France: ESC: 2026/2027 - European youth engaged through social action and families, youth and citizenship

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

APJC is a non-profit organization for popular education, recognized as both a Youth and Culture Center (MJC) and a Social Center. It is structured around three areas: social action and families, youth and citizenship, and leisure and culture. Our goals: to promote solidarity, democracy, and human dignity through inclusion, participation, and cultural rights; to foster autonomy, empowerment, and personal growth; to ensure access to education and culture for all; and to strengthen social bonds. Our activities include: social support (integration, access to rights, parenting support, intergenerational ties, etc.), leisure programs (workshops, clubs, courses, outings), conferences and discussion forums (on education, citizenship, social and economic issues), as well as cultural and festive events. The volunteer’s role is mainly within social and youth actions, while remaining connected to the association’s broader mission.

About the accomodation

The volunteer will live in a big house (with a garden where volunteers can grow their own vegetables), and may be flatmate to 4 to 5 other volunteers, noting that every volunteer will have his own room. The volunteer can be lent a bike for transportation. The monthly allowance (500€) includes all food and first necessity expanses, and a subscription to an unlimited transportation card for all of Île-de-France (including Paris). Paris city center is around 35 mins aways from the volunteers house (taking a Bus and a Metro).

About the leisure activities

The volunteer will be granted access to the OLS platform in order to improve their french skills. If the volunteer has difficulties to speak basic french, APJC can provide french classes three times a week. The volunteer will discover and experiment the missions of an animator. In addition to that, the volunteer will benefit from two seminars organised by the French Agency during the year.

Requirements

The Participant profile: We are looking for an open-minded, creative, motivated and curious person, who likes human contact, particularly with teenagers and young adults (11 to 25 years old). Having a previous experience in the field of animation will be an added value.Deadline: 31/08/2026 14:00