2022 was a landmark year for 27 TAPAJ participants who accomplished an exciting project. During six events organized by the TAPAJ France network, young people from 9 different TAPAJ programs came together to provide video coverage for these gatherings. With guidance and training from the TAPAJ France communication team, they captured photos, filmed, and interviewed participants. Their efforts resulted in the production of short videos that highlighted the best moments of these events, also known as aftermovies.
This initiative builds on a project carried out in 2015, where TAPAJ participants from Bordeaux contributed to the creation of the photography exhibition “An Eye from the Street”, showcased at events such as the Night of Philosophy at UNESCO in Paris in 2018. The project was founded on the belief that young people have a unique perspective on life in the streets. It provided them with an income-generating activity outside the usual scope of work platforms (e.g., green space maintenance, handling, cleaning, urban furniture construction, and painting). Through this initiative, the young participants received support in developing new psycho-social skills, including improved self-esteem and structured thinking. Additionally, it helped them (re)ignite their artistic potential.
Similarly, the project “Lights, Camera, Action for TAPAJ Participants” gave 27 young people the opportunity to take part in innovative work platforms designed to develop new psycho-social skills through hands-on activities that encouraged creative expression. These activities involved filming key TAPAJ events, including network days in Paris, regional events in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, national gatherings in Bordeaux, and producing a summary film documenting a partnership between TAPAJ Bordeaux and the Aquitaine Museum.
During these events, participants learned how to operate cameras, microphones, and audio recorders. They acquired essential skills such as identifying camera angles and framing shots, conducting interviews, and developing storyboards and synopses for their videos. This project not only enhanced their technical abilities but also fostered their creativity and self-confidence.
In total, 118 hours of work, funded with support from the Orange Foundation, were completed through work platforms, contributing to the empowerment of young participants. These platforms fostered opportunities for interaction and mentorship between the young people and professionals. Coming from various cities, many of the participants also had the chance to meet and share experiences about their lives and their respective communities.
Recognized and thanked for their contributions during these events, they played a vital role in these key moments of the network’s activities. They were not merely participants but full actors of these events. Some even stepped in front of the camera, overcoming their apprehensions to share their experiences and actively engage in the filming process.
The aftermovies and reports showcasing the video footage captured by TAPAJ participants are available on our YouTube channel @TAPAJ France.
A heartfelt thank you to the Orange Foundation for making this incredible project possible for Camélia, Stéphane, Steven, Alice (Lille), Jade, Jianny, Yohan, Noé, Loïc, Rose, Adem, Wafid, Alexandre, Say Say, Stanislas, Ghost, Buffalo, Alice (Bordeaux), Anaïs, and Marvin !
