Exams finished for Birdhouse apprentices with a 100% success rate!

The years go by and never look the same at Birdhouse, our vocational training restaurant for young people who have dropped out of school, based in Geneva. The 5^th school year is already coming to an end this July, with the exam session for the AFP and CFC apprentices. We are proud to count 4 new graduates for the school year 2023-2024, a 100% success rate! Since the project began in 2019, we have 18 young graduates.

The Birdhouse is first and foremost an educational and social project, with a restaurant as its core. Every year, we take in young people who have dropped out of school to give them access to training leading to a diploma, with educational support specially designed for them. Despite the challenges they face, the team is always there to support them.

Read the testimonial of Fieruz, an apprentice who has been marked by her 5 years at Birdhouse. Her journey comes to an end with the successful completion of her CFC diploma! Fieruz is a 28-year-old Eritrean, who started her training in 2019 and has already obtained her AFP in 2021.

" My training at Birdhouse was my first job in Switzerland, which allowed me to discover the local culture, language and gastronomy. It was very new for me, as I'd never met a European before coming here. I learnt all that through contact with customers and with my colleagues: I never stopped learning. Now I've found my place in Switzerland.

Thanks to the time I've spent here, I've learnt to manage responsibilities at work as well as those in my private life. I'd recommend the training programme to other young people in difficulty because we're well looked after, thanks for example to Steeve, the educator who helps us sort out our private problems. He really cares about the apprentices, and that's something you can’t take for granted. What I'll remember about my time at Birdhouse is the family atmosphere.

Once I've passed my exams, I plan to look for work to continue building my life. I dream of setting up my own business and becoming a wedding planner!

If I had to describe my experience at Birdhouse in 3 words, I'd say: future, desire and confidence. Since my training, I've had the desire to do something, gained confidence in myself, and now I can plan my future".

Like Fieruz, many young people deserve adapted, individualised support to help them reintegrate and flourish in our society. We're proud of the people we've helped so far, and we're committed to continue offering new solutions to young people in difficulty!