Santescalade

The aim is to promote physical activity and a healthy, balanced diet among children aged 6 to 12 in the Canton. The association provides the “project leaders” with the concept and materials (a nutritional booklet for each child, the “passport”, posters of the food pyramid, fruit and vegetables donated by the Union Maraîchère Genevoise).

The program takes place over 8 weeks of training (1 session per week, lasting from 1h to 1h30 outside school time), in a fixed location communicated to parents in advance (school playground, park, stadium, etc.) as part of the after-school timetable or communal activities.

The sessions are organized by “project leaders”, who are usually either school teachers or parents from the school’s parents’ association. If no school or parents’ association in a commune decides to run a project, then it is possible for the commune to organize the sessions.

On request to the Sant”e”scalade secretariat, a specialist in sports or dietetics can assist the project leader (communes only) at each session. At each session, the main principles of a healthy diet and exercises to prepare children for running are explained, and each youngster is given a “santescalade passport”.

As well as encouraging children to eat a balanced diet and get active, the sessions prepare them for the Course de l’Escalade in the eight weeks leading up to the event. For children, regular participation in the sessions is rewarded with half the registration fee for the Course de l’Escalade and a “Sant”e”scalade gift”.

A few numbers

Between 2007 and 2022, a total of 55,629 children took part in santescalade training sessions, grouped into 1,081 projects. In 2022, 5,946 children took part in 106 projects. Every year, around 80% of these children take part in the Course de l’Escalade at the end of the training sessions. This concept is currently being implemented in some 30 communes.