Integration: Voluntary civil service in France to help the youth

VOLUNTARY CIVIL SERVICE IN FRANCE TO HELP THE YOUTH

June 2006

Established by the French government in the framework of the Law on the Equal Opportunities, voluntary civilian service is open to all young people in France, young men and women ages 16 to 25. This civilian service, which combines citizen training and individual support, aims to promote national cohesion while helping youth people train for future employment. The system is designed to meet the needs of modern democracy while promoting the involvement of youths in civic-minded initiatives that help society and community life. It gives young people a unique opportunity to demonstrate their commitment as a citizen while developing new and useful skills that can be leveraged when entering the workforce. Civilian service also reflects a more generalised trend in terms of European and international policy, as demonstrated by the international section of the civilian volunteer service, implemented by the law passed by the French government on 14 March 2000. Civilian volunteers contribute to France’s development in the diplomatic, cultural, scientific, economic and technical arenas, but also in companies.

Civilian service addresses the young people of France, male and female, ages 16 to 25, regardless of their social and cultural origins or their level of education. Described as a means to strengthen social bonds, France’s civilian service is designed to help young people, particularly those in difficulty, prepare for future employment. This 6- to 12-month programme is expected involve some 30,000 people in 2006, and 50,000 in 2007.

“We currently have two priorities. First, to transmit the values of the French Republic (...): values based on respect, tolerance, and listening to others. (...) Next, training and support. (...) It is essential that every youth be given his or her chance. (...) We want the volunteer service to become operational immediately”, stated Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin during his speech at the French Senate. The government intends to use existing measures and systems, such as “Second Chance Defence”, the “Cadets de la République”, community volunteering (adopted in its last reading by the French Parliament on 24 February 2005) and international civilian volunteering. The designation “voluntary civilian service” can also be found in the Work Placement Contracts (CAE), which are part of the Social Cohesion Plan established in 2005. Regardless of the system selected, the youth are paid or receive other benefits (free transport, lodging, meals).

The suspension of national service in 1997 produced the 2000 Law on Civilian Volunteering. Yet the concept of volunteering is certainly not new in France and the 20th century provides examples of various forms of volunteering: during natural disasters in Europe, for post-war reconstruction and humanitarian projects.

“Voluntary civilian service is a wonderful opportunity, enabling us to seal a pact of trust with French youth. Community volunteer service will help young people graduating from business and engineering schools, as well as troubled youths, to work hand in hand on projects that serve the common good”, explains Jean-François Lamour, French Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Life, who added that one million euros of his Ministry’s 2006 budget had been set aside “to support the rapid development of a community volunteer service system”.

While this form of volunteer commitment already exists in France, it is still at an experimental stage and is being developed in the framework of programmes organised by associations such as Unis-Cité, Cotravaux and the FAGE (a federation of 1,500 student associations). Launched in 1995, Unis-Cité gives youths ages 18 to 25 the opportunity to spend nine months working fulltime on activities that benefit the common good in France, in collaboration with partner companies and regional authorities. Some of the initiatives include humanitarian aid, health issues, fighting against all forms of exclusion, and environmental protection. Voluntary civilian service aims at making this type of experience more widespread by increasing the resources allocated to the project, managed by the French Agency for Social Cohesion and Equal Opportunity. After completing the programme, each youth is awarded a Civilian Service Certificate.

The Paul Delouvrier Institute, which for many years has worked on civilian volunteer service in collaboration with key figures from very diverse organisations, considers that “promoting this type of commitment strengthens intergenerational solidarity bonds and enables volunteers to offer their skills and values as a service in a world where everybody has a part to play”.

Launched in August 2005 by the Minister of Defence, the “Second Chance Defence” initiative enables young people ages 18 to 21 to receive vocational training (hotel industry, building, logistics, individual assistance, park attendants, etc.) for a 6 to 24-month period. Prior to their apprenticeship, the young volunteers receive an academic refresher course and a reminder of the rules of life in society. They receive free food and lodging, as well as a 300-euro monthly stipend. The training (offered by volunteer professors from the state education system) is provided in insertion schools of the Ministry of Defence. The first one opened its doors in Montry (in Seine-et-Marne, on the outskirts of Paris) on 30 September 2005. Some 40 to 50 sites, including former military bases and barracks, are expected to host these centres.

Not to be outdone, the Ministry of the Interior established the “Cadets de la République”, for youth interested in the national police. Created in 2004, this initiative provides training - focused on general knowledge and physical and professional activities - to anybody ages 18 to 26, helping them prepare for the competition to join the national police. Approximately 1,000 youths are currently enrolled in this special training programme, during which they receive a 600-euro allowance.

Civilian service in France is part of a broader European and international political movement. It picks up where VSO, the international facet of civilian volunteering, left off. Established by the French government via the Law of 14 March 2000, it seeks to offer young people ages 18 to 28, French nationals or citizens of any country within the European Union or European Economic Space, the opportunity to acquire professional experience abroad. Civilian volunteers thus contribute to France’s international development in the diplomatic, cultural, scientific, economic and technical realms, but also in companies. Since the implementation of the volunteer system, some 8,000 young people have benefited from this programme. The assignments last from 6 to 24 months, are renewable once within the two-year period, and are paid based on the host country’s salary scales.

So what benefits does “voluntary” civilian service really provide? “An amazing experience of social exchange and cultural intertwining; a unique opportunity to express your citizen values through action; a way to experience, to the fullest, your commitment for a determined amount of time”, explains Stéphen Cazade, director of Unis-Cité. Many people are even in favour of a “mandatory” civilian service: an declaration published by French weekly La Vie and calling for a mandatory civilian service was endorsed by 442 members of the French Parliament and over 10,000 French citizens. The weekly magazine even goes so far as to suggest that such a service should be incorporated into school programmes. Now that’s something worth pondering. Annik Bianchini

Websites:

www.civiweb.com: French Information Centre on International Volunteering
www.diplomatie.gouv.fr: French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
www.jeunesse-sports.gouv.fr: French Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Life
www.unis-cite.org: Unis-Cité
www.delouvrier.org: Institut Paul Delouvrier

Last updated: 14.06.2006