À Travers les Murs
À Travers les Murs is a French non-profit association founded in 2020 that delivers weekly public speaking and eloquence training to incarcerated individuals across French prisons, using volunteer university students as trainers, with operations expanding nationally via satellite antennas.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What À Travers les Murs does
À Travers les Murs is a French non-profit association (association loi 1901, recognized as an association d'intérêt général) founded in August 2020 by Ilan Volson-Derabours. It is the first French eloquence association operating in prisons, delivering weekly public speaking and eloquence training sessions to incarcerated individuals through volunteer university students who are competition winners or educators. The training covers practical skills including interview simulations, debates, judicial posture, improvisation, and eulogies, with the explicit goal of supporting social and professional reintegration and reducing recidivism. The organization operates a permanent relationship with the Direction Interrégionale des Services Pénitentiaires de Paris, covering the majority of Île-de-France prisons, and collaborates with the Fédération Francophone de Débat to maintain a national network of trainers.
The association's product offering is built around three integrated components: (1) the core weekly in-prison training program, (2) a formal attestation (certificate) issued in partnership with the Fondation de l'Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne that documents participants' investment and is usable in professional environments, and (3) continuation modules (formation en milieu ouvert) delivered after release to avoid breakage of support continuity. There is no proprietary technology platform; delivery is entirely human-mediated through volunteer sessions. Distribution is direct-to-institution, coordinated with prison administration for facility access.
The business model is donation- and partnership-driven rather than fee-based. All training services are provided free of charge to incarcerated participants. Revenue streams consist of individual donations (tax-deductible due to the association d'intérêt général status) and corporate partnerships managed through [email protected]. The association is actively expanding its geographic footprint, with new antennas in Bordeaux and Île de la Réunion (deployment summer 2024) and planned expansion to Lille, Lyon, and Brussels. Funding runway is supported by earned media coverage in major French outlets (Le Monde, France 2, France 3, BFMTV) and a leadership team of four (President, Treasurer, VP Logistics, VP Partnerships).
À Travers les Murs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- À Travers les Murs
- Legal name
- À Travers les Murs
- Website
- https://atraverslesmurs.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- À Travers les Murs is a French non-profit association founded in 2020 that delivers weekly public speaking and eloquence training to incarcerated individuals across French prisons, using volunteer university students as trainers, with operations expanding nationally via satellite antennas.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
À Travers les Murs industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Prison Rehabilitation Services
- NAICS
- All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Debate Academies & Speech Coaching Centers (EDAMAOAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Mock Trial & Moot Court (EDAMAGAC), Speech & Debate Camps, Intensives & Bootcamps (EDAMAOAN)
Keywords
Where À Travers les Murs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
À Travers les Murs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Individual donors can contribute through the association's donation platform to support more volunteer trainers gaining access to more prisons. Donations fund operational expansion and trainer accessibility.
- Corporate Partnerships: Enterprise partnerships where companies collaborate with the association to support its activities. Companies can reach out via [email protected] to establish synergistic partnerships.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
À Travers les Murs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
À Travers les Murs organizes and delivers weekly speech and eloquence training sessions inside French prisons, led by volunteer university students who are competition winners or educators. Sessions cover interview simulation, contradictory debate, judicial posture, improvisation, and eulogies, and are paired with a university attestation from the Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne foundation and continuation modules in open environments after release.
Product overview
À Travers les Murs is a non-profit association (association d'intérêt général) that provides a single, unified service offering: speech and eloquence training for incarcerated individuals. The core program consists of weekly sessions delivered by volunteer students, covering practical skills like interview simulations, debates, judicial posture, improvisation, and eulogies. The organization issues an attestation (certificate) in partnership with the Fondation de l'Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, and offers continuation training modules (formation en milieu ouvert) for released participants. The three products function as an integrated progression: the core training builds foundational skills, the attestation provides formal recognition for professional use, and the open-environment modules ensure continuity of support after release.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Formation à la prise de parole et à l'éloquence (Speech and eloquence training program) Weekly in-person speech and eloquence training sessions delivered inside French prisons by volunteer university students who are competition winners or educators. The curriculum covers interview simulation, contradictory debate, judicial posture, improvisation, and eulogies, designed to give incarcerated participants the communication codes needed for professional, administrative, and social reintegration.
- Attestation de participation (Participation certificate) University-issued certificate documenting participants' investment in the training program, created in partnership with the Fondation de l'Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, and usable in professional environments to support reintegration.
