Sixteen long-term jobseekers in Saumur are taking part in a training programme that blends professional workshops, nutrition awareness and health rugby.
Since 6 October 2026, Saumur Rugby has been hosting an original training programme aimed at helping people back into work. Organised in partnership with France Travail, it brings together sixteen long-term jobseekers who alternate thematic sessions with physical activity, in an associative setting rather than a conventional classroom.
The format is simple and regular. Each week, participants devote part of their time to workshops focused on the stages of the job search, then move straight on to an hour of health rugby, a practice adapted to all levels that emphasises team cohesion and rebuilding confidence. On Tuesday 20 October 2026, the programme added a workshop on the importance of nutrition in everyday life, ahead of the sports session.
This mix of learning and sporting practice rests on a clear rationale. For people who have been far from the labour market for a long time, regular schedules, group work and concrete goals can help them recover a rhythm and motivation. Several participants describe the experience as stimulating, a feeling that sets this scheme apart from a traditional internship.
Figures put forward by France Travail offer further insight. According to the agency, more than 60% of participants in this type of activity find a job within the following months. However, this is a trend observed across such schemes as a whole, not a guarantee specific to each session, which calls for caution in interpreting it.
Beyond the Saumur case, the initiative reflects a broader trend: combining amateur sport with social support to reach audiences that are sometimes hard to mobilise through institutional channels alone. It remains to be seen whether the experience will be renewed and how its effects will be measured over time.
The format is simple and regular. Each week, participants devote part of their time to workshops focused on the stages of the job search, then move straight on to an hour of health rugby, a practice adapted to all levels that emphasises team cohesion and rebuilding confidence. On Tuesday 20 October 2026, the programme added a workshop on the importance of nutrition in everyday life, ahead of the sports session.
This mix of learning and sporting practice rests on a clear rationale. For people who have been far from the labour market for a long time, regular schedules, group work and concrete goals can help them recover a rhythm and motivation. Several participants describe the experience as stimulating, a feeling that sets this scheme apart from a traditional internship.
Figures put forward by France Travail offer further insight. According to the agency, more than 60% of participants in this type of activity find a job within the following months. However, this is a trend observed across such schemes as a whole, not a guarantee specific to each session, which calls for caution in interpreting it.
Beyond the Saumur case, the initiative reflects a broader trend: combining amateur sport with social support to reach audiences that are sometimes hard to mobilise through institutional channels alone. It remains to be seen whether the experience will be renewed and how its effects will be measured over time.
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Source: Ouest-France