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CERN’s Community Support Centre marked its second anniversary on 1 August 2026, having welcomed 6900 newcomers in June alone while expanding its role in safety culture and leadership.
On 1 August 2026, the CERN Community Support Centre (CCSC) in Building 33 celebrated its second anniversary, having supported around 6900 newcomers in June 2026 alone. The Centre provides first-line assistance to CERN personnel daily, collaborating with multiple services across the Organization to ensure efficient onboarding for new arrivals.
The CCSC has expanded its remit beyond administrative and technical support by partnering with the Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Protection (HSE) Department. It now distributes Safety Fundamentals cards to all newcomers, embedding safety awareness from their first day at CERN, regardless of their employment status.
A leadership transition has taken place at the CCSC, with Paula Barriere assuming responsibility for Service Desk operations and the Centre. Barriere brings extensive CERN experience and succeeds Emilie Kirschner, who led the Service Desk for eight years, establishing over 200 internal procedures that remain in use today.
The Service Desk is now preparing to integrate AI-powered virtual agents into its operations while maintaining a human-centred approach. This next phase aims to build on existing collaborations and continue delivering efficient, welcoming support to the CERN community.