Le Bel Espoir and AJD
A chaplain to minors for thirteen years at the Fresnes penitentiary, Father Jaouen found that prison did not solve many of the problems faced by this young population. Aboard the sailboat Bel Espoir, he set up a therapy based on long-distance ocean cruises.
He founded the Association des Amis du Jeudi-Dimanche (AJD), which helps young adults escape their everyday problems. Drug addicts, juvenile delinquents or psychiatric patients, many of them parade on the deck of the Bel Espoir, rediscovering a lost sense of freedom and self-confidence. Convinced that a mix of genders would work, the crew of Le Bel Espoir is made up of Merchant Navy officers and passengers with a calmer profile.
A model for rehabilitating the castaways of life
With this therapy having proved its worth, the AJD has expanded over the years. The Bel Espoir was joined by the Rara Avis, a solid 27 m dinghy. Then, in 1999, Father Jaouen and his team of experts opened the AJD boatyard, hidden away in a bend of the Aber Wrac'h, his stronghold in North Finistère. Here, you can learn all sorts of things, but especially seafaring trades.
Until his deaths in 2016 at the age of 95, it is estimated that some 15,000 castaways were helped by Père Jaouen.
A lively, anti-conformist style
Prefaced by Georges Pernoud, Chantal Loiselet's book, assisted by Patrick Deschamps, describes the years when she had the good fortune to work alongside Michel Jaouen on his many projects. This offbeat book retraces the Jesuit's life with a sense of humor, alternating between period photos, accounts of sailing and the author's own sketches. It's a pleasure to read this account and discover his colorful career.
Help yourself to happiness
- Others: Chantal Loiselet and Patrick Deschamps
- Editions Glénat
- 14.5 x 20 cm
- 235 pages
- 19.99 euros
