Aminata, Decathlon St Dié :
My name is Aminata and I am 39 years old.
I joined DECATHLON in 2002 as a fitness salesperson, having practiced gymnastics and circus arts for 17 years.
I've been a training sales assistant in my store for 3 years, as well as a disability referent, then a quality of life at work ambassador for 5 years.
Since 2018 I have naturally chosen, after disability, the subject of inclusion and insertion because it is a cause that speaks to me and touches me.
I come from a working-class neighborhood where different communities mix and where I've seen real social and cultural inequalities.
My mission has enabled me to do something, in a small way, for a vulnerable public.
For the past 4 years, I have been proposing a partnership with the Mission Locale to welcome young people into our store, enabling them to discover our different professions and, above all, to support them at a turning point in their lives. The Mission Locale provides socio-professional support for young people aged 16 to 25 who have left the school system. This includes support in finding employment and training, as well as help with mobility, independence, housing and health.
The director of the local mission came to see me about equipping young people as part of a Sport et Santé project. This project involves integrating the notion of sport and health into the support provided to young people. Since June, the local mission has been offering two sessions a week to young people who sign up for a quarter, and will be repeating this formula 3 times a year, involving some 40 young people.
The young people will be involved in a group supervised by a BPJEPS "sport for all ".
Activities will take place in the fitness room. They will also discover a variety of sports, thanks to partnerships with clubs in the Saint Dié des Vosges area that have signed sport/insertion agreements with the Mission Locale. A nutritionist will also be on hand to help with meal preparation.
I talked about it with my colleagues, and we wanted to take part in this wonderful project, because we're convinced that sport is a vehicle for integration, bringing people together and boosting self-confidence. A little hesitantly, because it was a first for me, I asked the Decathlon Foundation to help us with this wonderful project. After putting together an application and going before the foundation's committee, we were delighted to see our project approved and supported.
We are very happy that the local mission asked us to do this, because it represents our values as well as those of the company, and above all we are very proud that the Foundation has supported us".
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