Children elect their leisure center delegates
The election of children's delegates for leisure centers took place on September 25.
As part of the partnership approach and the Ville amie des enfants label awarded to the Ville de Toulon by UNICEF, young Toulonnais, enrolled year-round in 9 municipal leisure centers, elected their representatives on September 25.
A real initiation into democracy that is part of the "Paroles d'enfants" scheme. EXCITEMENT Just like the grown-ups!
Just like their parents, they are going to vote. For some of them newly registered in the Toulon leisure centers, it was a great first. For the older ones, already well-versed in the electoral system, it was almost a routine formality.
This did not prevent excitement and a certain emotion in the 9 centers involved in these elections, notably the one at La Beaucaire elementary school where the elections took place in the presence of Valérie Mondone, Deputy Mayor in charge of Youth, and Armandine Layec, municipal councilor in charge of Youth.
Designed to choose representatives who will carry their ideas or projects to the Conseil municipal, these elections have nothing to envy local and national polls. From their 6 to 12 years of age, the kids of the Rade spent the last few weeks organizing this vote. The boldest among them stood as candidates, and girl-boy pairs were formed to respect parity.
They consulted their young classmates and wrote their manifestos with the help of the various facilitators. Each of them then slipped their ballot into the box under the watchful eyes of scrutineers. Once the last budding voter had passed, the polling stations proceeded to the count and then announced the names of the delegates elected for this 2024–2025 year.
PARTICIPATING IN PUBLIC LIFE The next step is the three councils scheduled during the year in the solemn hall of the Conseil municipal, during which the elected children are accompanied by representatives of UNICEF, municipal officials, and Josée Massi, Mayor of Toulon. Indeed, these elections are a real initiation to democracy conducted as part of the "Paroles d'enfants" scheme, established in 2013 to encourage children's participation in public life.
18 children, delegates and alternates, are elected by their peers for a mandate that lasts the duration of the school year. The role of these delegates is to gather the feedback of children registered in the recreation centers and to give their opinions on various themes. Through regular exchanges with the elected members of the Conseil municipal, they design and implement projects around sustainable development, heritage, or solidarity.
The objective of this scheme is to introduce 6 to 12-year-olds to democracy, and to promote citizenship and youth involvement in local life.