The origins of the Foyer movement lie in post-war France, but can be traced back to the nineteenth Century, when the founders of the trade union movement began the establishment of Bourses du Travail - a kind of job centre, which also provided a haven for travelling workers, together with education and training.
The name "Foyer de Jeunes Travailleurs" appeared after the WWII, when there was large scale rural-to-urban migration in France, which led to a rapid expansion in the Foyer network, providing very basic accommodation, canteen and recreational facilities. In response to worsening conditions for young French people, characterised by unemployment and economic activity, the French government invested in a modernisation programme of Foyers, and this brought with it a shift in the Foyers' focus, towards the promotion of social inclusion and induction into the adult world and labour market.
The bleak economic climate of the early nineties, and a growing recognition of the cycle of homelessness and unemployment (no home = no job = no home), the UK Foyer movement came into being in 1992 with the establishment of The Foyer Federation, and five pilot schemes based in existing YMCAs. With the Federation promoting the Foyer concept in the UK a remarkable period of growth saw the establishment of 40 Foyers by 1996.
Although the core philosophy of the UK and French Foyers is similar, there are also many differences. UK Foyers tend to work with a more disadvantaged client group than their French counterparts, with an even greater focus on employment and training.
The future for the further development of the Foyer concept looks bright. There are projects right across Europe, from Spain to Denmark to Romania, and more recently in Australia and the USA - the Chelsea Foyer having opened recently in New York. There are now well over 100 Foyers operating in the UK, in addition to over 500 in France, and, together with the developing networks across the world, this represents the emergence of a major international movement, but one which seeks local solutions within a framework of shared values.
Information sourced from the Foyer Federation.