Volunteering in France
Embark on a transformative journey with Solidarités Jeunesses, where your voice and action become an opportunity to stand for justice, solidarity, and sustainability in local communities across diverse French regions. We are Solidarités Jeunesses, an international French youth NGO dedicated to social transformation and intercultural learning, inclusion through impactful solidarity actions and volunteering projects.
Volunteering with Solidarités Jeunesses is more than an activity; it's a multi-faceted process of learning, experimentation, and personal development. Our projects are not vacations but transformative activities based on solidarity and mutual exchanges.
Our initiatives are dedicated to fostering international understanding, and our projects warmly welcome participants of all nationalities, genders, and backgrounds.However, as per our partnership policy, to join our projects directly, you must reside in France.
WORKCAMPS - 2 TO 3 WEEKS
Would you like to do something different during summer? Something to stand up for justice, solidarity and sustainability in local communities while you discover a new face of France and make human connections with people from different backgrounds?
We offer different workcamps for local development in rural areas in several French regions.
Join our movement this summer and become a volunteer in one of our short term volunteering projects. Act for a more sustainable, equal and inclusive society !
- If you reside in France, you're welcome to apply directly to any of our workcamps, regardless of your nationality, or our organisation can be your sending organisation if you plan to join a volunteering project outside of France.
- If you reside outside France, we encourage you to find your national organisation in your resident country. To know who our partners are around the world, please contact us.
What is an international workcamp?
- A workcamp is a group of 6 to 10 international volunteers from different countries and backgrounds. The group is led by camps and technical leaders
- From 20 to 30 volunteering work hours per week
- Different thematics: construction, renovation, environmental protection, organisation of cultural events, etc
- Food, accommodation and some leisure activities
Our projects are not holidays, voluntourism, or humanitarian aid but rather grassroot projects based on solidarity and mutual exchanges. You will have a lot of fun and leisure activities too.
Example:
- Mornings: Solidarity work, the group will work on the tasks of the project and collective life activities such as cleaning, cooking, shopping etc.
- Afternoons: Cultural activities, visits, walks, meetings with the local population, workshops, free time, etc.
- Nights: Free time or activities organised by the group.
- Collective activities: Cooking, tidying up and cleaning are organised and taken in hand by the group of volunteers. Weekends are free time to organise together.
Why participate?
- Discover a new face of France;
- Development of autonomy;
- Discovering manual work techniques;
- Practise French and discover other languages;
- If you are a student in France, your workcamp can be validated as a « stage » (convention de stage up to 2 months);
- Make real human connections.
You don't need to speak French ! The official languages of our workcamps are English or/and French. So it can be a way to learn French too.
IMPORTANT - What you need to know
- Volunteering is a welcoming community that offers a valuable opportunity for the volunteer to learn, experiment, and undergo personal development. Being a volunteer is not just an activity, it’s a multi-faceted process.
- Everyone is welcome! We are committed to creating an inclusive environment based on mutual respect and promoting the active participation of every person. Our actions are open to all, regardless of origins, beliefs, identities and/or sexual orientations.
- Our projects are located mainly in rural areas and stunning sites, like old factories, campsites, small village houses or even castles.
- During our workcamps, we provide food, accommodation and some leisure activities. Transport to the project is arranged by each participant themselves.
- Accommodation is collective and varies depending on the project. In a dormitory, yurt, tent ... The conditions are detailed in each description.
- All projects are designed to be accessible to everyone, without any prerequisites. Learning and sharing on the spot is an integral part of the experience.
- It is possible to apply with a friend, but we make sure to have mixed groups for greater cultural enrichment.
DESCRIPTION
Solidarités Jeunesses (SJ) is a national movement of non-formal education and is composed of a National Secretary (Paris), and eight regional delegations across France. Our delegations host international volunteers throughout the year. Each regional delegation is unique, but all of the activities organized benefit the local community and share common ground: - gather people from different culture and social background to participate in social, ecological and cultural development. - contribute to the integration of people with fewer opportunities. Each project is dedicated to actions of solidarity and collective living. We believe that cultural exchanges are a key for personal learning and for the volunteer to experiment and undergo personal development.
ACCOMMODATION, FOOD AND TRANSPORT ARRANGEMENTS
Vir'Volt is located in LA-FERTÉ-ALAIS (Île-de-France), near Paris. The association is an ecological village, with wooden accommodations (roulottes, yurts, tents...) and mostly outdoor spaces. The place of the association is in the middle of the forest, having a strong link with nature.
TRAINING DURING THE ACTIVITY
You will work about 35 hours per week, tasks include: Organization of collective life (cooking, cleaning, logistics), ecological construction in wood, hosting groups of youth with lesser opportunities, Participating in animation of international workcamps during the summer, Organization and participation in cultural events for different publics You will be together with 4 other international volunteers, and 5 youth with lesser opportunities and accompanied by the staff.
PARTICIPANT PROFILE
There is no competencies required to participate but willingness to the volunteering project and being open to discover new cultures. Open to everybody from European Union or partner countries between 18/30 years old, the driving licence is HIGHLY recommended but what matters the most is the motivation ! So if you like MANUAL WORK, NATURE and COLLECTIVE LIFE, or if you're interested to discover it, contact us! Dates can be flexible!
ACTIVITY DATES
From 15/09/2026 to 31/08/2027
ACTIVITY LOCATION
Chemin de la Sablière, La Ferté-Alais, France
ACTIVITY TYPE
Individual volunteering
LOOKING FOR PARTICIPANTS FROM
Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden
ACTIVITY TOPICS
Social challenges
Citizenship and democratic participation
Environment and natural protection
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
No application deadline
PROJECT CODE
2025-1-FR02-ESC51-VTJ-000346323
INFO AND APPLICATION PROCESS : https://www.solidaritesjeunesses.org/volunteeringinfrance
Link: https://youth.europa.eu/solidarity/opportunity/51468_en
🌍 Erasmus+ explained — the complete beginner's guide to Europe's largest youth programme.Millions of young people have taken part in Erasmus+ since its launch, but many still don't fully understand what the programme actually includes, who it's for, or how to get involved. This in-depth guide breaks down everything: the different types of mobility, funding opportunities, eligibility criteria, and what you can realistically expect from participating. If you've ever wondered whether Erasmus+ is right for you, this guide gives you all the answers in one place.
👉 https://youthworkshub.org/15096/
🎭 Ever wondered what actually goes into planning an Erasmus+ Youth Exchange? Behind every successful youth exchange is weeks — sometimes months — of careful preparation that participants rarely see. From writing project proposals and coordinating partner organisations to designing non-formal education activities and managing logistics across borders, the behind-the-scenes work is enormous. This article pulls back the curtain and gives you a real look at how these projects are built, which is invaluable knowledge whether you're a participant, a youth worker, or an organisation thinking about hosting.
👉 https://youthworkshub.org/15107/
🚆 DiscoverEU: how to travel across Europe for free at 18 — and how to apply. DiscoverEU is the European Union initiative that gives 18-year-olds the chance to explore Europe by train, completely free of charge. But what exactly does it cover, when are the application rounds open, and what are the eligibility requirements? This guide explains everything you need to know about DiscoverEU — from how to apply to what the travel experience is actually like — so you don't miss your window.
👉 https://youthworkshub.org/discovereu/
💡 What do organisations actually look for in an ESC volunteer? Getting selected for an ESC volunteering project isn't just about ticking boxes — it's about showing the right combination of values, attitude, and genuine motivation. This article digs into the skills and personal qualities that make a real difference during the selection process, and explains why some candidates stand out while others don't. If you want to understand what a strong volunteer profile looks like before you apply, this is essential reading.
