With the beginning of a new school year, JCDecaux announces its support and assistance for the e-schoolbag programme "Mon cartable connecté” (‘My e-schoolbag’). The initiative is aimed at improving the daily lives of children in hospital, especially children with cancer.
Long-term illnesses are traumatic and affect children’s psychological and cognitive development. Being in hospital means they are out of school and away from their friends. All children have a right to education and need a social life, so the team at Le Collectif, a charity founded in 2005 by chairman Abdel Aïssou and vice presidents Marc Lavoine and Raymond Domenech created an e-schoolbag. The bag comes with equipment to link children with their school class, enabling them to stay connected and keep up with schoolwork. Provided free of charge, the e-schoolbag is unique and tailored to each individual child for the duration of their treatment. Working in partnership with Le Collectif, JCDecaux's Research, Production and Operations Department volunteered their skills in concept development, design, production, project management and logistics to develop the shell of the e-schoolbag. The equipment was produced by several companies working closely with one another. The specially designed, colourful and modern device is compact and easy to carry, with a sturdy interior to protect the contents inside. The e-schoolbag is user-friendly and quick to install in class with an integrated power input to ensure all the parts are continuously charged, in compliance with European standards. Once prepared, the e-schoolbag and its contents are checked by Le Collectif before being allocated to a child.
The class is provided with an e-schoolbag, a 4G router, a computer, a tablet and two cameras. One camera is fixed to record the class; the other is mobile and controlled by the child from their room. They can see their classmates and the teacher, hear the audio and participate in the class. The teacher also has a tablet with a video feed to communicate directly with the child in hospital. The child’s e-schoolbag contains a tablet and headphones. They have a live connection with the class to follow the lesson from their room, either at home or in the hospital, interact with classmates and the teacher and ask questions. Equipped with a secure connection, the device is easy to install and use.
JCDecaux’s involvement in this initiative follows naturally from its engagement with social responsibility and its commitment to make daily life better for all. The Group, which has a long history of supporting good causes, especially in medicine, is delighted to take this commitment to the next level through its contributions to the e-schoolbag programme.
Abdel Aïssou, Chairman of Le Collectif, said: “Our partnership with JCDecaux reflects our aspiration of teaming up with a French leader that is recognised worldwide. JCDecaux’s contribution is vital, not only in terms of technology, but also because the Group shares our values of solidarity and non-discrimination.”
Jean-Charles Decaux, Co-CEO of JCDecaux, said: “We’re delighted to be part of the ‘Cartable Connecté’ initiative and to contribute the expertise of our Research, Production and Operations teams to help children undergoing major medical treatment. I'd like to take this opportunity to warmly thank the teams involved daily in this programme. The Group has always been committed to supporting associations in the health ecosystem, for example providing advertising space free of charge. This wonderful e-schoolbag initiative is extending our engagement and fits perfectly with our CSR policy, demonstrating everyone at JCDecaux is dedicated to improving the quality of life in our cities. This initiative is close to our hearts and we’re proud to be involved.”
About JCDecaux
JCDecaux, the number one outdoor advertising company worldwide, is present in more than 80 countries and 4,030 cities with over 10,000 inhabitants. For more than 50 years, JCDecaux products have been the benchmark in innovation, quality, aesthetics and functionality. Thanks to the expertise of its employees, the Group's service offering, particularly on upkeep and maintenance are recognised by cities, airport and transport authorities, along with advertisers around the world. JCDecaux is currently the only world-class player to focus exclusively on outdoor advertising and the development of all related activities: street furniture, transport and billboard advertising. In the age of the smart city, JCDecaux is positioning itself as a major player and is already playing a vital role in building the connected city, a city that is more human, more open and more sustainable.
For more information about JCDecaux, please visit jcdecaux.com.
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