about all young people but reserved to people studying business for instance. I find it very important to also give young people the key to start a business in a field that they like because I really think you are more successful when you are really into your job. I think the ambition of this project is really to show that it is possible to be successful in the creative field even if it takes time.
You are Brest project manager. How does your job looks like?
My job is basically to coordinate everything that is related to youth and business in Brest. It is very large. I have to make sure that everything is going well for the incubation and that all local actors are well connected. I also have to think about new actors to include to the project and to promote the project in order for it to be successful and for people to get to know it and to allow them to benefit from international opportunities the project is creating such as Creative Jam or residencies in another European country!
Therefore, I’m often on the phone or meeting actors from the creative and cultural field to think how we can collaborate.
The objective is for young people to be able to think that Brest is the perfect place for their creative business to emerge.
What do you think about the project? What would be your message about the project to young people in your country?
I think the project is wonderful, it helps people who sometimes have no idea what they want to do in life but are very talented a vision for their future. The aim is to be inclusive and to tackle all kind of youth, no matter the education. It also shows that you don’t have necessarily to be in the bank field to be successful and that success can be found anywhere when you are determined and well accompanied. I would like to say to young people who have an idea, don’t give up, sometimes it can take time and not all the people were successful immediately but when you persevere you have great chances to make it! Don’t hesitate to talk about your project everywhere you go and make as much connections as you can.
What is the best part of your work?
The best part is to meet all the different actors with different interest and working in very different field due to the huge diversity of the partnership. I really like contact and meeting with people. I think the best part is to understand what the project brings to people and to see the progress young people are making.
