Volunteering associations

Verified 17 October 2023 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Do you want to participate in missions of general interest? Voluntary associations are one form of civic service. It is possible in the fields of education, environment, humanitarian, sports, etc. You must be at least 25 years old. Missions are compensated. We present you with the information you need to know.

Volunteering allows you to carry out missions of general interest in various fields, including the following:

  • Social
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Humanitarian
  • Sports
  • Science
  • Culture

You cannot perform religious or political missions.

The missions are proposed by associations or foundations recognized as being of public interest and approved by the State (for example, associations for persons with disabilities or for the rehabilitation of prisoners).

FYI  

You cannot carry out a mission normally carried out by a permanent employee, an agent or a volunteer of the organization hosting you. However, you can combine the roles of volunteer leader and volunteer within the same organization.

Missions may be performed in France or abroad.

You must meet several conditions.

Age

You must have at least 25 years.

Please note

If you are between 18 and 25 years old, an organization can accept you if it has a waiver obtained from the Civic Service Agency or if it requests it.

Nationality

You must be in one of the following situations:

  • French
  • European national (from a country of the European Economic Area or Switzerland)
  • Foreigners who have been legally resident in France for at least 1 year

However, if you have not lived in France for at least 1 year, you can apply for voluntary association if you have one of the following residence permits:

  • Temporary residence card or visa bearing the student endorsement
  • Temporary residence card with mention of "private and family life"
  • General multi-annual residence permit
  • Residence card of a foreigner recognized as a refugee (or a receipt of recognition by theOfpra: titleContent)

Please note

In the case of exchange of volunteers between France and another country, the residence requirement does not apply.

To find a mission, you need to speak to a local Civic Service referee.

Warning  

you must not be an employee or a public official of the organization to which you are applying. But you can be a volunteer leader.

You sign a contract for 6 to 24 months.

This contract is renewable. The limit is 36 months in total.

Each week, you must devote at least 24 hours and at most 48 hours (over a maximum of 6 days) to your missions.

You benefit from a monthly allowance.

The amount varies, depending on the time spent on your missions, between:

  • Minimum: €125.04 crude (either €113.12 net)
  • Maximum: €837.24 crude (either €757.44 net)

You can benefit from a aid in kind (e.g., meals, transportation). It can't go beyond 50% the amount of your allowance.

FYI  

the compensation is different if you volunteer in a community overseas department or a overseas collectivity.

Your allowance is exempt from income tax.

You are covered by health insurance.

The organization hosting you must declare you and pay the social security contributions.

In case of sick leave (prescribed by a doctor), your volunteer allowance is maintained.

However, you do not receive daily social security benefits.

Your volunteering is considered for your retirement.

Your rights are calculated depending on the contributions paid by the organization hosting you.

You are granted annual leave of 2 working days per month actual service.

SSA or activity bonus payments are suspended for the duration of the mission.

They resume at the end of the period, if you still meet the requirements (the voluntary allowance is not taken into account).

At the beginning and end of your mission, you need to update your situation with the Caf: titleContent or the MSA: titleContent.

Family Allowance Fund (Caf) online

MSA - Special spaces

The payment of unemployment benefits is suspended for the duration of your mission. Payment resumes when the mission is completed.

The mission has no impact on the amount and duration of your unemployment benefits.

At the beginning and end of your mission, you must update your situation with France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi).

FYI  

if you terminate your employment contract in order to volunteer, such termination shall be considered as a lawful resignation by France Travail. You will be entitled to unemployment insurance at the end of your employment.

You continue to collect the AAH.

The assignment does not affect the amount of your AAH.

Student Grant

If your scholarship awarded on the basis of social criteria, being voluntary has no impact on its conditions of award or on its amount.

The compensation is not taken into account in the calculation of your grant. You continue to see it.

If your scholarship awarded on the basis of social criteria, being voluntary has no impact on its conditions of award or on its amount.

The compensation is not taken into account in the calculation of your grant. You continue to see it.

Your volunteer time may be taken into account when calculating seniority in the public service (State, territorial and hospital).

Please note

You can apply for a certificate of civic service if you have completed a mission of 6 months or more. Talk to your referral.

Your volunteer time may be taken into account for the length of professional experience required for a validation of experience.

Please note

You can apply for a certificate of civic service if you have completed a mission of 6 months or more. Talk to your referral.

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