The cohesion stays planned as part of the Universal National Service will be won next summer if the health situation allows.

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Tristan Reynaud / SIPA

Due to the coronavirus epidemic, the cohesion stays planned as part of the National Universal Service (UNS) at All Saints' Day will be postponed, theoretically until next summer, announced the new Secretary of State in charge of the subject Sarah El Hairy.

Last April, the former Secretary of State in this post Gabriel Attal announced the reversal of the schedule of the two phases of the SNU because of the health crisis.

The young volunteers should have, exceptionally this year, started their service with a mission of general interest during the summer before carrying out their cohesion stay during the All Saints holidays.

A postponement perhaps "until next summer"

"These stays, we will not be able to organize them on the French territory because of the health situation", explained Sarah El Hairy, adding that she hoped to postpone them "until next summer".

One exception: a cohesion stay will take place in New Caledonia, a green zone, with a hundred young people, from October 12 to 23.

Stopped by confinement, the registration campaign mobilized 10,000 volunteers last year.

Some 5,000 young people then confirmed their registration.

Half of these young people have so far carried out a mission of general interest, according to the State Secretariat for Youth.

Initially, 30,000 young people should have participated in the SNU this year, after 2,000 volunteers in 2019.

The SNU is supposed to go mainstream

Wanted by Emmanuel Macron, the device, experimented so far on a voluntary basis, is supposed to be generalized over the years to an entire age group, to finally become compulsory.

"There is a will at the highest level of the State for it to be implemented", assures Sarah El Hairy.

Last February, before the onset of the health crisis, the government said it hoped for a generalization of the device in 2024 for all 16-year-olds.

The next draft budget should give visibility on the new planned schedule, undermined by the coronavirus.

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