For both newcomers and long-time residents of Paris, locating and learning
about all the organizations, activities and opportunities which exist for
the English-speaking community can be a challenge.
Do you want to locate a conversation group that suits your schedule? Trying to find children's
activities in your arrondissement? Need a list of Parisian cooking classes? You know there are lots of groups and organizations out there,
but where should you begin?
The answers are at The Information Center, located at
65 quai d'Orsay, in the Franco-American Community Center
of the
American Church in Paris.
The Information Center is a free, Anglophone data base and referral service open to everyone seeking
practical, factual information about living and growing in Paris. The multi-national staff of friendly, trained volunteers provides personal
service to their walk-in clients via an ever-growing computer data base and a library of published resources.
The Information Center opened its doors in November of 1998. According to IC Coordinator Johanna Cairo, "We already have
information on over 60 Paris-based organizations in our data base, and we're adding more every day.
Included organizations offer everything from social and cultural activities to self-help and support groups; continuing
education to religious instruction; children's activities to health services; volunteer opportunities and more."
In addition to providing service to its clients, The Information Center also offers an opportunity
for involvement, since they welcome any volunteers who would like to learn more about Paris while helping others. All volunteers are fully trained
and work in teams to answer client queries.
The Information Center is an outgrowth of the very popular "Bloom Where You're Planted" series of programs presented every October for the
past 28 years by the Women of the American Church in Paris.
Robyn Teed, ex-WOAC President commented, "We always have a wonderful response to the
data we provide for Paris newcomers during our Bloom programs. But we kept asking ourselves, after "Bloom", then what? The answer was to
develop The Information Center."
In addition, the Center is supported by the International Counseling Service, whose on-site staff is available to
aide clients and provide training for volunteers. So, for a warm welcome and data about resources to help you bloom in Paris, stop in at
English
Information Center