Each month, meet a member of the DTR team. They are behind the scenes and work every day to move the association forward. In the field, in training or in contact with each project leader, discover a team that is always more determined.
Fine round glasses screwed on his nose, a smile on his face and an attentive look in his eyes, Nadir Gagui exchanges a few friendly words with some associative actors of the city of Nantes, in the heart of the Bellevue and Breil neighborhoods. The 32-year-old, in charge of regional coordination at Les Déterminés, is not there by chance. At the beginning of the year 2021, he came to meet the associative actors of the city of Nantes. On the agenda: discussions about the local dynamics and the implementation of the future Nantes promotion that the association will launch.
Nadir Gagui has a degree in Education Sciences and was trained at a very young age in social work. He has always been a man of the field, concerned with being close to the inhabitants, especially the youth. He militates for an emancipation by the economic way. As a temporary youth worker, youth coordinator, territorial developer and deputy mayor in charge of youth and culture, Nadir's career path reflects his commitment: atypical and rich at the same time. He confides in us about his personality and his missions within the Determined in this interview.
Nadir, you are said to be the man of the field but what is your mission within the Determined?
Nadir Gagui : Yes, the field is my territory of action. My mission is to get in touch with local actors in the regions so that together we can promote The Determined in their territory. To do this, after identifying them and making initial contacts with them, I introduce them to the Determined project and make them aware of it. The objective is that they also become actors and partners. With their help, I get in touch with project leaders. We organize meetings with them and those who are interested apply to join the future local training.
This field work is essential. It allows us to highlight the local animators and actors who do remarkable work in the territories. It is thanks to their help and that of our partners that we have been able to launch promotions in several cities in France. As I often say, it is a collective project.
What do you do when you are not on the field?
N.D : I spend a lot of time on the road, about a week to ten days a month. It's a lot of energy and time. But it's my passion. The rest of the time, I'm in front of my computer. I plan meetings and with my team we study the program to be put in place and how to engage the sourcing. I am very committed to my tasks and actively participate in the life and organization of the structure at different levels.
Where does this strength of character come from and how do you use it in your daily work?
N.D : I got involved in the field very early on. At the age of 15, I was already working on various issues related to education, employment, citizenship, sports and youth in the neighborhoods. I grew up in Cergy. In 2007, with Moussa Camara (president of Les Déterminés, editor's note), I was among those who launched the association AGPR (Agir Pour Réussir). We wanted to improve the daily life of the inhabitants of our district and then of our city.
My personal and professional career is based on the notion of commitment: to get involved in order to become emancipated and to actively participate in the dynamics of change in our neighborhoods. And it is with this experience that I succeed today in forging strong links with the local actors that I meet on a daily basis in the regions. We speak the same language (sourire).
The development project of the association at the national level requires a daily work and on the ground.
What is your relationship on site with the inhabitants and social actors?
N.D : In all the cities where we went, people welcomed us with open arms. We always find one or more people who are very excited about our project and who agree to accompany us from the beginning to the end to set up the promotions.
Why did you decide to focus on the regions?
N.G : Historically, the training program has been offered in Île-de-France. In 2017, the training was offered for the first time in Nancy and Lyon, allowing us to meet a real demand. Our ambition was precisely to work on a national development.
In 2019, we thus joined the BPI's Entrepreneurship For All program as an Emergence gas pedal. And with our various national and local partners we were ready to launch the entrepreneurship training program in several cities in France.
In 2020, Paris, Toulouse, Lyon, Montpellier, Marseille, Rouen, Roubaix, Cergy and Lille all had their own Les Déterminés training. In 2021, the same cities will be chosen again, with a second class in Nancy and the first classes in Nantes, Bordeaux, Le Havre and Strasbourg.
What is your ambition for the future?
N.D : Our wish is not to offer a succession of training courses in different cities but to create what we have always wanted from the start: a bridge between the inhabitants and the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Our program is bearing fruit and we want it to benefit more people in France. Especially since it is free and its content is adapted to each project leader. Each territory is specific and requires discussion and meetings with local actors. As Moussa Camara often says: "Success is collective, there is no individual success."
