Service Civique has existed since 2010. It is a voluntary engagement in a community service mission in one of nine areas recognised and a priority for the nation.
The unique feature of Service Civique recruitment is that it is not based on the values that govern today’s working world, i.e. diplomas or professional experience, but on the motivation, personality and ambitions of the volunteer.
Who is it for?
All French or European citizens aged 18 to 25, and up to 30 for people with disabilities, ready to dedicate themselves to community service.
What is it?
A philanthropic community service mission for a period of 8 to 10 months with a working week or 24 to 35 hours.
When?
Start dates in September, October, November or December.
Where?
In France with a VISA-AD member organisation.
How?
You have two possibilities:
- You may have an exact idea and find a mission in the Service Civique website (using the VISA-AD filter) or via a VISA-AD member organisation.
- Or you may have no idea and take VISA-AD’s guidance to find a project that matches your aspirations.
In either case, you will need to fill out an application form which we will have sent to you. After these considerations and after an interview with VISA-AD, your application is presented to the host organisation, who will approve it, or not. Neither the application nor the interview is a trap, the main idea is to get to know the young person and their motivations and to help them in their choice of mission.
What are the benefits?
- Recognised legal status
- A certificate validating your mission and confirming your experience
- A personal assessment listing the skills you acquired during your mission
- Support throughout the mission (supervision, training, volunteer sessions, coordinators)
- Free Level 1 Emergency Response training from an accredited organisation (fire brigade etc.)
- Civic and Citizen training provided during VISA-AD sessions throughout the course of volunteering
- An allowance of €473.04 net per month paid by the state. The host organisation also pays the volunteer €107.58 in cash or as a contribution in kind, corresponding to the cost of food (provision of meals) or transport. This can be paid in various ways (meal vouchers, access to the canteen, reimbursement of expenses, accommodation, etc.)
- Full social security coverage (sickness, maternity, workplace accidents)
- Contribution to pension
- 2 days off per month of mission and 2 days off per week
Details specific to VISA-AD
- 95% of young people complete their missions (compared to the 75% national average).
- 3 training sessions during the mission to complement the informal, on-the-job learning.
- A designated coordinator for the duration of the mission to oversee each volunteer.
- Young Person’s SNCF Railcard is available for travel.
- Meet young people from all walks of life and experience volunteering as a community.
- Support in your choice of mission for a “tailor-made” mission.
- The opportunity to create and manage a personal project in your organisation. This allows for a degree of flexibility in the missions that the volunteer carries out.
- VISA-AD acts as mediator in case of a problem between the host organisation and the volunteer.
- Exclusive partnership with the l’Institut de l’engagement. Our goal is to enhance the volunteer experience to make it possible for the volunteers to fulfil their projects at the end of their year.
- Many missions are available with accommodation, helping with transport (regional, national and international) and reducing the uncertainty for young people.
