To help people who are far from the job market re-enter the workforce by offering them the opportunity to get back on their feet through a toy upcycling workshop.

Too many people lack access to the labor market for a variety of reasons: unstable housing, long-term unemployment, health issues, mobility challenges, childcare concerns, language barriers, and more. This issue of access to employment is more pronounced for women than for men, particularly in rural areas. Since work is a key factor in social inclusion, everyone—women and men alike—should have equal opportunities to access stable, long-term employment that matches their skills. At the same time, every year, 100,000 tons of toys are thrown away, 440,000 tons of toys are stored in households1, and 213 million toys are sold2. Given the challenges of global warming and the planet’s finite resources, no reusable toy should end up in our trash. All toys should be reused and given a second life, as long as they meet current safety standards, thereby reducing the number of new toys purchased.

THE MISSION OF LUTIN VERT

To promote the inclusion of people who are far from the job market by offering them the opportunity to re-enter the workforce through a toy reuse workshop. The association aims to address a dual social and environmental challenge: 

• Social challenge: ◦ use toys to provide professional training for people who are far from the job market in order to support them in returning to sustainable employment; ◦ offer quality toys accessible to all; ◦ foster social connections;
• Environmental challenge: ◦ reduce waste production, promote the circular economy, and conserve the planet’s resources; ◦ encourage a shift in consumption patterns toward eco-responsible consumption.

To fulfill its mission, the Lutin Vert association has set the following objectives:

• create a toy reuse network in northern Toulouse: collect, refurbish, recycle, and sell high-quality secondhand toys;
• create a toy reuse workshop / Atelier Chantier d’Insertion that offers a work environment conducive to re-engaging with the professional world;
• provide employees of the Atelier Chantier d’Insertion with socio-professional support to help them build a path back to long-term employment;
• raise awareness about new ways of consuming and using toys.

OUR PRINCIPLES OF ACTION

•  put people at the heart of our actions with kindness, respect, attentiveness, and high standards;
• to make the reuse workshop a “business almost like any other,” operating like traditional businesses but with an added social mission;
• adopt a continuous improvement approach;
• Work closely with our partners, with transparency; • Adopt a quality-focused and sustainable development approach in our operations.