Facilities for people with disabilities
The DEA, funded by the DEETS, and the 360 community, funded by the ARS, are setting up in Quartier d’Orléans. The premises were officially opened on Wednesday 21 October.
Both schemes were presented by the ALEFPA delegation, which acts as the managing body – François Cuvelier, Vice-President; Catherine De Broucker, Secretary-General; and Olivier Baron, Director-General – in the presence of Audrey Gil, Director of ALEFPA– ‘Le Manteau de Saint-Martin’, Paul Guibert, Regional Director of the ARS, Prefect Cyrille Le Vély, and local stakeholders working to support young people (Mission Locale), employment (France Travail, CCISM), vulnerable people or those with disabilities (Ove Caraïbes), etc. Only the Collectivité was absent.
François Cuvelier’s aim is to make this space a place where solidarity is a daily reality, but also a place of hope, listening and solutions. It is already a place that enhances the range of services available and breathes new life into the region’s efforts to support the most vulnerable members of the community, as Paul Guibert emphasised.
This momentum was also noted by Prefect Cyrille Le Vély. He took the opportunity to appeal to local entrepreneurs: “Step up and provide work for people simply because they are people, not because they have a disability.” He emphasised the urgent need to make efforts and invest in social services so that young people feel included. “Saint-Martin needs all the energy it can muster and must be a model territory in the Caribbean,” he concluded before cutting the ribbon to mark the opening of the premises on the ground floor of the Les Salines residence in Quartier d’Orléans.
The supported employment scheme
Launched in Saint-Martin in August 2026, the scheme is aimed at people with disabilities who hold a ‘Recognition of Status as a Disabled Worker’ and who are on a pathway to entering the labour market or retaining their current job.
It offers personalised support, with a medical and social component that takes into account each person’s individual circumstances (health, social life, family, leisure activities). This support is flexible and can be adapted at any time to suit needs, ranging from light monitoring to intensive support.
The scheme’s remit also includes approaching and supporting businesses to facilitate work experience placements and the signing of employment contracts for beneficiaries. The development of a network of partners should also enable a better response to the needs of those receiving support. As the target group is young, work will be carried out in particular in collaboration with the Mission Locale. The scheme will also be rolled out in Saint-Barthélemy.
The 360 Community
As a regional platform for listening, providing information, guidance and coordination, the 360 Community supports people with disabilities and their carers in achieving their goals. It brings together a network of specialist and general practitioners who pool their resources and expertise to offer tailored solutions. This community-based initiative aims to break down isolation and promote inclusion, in particular through a proactive ‘reaching out’ approach.
It can be contacted free of charge on 0800 360 360 (a national number available in the Northern Islands from Monday to Friday, except on Wednesdays and Friday afternoons), and is supported by a website (callhandi971.fr).
For Saint Martin, each scheme has a dedicated professional: an educator for the Communauté 360 and a career adviser for the DEA. Both are supported by a member of staff based in Guadeloupe.
