In Aveyron, retired craftsmen pass on their know-how to young people

Concentration and meticulousness for Gabriel, 10 years old. Passionate about DIY, he participates once a week in workshops run on a voluntary basis by retired craftsmen. Those who call themselves “the grandpas” pass on their knowledge to about thirty children aged 10 to 14, for two hours, once a week. “The relationship with them is very nice “says Yannick Feraudet, a former merchant.

A weekly meeting that we owe to the national association The tool in hand. Appeared in 2018 in Saint-Affrique, in Aveyron, its objective is to give young people a taste for manual work but also to restore its image. And why not encourage vocations… “Theual work has been devalued for 50 years and there, young people realize that it’s interesting, that you don’t have to be dirty, outside in the rain! It has nothing to do“explains Jean-Pierre Tarroux, a former electrician.

This activity allows these retirees, rich in experience, to remain “active” by transmitting to the younger generations the gestures of their profession and the love of a job well done. Children who, thanks to these workshops, have the opportunity to discover their talents and acquire manual dexterity. Welding, painting, DIY… Léopold, 10 years old, has already taken part in numerous workshops. “ We are learning the craft of the elders. As they will soon die, we will be able to keep their know-how testifies the young boy. The association is also present in Villefranche-de-Rouergues and Rodez.