France: ESC: Socio-cultural youth work and European awareness in school and community associations

About the local hosting organization

The APJC is an association that has been offering activities for all publics for 54 years, especially for young people. The APJC promotes the values of solidarity, openness to the world, access to rights and culture, democracy and respect for human dignity. It is a place of conviviality and active participation of the members, in particular thanks to thematic commissions, places of participation and decision making. The team is made up of 18 employees and nearly 40 volunteers who work together for the empowerment of residents. The APJC concentrates its actions in two poles, the leisure pole and the social action pole. The leisure sector includes : - leisure activities, cultural and artistic activities from the age of 3 until 99 (theatre, singing, plastic arts, hip-hop, etc.) run by professionals employees or volunteers ; - cultural events (shows, concerts, exhibitions, etc.) chosen and organised with the participation of residents and members. The social action sector includes : - support for rights and parenthood, specifically for people and families in precarious or fragile situations (individual and collective information and support, socialisation and initiative-taking spaces) - support for schooling, for children aged 6 to 17; - support for families for their first holiday resort. The APJC shares the values of all the structures that make up the networks to which it is affiliated: the Federation of Social Centers of the county of Seine-Saint-Denis and the Regional Federation of Youth and Cultural Centres of Ile de France.

Presentation of the programme

As an ESC volunteer, your role will be to foster cultural openness and citizenship among local youth through a dual mission split between Collège Tabarly (during school terms) and the APJC Youth Center (during holidays). At the school, you will design interactive language clubs, support Spanish pedagogical projects, help organize events like "Europe Day", and guide students in eco-citizen initiatives. During school holidays, you will join the APJC team to lead socio-cultural activities and raise awareness about international mobility opportunities (like Erasmus+ and ESC). Throughout the mission, you will receive full logistical support, an allowance, and dedicated mentorship from both structures to guide your daily tasks and help you develop your skills for the Youthpass certificate.

About the accomodation

The coordinating organization (Lead) fully manages the logistical arrangements for your accommodation and provides the monthly payment for your food allowance (subsistence) and pocket money via bank transfer (500€). Additionally, all logistics and materials required for your daily missions are fully managed and provided by the APJC and the collège.

About the leisure activities

As part of your European Solidarity Corps mission, you will benefit from regular pedagogical training and continuous support from your mentors to guide your daily tasks and help you develop new skills. Throughout your project, you will learn how to design educational workshops, lead socio-cultural activities, and manage youth-led projects. Your mentors will dedicate specific time to help you reflect on your learning outcomes and guide you through the official process of evaluating and validating your newly acquired skills using the European Youthpass certificate

Requirements

The Participant profile: We are looking for a motivated and dynamic volunteer with excellent interpersonal skills to connect with young people (middle school students and local youth at the APJC). The ideal candidate should be creative and independent enough to design fun workshops, while showing a strong interest in European values, citizenship, and interculturality. Finally, a willingness to work in a team, an interest in socio-cultural animation, and comfort with digital tools will be major assets for this mission.Deadline: 09/09/2026 14:00