Vincent Thommelin, can you first tell us about your background?
From the Jura, I grew up in Séligney near Le Deschaux. I studied at Dole high school then in prep class in Dijon then in business school in Toulouse with a double degree with Sciences po. Since 2021, I have worked as a parliamentary collaborator of Danielle Brulebois. For a year and a half, I have been president of the Du Jura aux Grandes Écoles association, an association created in 2022. It is a departmental variation of the Des Territoires aux Grandes Écoles federation, founded in 2017. The objective is to support young Jura residents in their orientation, the association aims to bring together a community of students and graduates of all ages wishing to act to promote equal opportunities in the Jura and work towards its development.
Where did this desire to support young people come from?
I noticed that many of my classmates had abandoned courses because they had been poorly oriented, particularly towards the grandes écoles. When I did my internship in a ministerial office, I saw the figures for access to major schools for rural people, it revolted me. Thanks to another Jura resident Christophe Boillon, we created this association with the aim of promoting long-term studies and supporting young rural people who wish to access these studies.
How many departmental branches of this federation exist?
There are 55 of us today. That of Jura was created three years ago, Christophe Boillon was its president before me.
What are your actions?
The heart of our actions are the interventions with the first and final students to present our association and our actions and also present the figures which are edifying. A Parisian student has three times the chance of accessing a major school (commerce, engineering, IEP, po sciences, etc.), especially through competitive examinations. The inequality is even greater with non-Île-de-France residents. In these large schools, half of the students come from large cities while high school students from large cities represent 20% in France and while the level of high school students is approximately the same between Dole, Saint-Claude, and Paris 18e.
How do you explain these figures?
We make three observations. First of all, self-censorship which is a factor that we find very regularly. They have the capabilities, the right files but there is always the “it’s not made for me”. It's a shame because young rural people often make very good profiles.
The distance from the sectors is also important. In the Jura, if you want to do a preparatory class, you have to leave the department. This can be a source of stress from a financial point of view.
The question of finances is very important. You need to be able to find accommodation, plus the cost of living, etc.
-What are your other actions?
Mentoring. In our discussions, some students do not dare to question. This allows for more personalized support. The goal is to support the student with pathwayup, which internship to choose, which sector to choose…
This year, we want to set up a merit scholarship system in partnership with Crédit Agricole. When we discuss with parents, the financial aspect is always the first criterion that comes up.
How many volunteers do you have?
There are seven of us. The association lives through its members. We gladly welcome new members. There are many wonderful journeys from Jura students who are very aware of this issue. I encourage them to contact me. In the association, half of us have young graduates, and also people still studying. To identify themselves, it is easier for young people when their mentors are still studying or have just arrived on the job market.
Three members work in Paris, the others are studying in Lille, in Germany… Before the Christmas holidays, we worked at the Considering high school in Salins-les-Bains, we regularly return to the Jura.
Does success mean not working in the Jura?
No not at all. That's a very good question. We want to promote equal opportunities, but also promote territories. The association is young and we can't do everything, but we also try to promote the return of young people to the Jura because there are lots of great things to do. It also involves recreating links with businesses… We can succeed anywhere, the first objective being to be happy and in the Jura we can be that. Our message is just to tell young people to do what they want and to do it to the fullest, not necessarily to go to college, that is not at all our subject nor the message we want to convey. There are also plenty of beautiful trails to do in the Jura outside of major studies.
Contact on social networks: Instagram djge39, Facebook page Du Jura aux Grandes Ecoles and linkedin.
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