- Formation en milieu ouvert (Open-environment continuation training) Optional continuation training modules provided on a case-by-case basis to former participants after release, allowing them to continue developing their speech and eloquence skills in open environments and avoid support breakage upon leaving prison.
Companies that use À Travers les Murs
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
À Travers les Murs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
À Travers les Murs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Fondation de l'Université Paris 1 Panthéon-SorbonnecorePartnership to create an attestation (certificate) that materializes participants' investment and is usable in professional environments. The attestation provides formal recognition of skills gained during training, enhancing participants' reintegration prospects.
- Fédération Francophone de DébatcoreNational network partnership providing access to a broad network of trainers nationwide. Enables standardized pedagogy (pédagogie uniformisée) across all locations and supports the expansion model through local satellite offices (antennes).
- Direction Interrégionale des Services Pénitentiaires de PariscorePermanent institutional relationship providing access to Île-de-France prisons. Enables ongoing coordination with prison administration for program implementation and expansion within the region.
- Administration PénitentiairecoreClose collaboration with prison administration to implement programs, adapt to prisoner needs, and work toward breaking recidivism dynamics through progressive reintegration support.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
À Travers les Murs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Toastmasters International: Global public-speaking and leadership training organization with a structured curriculum; comparable as a provider of speech training infrastructure and methodology.
- Genardo: French association supporting prisoners' reintegration through mentoring and training programs; comparable mission around recidivism reduction and post-release support.
- Prison Fellowship France: Established French non-profit focused on prisoner rehabilitation and reintegration; addresses a similar incarcerated-person segment with broader programming, making it a relevant adjacent peer.
Direct peers
- Eloquentia: French association running eloquence competitions and training programs; operates in the same French speech/eloquence training ecosystem as À Travers les Murs and shares competition-winner trainer pipelines.
- Fédération Francophone de Débat: Francophone debate federation that partners with À Travers les Murs to supply trainers and a national pedagogical network; both organizations operate in the French public-speaking and debate training space.
- Association Française des Conférences Eloquentes (AFCE): French-speaking association promoting eloquence competitions and public-speaking training; comparable in the French eloquence education ecosystem.
Regional players
- Service Pénitentiaire d'Insertion et de Probation (SPIP) partner NGOs: Non-profits partnering with French SPIP for in-prison reintegration programs; share the same institutional customer and similar pedagogical delivery in correctional facilities.
Others
- Le Mouvement Associatif: Umbrella organization representing French associations including those working in prisons; relevant as a sectoral ecosystem reference for association d'intérêt général status and funding frameworks.
- Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Fondation): Partner providing the university attestation; relevant as the credentialing body underpinning the participant certification pathway and a comparable higher-education credential provider.
- Direction Interrégionale des Services Pénitentiaires de Paris: Institutional counterpart granting prison access; relevant as the principal customer/partner whose priorities shape the association's distribution and program design.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
À Travers les Murs social profiles
Digital presenceÀ Travers les Murs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
À Travers les Murs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
À Travers les Murs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
À Travers les Murs M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about À Travers les Murs
What does À Travers les Murs do?
À Travers les Murs organizes and delivers weekly speech and eloquence training sessions inside French prisons, led by volunteer university students who are competition winners or educators. Sessions cover interview simulation, contradictory debate, judicial posture, improvisation, and eulogies, and are paired with a university attestation from the Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne foundation and continuation modules in open environments after release.
Is À Travers les Murs a public or private company?
À Travers les Murs is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was À Travers les Murs founded?
À Travers les Murs was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is À Travers les Murs based?
À Travers les Murs is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does À Travers les Murs make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships.
Who are À Travers les Murs's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Toastmasters International, Genardo and Prison Fellowship France. Direct peers are Eloquentia, Fédération Francophone de Débat and Association Française des Conférences Eloquentes (AFCE). Service Pénitentiaire d'Insertion et de Probation (SPIP) partner NGOs is listed as a regional player. Others are Le Mouvement Associatif, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Fondation) and Direction Interrégionale des Services Pénitentiaires de Paris.
Does À Travers les Murs have an API?
No public API is recorded for À Travers les Murs.
What industry is À Travers les Murs in?
À Travers les Murs's product category is Prison Rehabilitation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAOAC, Private Debate Academies & Speech Coaching Centers, with a secondary code of EDAMAGAC, Mock Trial & Moot Court. Its NAICS code is 61169 and its SIC code is 8200.