After his visit to Saint-Dizier this Friday morning, the Minister of Sports, Gil Avérous, had lunch and exchanged with young people from Haut-Marne in Chaumont. At the heart of the discussions, the difficulties linked to rurality. With daily jhm, he also discussed the “Two hours of extra sport at school” system, as well as the legacy of the Paris Games.
daily jhm: In place since the start of the school year, the “Two hours of extra sport at school” system has been reviewed and refocused on establishments located in priority education zones. What motivated this choice?
Gil Avérous: “The implementation of the system, tested for two years, varied greatly across the national territory. The joint desire of the Ministries of National Education and Sports is to pull out all the stops in establishments located in priority neighborhoods. The figures prove it: it is in these areas that sports practice is lowest and we want to remedy this. »
daily jhm: For what reasons was the initial, expanded system not followed satisfactorily?
Gil Avérous: “We noted several obstacles: the availability of sports equipment in establishments, the mobility difficulties of young people, outside of school hours since it is an extracurricular practice, the availability of teachers, but also of external speakers, even sports clubs. Sports practice cannot be decreed. Depending on the degree of effectiveness of the new system, we may again be required to develop it. But we don't give up. »
“Rising licensees, but reception problems”
daily jhm: Is Haute-Marne a good student?
Gil Avérous: “Five colleges have put these two hours in place. One in REP +, Anne-Frank in Saint-Dizier, three in REP, La Rochotte in Chaumont, Joseph-Cressot in Joinville and Luis-Ortiz in Saint-Dizier, as well as a college outside REP, René-Rollin in Chevillon, who will be able to continue because he started the operation before the device was refocused. »
daily jhm: Let's talk about the legacy of the Paris Games. What impact have they had on sports practice in clubs?
Gil Avérous: “Everywhere, we have seen an increase in licensees since the Olympics. Depending on the discipline, this ranges from +6% to +30%, for an average of +12%. The problem is reception, because certain cities are facing problems with the availability of equipment. We are working on this issue, through increasing the pooling of high school gymnasiums. These facilities are often empty in the evening while municipal gymnasiums are saturated. The National Sports Agency (ANS) could, in the future, participate in financing developments and works which would make this equipment accessible to structures and associations outside of high schools. »
daily jhm: You spoke, this Friday noon, with six young people from Haute-Marne, students or working people. What came out of this meeting?
Gil Avérous: “There was talk of youth in rural areas, of the attractiveness of Haute-Marne. The young people with whom I had the chance to speak placed a lot of emphasis on the problems of mobility in the department, transport, particularly rail. I was also able to see the crucial importance of implementing higher education courses, several of which are innovative, already exist, and of the capacity of companies to welcome students for internships. All this shows us that we must continue to invest in higher education. Soon, I will present to the Prime Minister a youth plan, not just focused on sport. We will get closer to territories that could be pilots for certain systems. Haute-Marne, with its medium-sized towns, can easily be part of it. »
Comments collected by Delphine Catalifaud
Civic service soon more focused on the environment
Traveling in Haute-Marne, Gil Avérous, Minister of Sports, Youth and Community Life, discussed civic service during his morning stopover in Saint-Dizier (read on page 14). A system which, according to him, could, in the future, evolve slightly. “It falls under my ministry. It is a device that works very well. We will try to color it a little more environment and ecology,” he plans. “Of the 150,000 that we do per year, we have 15,000 which are on this theme. We’re going to go to 30,000.”
Sport, an ally of the great national cause 2025
During his visit to Bragarde land, the Minister of Sports, Youth and Community Life, Gil Avérous also mentioned, on several occasions, mental health as a major national cause of 2025 and for which the government is given four objectives: destigmatization, development of prevention and early detection, improvement of access to care throughout France and support for those affected. According to Gil Avérous, sports practice has a role to play in this matter: “Sport is a real medicine to combat problems of this order. »
D.L.
