Birdhouse Inauguration - A vocational training restaurant for young people who have dropped out of school

The official inauguration for the Birdhouse, a vocational restaurant for young people who have dropped out of school based in Vernier, Chemin de Blandonnet 8, took place on Tuesday 5th of November, with more than 200 guests attending.

This joyful evening gave the guests a chance to discover this modern vocational restaurant, under the watchful eye of Morgan Hertoux, director of the Birdhouse.

Mr Jean-Paul Redouin, President of Fondation Apprentis d’Auteuil International (FAAI), and Mr Firmenich, Vice-president  of FAAI, delivered the opening speech, reminding everyone of the Foundation’s mission and thanking donors and partners for their support without which none of this would have been possible.

Mr Gilles Miserez, General Manager at the “Office pour l’Orientation, la Formation Professionnelle et Continue”(the federal department for professional training), was also present and highlighted the importance of tailor made projects such as the Birdhouse, focusing on the needs of young people dropping out of school. He also added that the Canton of Geneva’s role was to support such projects as a vehicle to their social mobility

Steeve Haller, the Birdhouse’s training and insertion coach then moderated a panel including the project’s partners:  

• FAAI, represented by Mario Fetz its Secretary General
• “Ecole Hôtelière de Genève”, represented by its director Alain Brunier
• Gourmet Brother, represented by its founder and director Benjamin Luzuy

All of them insisted on the importance of the opportunities this project gives to youth in difficulty. “Promoting vocational training and entrepreneurship are at the core of our organization” said Mario Fetz, before adding that “this project only made sense if the training course offered a certificate at the end”.

Olivier Baud, Secretary General for the “Fondation Officielle de la Jeunesse”, and Julie Tapponier, restaurant manager at the Birdhouse, reminded everyone that our apprentices receive individual support, which is greatly needed to achieve their professional goals.

The evening continued with the young apprentices and their trainers manning food stalls serving dishes they had carefully selected and prepared. Each apprentice was responsible for a separate stall showcasing the techniques they had learnt in their first two months. This also gave them a chance to talk with the guests about their motivation to join the project and future desires. We would like to thank them all for their hard work and dedication in preparing this event.

We would also like to thank all those who joined us for this occasion and to all those who have supported us.

A great thanks also to the trainees from “Espace Entreprise” (a training center affiliated to the Département de l'Instruction Publique) and their contribution to the planning and running of this event.

The Birdhouse is open from 11:30AM to 2:30PM Monday to Friday. Booking for private events evenings and weekends by reservation only – 022 930 80 68