The launch of registrations for the 2021 vintage of the universal national service takes place this Monday, January 11 on the site Inscription.snu.gouv.fr, announces Sarah El Haïry, Secretary of State for Youth and Engagement, in a exclusive interview.
On January 11, you are calling on 25,000 young people aged 15 to 17 to commit to the National Universal Service (SNU), version 2021. What is it?
SARAH EL HAÏRI.
It is a fortnight's stay of cohesion, that these young volunteers, coming from all over France, from all backgrounds, will spend together from June 21 to July 2, around sports, civic activities and debates.
This year - unlike the 2019 experiment which only involved 2,000 young people in 13 departments - all departments in France will be concerned.
We have therefore doubled the budget: 61 million euros, with full coverage of costs for volunteers.
What is the program ?
Every morning, wake up then raise colors at 8 am, in uniform, with salute to the flag and "the Marseillaise".
The young people will be welcomed by soldiers, associations and educators, and divided into households of ten, placed under the authority of a tutor.
Throughout the day, they will follow workshops on the values of the Republic, institutions, commitment, culture, access to rights, or ecology.
They are going to play sports.
And after this stay, they will carry out a mission of general interest of fifteen days in a corps in uniform, a public service or an association.
The goal is to live a “time of the Republic” in action.
Because if we want to strengthen the republican base, we must create moments, a common memory, around this notion.
VIDEO. SNU: "The hardest part is waking up", confides one of the first graduates
Have you anticipated the cancellation in the event of an epidemic rebound?
We have chosen places of reception with space and experience in terms of health rules: high schools, boarding schools, holiday centers ... A strict protocol will be ensured.
And of course, we will adapt according to the evolution of the epidemic.
But it doesn't start until June!
I would also remind you that the summer camps did take place last year.
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Can we speak of a remake of military service?
The SNU is neither the school nor the army, let alone the summer camp!
Even if there are undoubtedly the societal aspects of military service, because we welcome everyone without distinction.
There is also the taste of the common effort.
But, what we wanted with the Minister of National Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer, is a moment of cohesion between young people who have not chosen to be together.
Dropouts, some having had problems with the justice system, others with disabilities, or even from wealthy backgrounds.
They will be supervised by corporations which usually do not meet much: the corps in uniform, including the army and firefighters, teachers, and popular education associations.
No other place allows such mixing.
Is there still a question of making it compulsory in 2026 for the 800,000 16-year-olds each year?
Yes, that is the objective of the “universal” aspect, even if the date is not consolidated, and that will require a bill.
And we still want it to be impossible, in the long term, to be reformed.
A report by Injep (National Institute for Youth and Popular Education) on the 2019 edition establishes that, if 94% of young people are satisfied, civic interest remains unclear ...
They may not have theorized about the citizen aspect of the experience.
But they lived it, together, they integrated it.
I am convinced that this will create a click on their future civic commitments.
With the assassination of Samuel Paty in October and the upcoming separatism law, will questions of secularism be raised head-on with young people?
During the cohesion stay, there will be a debate every evening.
The subjects of secularism and freedom of expression have been on the table for a long time.
There is no “Samuel Paty” module… But there is, for example, a module on radicalization, which will be led by the Cipdr (Interministerial Committee for the Prevention of Crime and Radicalization).
In front of high school students, in October,
you sang “the Marseillaise”… alone, after having hooked up with them on the subject of secularism.
Is it with the use of the tricolor that we make citizens?
I consider that singing “the Marseillaise” and giving respect to the flag are part of a moment of citizen unity.
It is not the only one: helping the neighbor, surpassing oneself, cleaning a beach are also part of it.
But the SNU, like the Republic, is not à la carte: there are no symbols on one side, actions on the other.
So if, during the stay, a young person refuses to sing "the Marseillaise", to attend the raising of the colors, or to wear the uniform, he will still have to comply.
It is also the interest of the device to create this kind of debate.
