The Department of Bouches-du-Rhône held its first-ever day focused on youth and disability on October 9 in Marseille. The event brought together over 750 participants, including people with visible and invisible disabilities, professionals, volunteers, elected officials, students, and families. Organized at the Hôtel du Département, the day aimed to help individuals and their families find the right organizations and support services, which can be difficult to navigate. The department reported that there are 132,000 people with disabilities in the area, and the event featured a "village of inclusion" to highlight the importance of community and support. Martine Vassal, president of the Departmental Council, emphasized the need for people with disabilities to be heard and for society to ask the right questions. She noted that disability-related expenses for the region are expected to reach nearly 400 million euros by 2026, with over 1.6 billion euros allocated to solidarity efforts. Local associations such as L’Avi Sourire, Défi Sport, Zim Zam, and Jérémy Sportiuch Kick Boxing offered sports initiation sessions, while departmental services like the Maison Départementale des Personnes Handicapées (MDPH) provided information on support programs. The event also included four roundtable discussions on topics such as stereotypes related to disability, access to higher education, the experiences of young people in precarious situations, and inclusive housing. Vassal also announced plans for "boom" afternoons later in the year, inspired by the "Bel Âge" events. These sessions will be organized in collaboration with the DACOR association based in Aubagne, which offers artistic and cultural activities. For the 2026-2027 school year, the department plans to conduct dozens of awareness campaigns on disability and discrimination in 28 middle schools. Activities such as "reading in the dark" and braille discovery workshops are expected to help students better understand the experiences of people with disabilities. The department is also considering reorganizing its funding for autonomy in 2027. Jean-Marc Perrin, a departmental council member and president of the MDPH, stated that autonomy-related expenses should represent a major portion of the department's solidarity budget. Currently, more than half of the department's solidarity budget is linked to autonomy, highlighting the importance of supporting independent living for people with disabilities.