Dinner and Evening Care... with a Twist

Make the children’s daycare facilities available to families and neighborhood residents so they can collectively prepare and share evening meals and provide necessary care to vulnerable individuals.

Children and their families, neighborhood residents (with a special focus on the elderly and isolated individuals)

Two evenings a week, the Marterey IPE hosts a meal for about 20 people—adults and children alike—as part of an effort to support families, foster intergenerational connections, and strengthen the neighborhood. The meal is free for everyone. A volunteer social worker is present. This project stems from the idea that 1. our daycare centers are mostly vacant in the evenings, and that 2. using these facilities in the evenings could help address several unmet social needs, namely: - Support for neighborhood families in terms of material needs, care, and psychosocial well-being. - A space for social cohesion, fostered both by the presence of families and by neighborhood residents experiencing social isolation. In the medium term, and beyond our own institutional walls, we expect the project presented in this document to generate or strengthen bonds of solidarity among people living in the same neighborhood. The spaces designated for these weekly evenings are the ground-floor premises of the Marterey Children’s Institution. Schedule: 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., two evenings per week The target population consists of: Families, in the broadest sense—that is, one or more adults accompanied by their child or children (or the children of close relatives such as a sister, brother, friend, aunt, uncle, grandmother, etc., who are responsible for caring for the children), with no maximum limit. Neighborhood residents: Women and men of all ages, whether experiencing social isolation or simply wishing to participate in a community meal, are welcome, with the aim of preventing isolation, fostering social cohesion, and promoting intergenerational interaction. How it works: Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with a requested latest arrival time of 7:00 p.m. to foster a friendly atmosphere and avoid the commotion caused by late arrivals. The entire evening revolves around 1. the shared meal and 2. caring for people, whatever needs or desires may arise. Care during these evenings is the shared responsibility of all the adults in the group. Initially, the meal is delivered by a partner company, which requires a budget. Over time, the program may evolve and be partially taken over by the participants. We can then envision the preparation or sourcing of meals becoming more diverse (joint preparation by certain families, salvaging unsold food, etc.) in harmony with the social bonds that form during these evenings. Clearing the table and washing the dishes are handled by the people participating in the meal, including children, who are involved in this essential task whenever possible. Cleaning the floors and restrooms is handled the next morning by the housekeeping staff.

Ours neighborhood, Lausanne

April–July 2025

4,000

Marterey Children’s Institution, Vaud Youth Assistance Center