30 young people aged 6 to 17 took part in health workshops at Quartier Jeunes on April 1st.
The basics for good health: eat well, move, and get enough sleep. That was the theme of the afternoon on Wednesday, April 1st at Quartier Jeunes Saint-Affrique. “It all started with an observation,” explains Sindy Valat, an animator in the structure. “The children and teenagers were bringing in products that were too sweet and processed. These snacks have been bothering me for a while.” As part of obtaining her Youth, Education, and Sports Professional Certificate (BPJES) in Socio-Educational and Cultural Animation (ASEC), she organized an animation on “Healthy and Easy Snacks – Eating well to move better” through various workshops. One dedicated to cooking, another to sleep, and a third to a sports course in the garden. The children rotated through all three, in groups of ten, for about 40 minutes each.
Energy Balls
Arnaud Caparos from Jardin du Chayran (Millau) led the workshop “Cooking and Sensitization.” The children made energy balls and a spread made of lean cocoa and red beans to spread. “Before getting hands-on with the recipes, I introduce the food through a game and raise awareness about a good balance,” explains the animator. He made small balls in front of them, explaining the ingredients used. Then each child took one, flattened it, added cashews, almond powder, chocolate, etc., closed it and rolled it between their hands. The children left delighted with their culinary masterpiece and ate it right away.
Sachet to slip under the pillow
For the sleep awareness part, naturopath Agnès Buisson from Sainte-Affrique started with a quiz with questions like “At what time does my brain want to sleep?” “In school, I am concentrated all the time, I am tired, I struggle to keep my eyes open?” or, “If I were a battery, when I wake up, I would be at 100%, 10%, or flat?” Her observation is clear: “Unfortunately, many watch screens before bed. Even 6-year-olds! So, they sleep too little. Then, each child or teenager made a small sachet with three medicinal plants (bay laurel, orange peel, and lavender) to slip under the pillow to fall asleep more easily. Then, they headed to the garden where, in relay, the children divided into two groups followed a course led by Gaëtan Cambon, a sports educator from the town’s Sports Department. Alexis Fleury, a trainee at the leisure center, and some older teenagers from Quartier Jeunes assisted.
The course started with a race between posts followed by jumps over hedges (20-30 cm high). The physical session ended with ten jumping jacks and archery with three attempts.
The material was provided by the Sports Department of Saint-Affrique. The children shouted, jumped, ran at full speed, encouraged each other, congratulated each other, all in a good mood and a true synergy between young and old. Sindy Valat added, “Following this event, we plan to offer the making of a healthy snack once a month.”
A blend of ages at its best
“The participants come from here and from the leisure center Le Ludo. It was a desire to mix ages and children from both structures, the workshops being adapted to all levels,” explains Stéphane Mallavan, head of Quartier Jeunes. The leisure center, like us, noticed that many young people were consuming industrial snacks, chips, candies, sodas, especially energy drinks. Additionally, it’s not fair because not everyone has the same financial means.”
