A torrent of good will. This is how Gabriel Attal describes the solidarity movement expressed on the jeveuxaider.gouv.fr platform, launched ten days ago. The Secretary of State in charge of the voluntary sector also announces the launch of several aid systems for hospitals and the elderly, which will be provided by young people in civic service.
Are good wills there, on the jeveuxaider.gouv.fr platform?
GABRIEL ATTAL. Since its launch on March 22, nearly 250,000 people have joined the civic reserve. Such mobilization is unprecedented in such a short time. 45,000 French people are already mobilized in the field around essential missions: food aid and the most vulnerable, distance links, exceptional childcare for caregivers, and for many, delivery of groceries for the elderly or with disabilities. Today, I am launching a new mobilization in support of the Public Assistance-Hospitals of Paris (AP-HP) and health establishments, so that caregivers can focus on their essential missions.
That is to say ?
We are going to recruit 500 volunteers to link up with coronavirus patients who are at home. They will call people who find it difficult to complete the application set up by the AP-HP for monitoring patients at home.
The number of volunteers is very large, but less than 20% are employed. Is this not a sign that associations do not need volunteers without specific skills?
On the contrary, it is the sign of an extraordinary surge of solidarity. The civic reserve was built with the associations. Many are usually based on volunteers over the age of 70. They naturally asked these people to stay at home to avoid exposure to the virus, and they are missing as many arms. It is the challenge of the platform to allow this reinforcement of new volunteers. Today, an association that expresses a need on the platform finds an average of 100 volunteers in half an hour.
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Are young people in civic service also on the ground?
With Jean-Michel Blanquer ( Editor's note: the Minister of Education ), we are going to call on 20,000 young people in civic service, whose mission was interrupted at the start of confinement, to mobilize. As of this week, 1,000 young people are deployed, thanks to Unis-Cité, to maintain a link by telephone with the elderly, or deliver groceries or medicines to them. And, today, young people in civic service will come to support hospitals. They will participate for thirteen Hauts-de-France hospitals in the transportation and management of mask stocks.
Will they support caregivers?
No, they will not intervene on health matters, but will provide significant logistical support for the functioning of health structures.
Gérald Darmanin also launched his initiative, calling for a surge of generosity towards businesses. Do you support the idea?
Many French people are in great difficulty because of this crisis. Entrepreneurs, craftsmen, recipients of social minima ... Associations too. Restos du Coeur recently had to spend € 500,000 to compensate for food donations they lacked. I exchanged with Gérald Darmanin to suggest that the kitty also allows funds to be directed towards associations helping the most disadvantaged.
Are the first volunteers of the Universal National Service (SNU) also mobilized in this crisis?
Yes, the 2,000 young people who participated in the SNU last year spontaneously turned to us to ask us how to help. We sent them the “neighbors in solidarity” kit so that they can get involved in their building, in their street or in their village.
Will the SNU take place this year?
It would be incomprehensible that in this year when the country needs so much mobilization, we give it up. But obviously, we will adapt it. Young people will start with their general interest mission, which is done near them. For the cohesion stay, we will decide the modalities according to the health context.