Would you like to live in France for a while, improve your French and get to know young people from all over the world while living in the country?
Our French partner organization Solidarités Jeunesses is looking for volunteers for long-term voluntary services through the European Solidarity Corps .
Solidarités Jeunesses welcomes international volunteers throughout the year in local projects called 'délégations'. The délégations are mainly located in rural areas and are housed in historical local places, for example a former factory, a former communal campsite, a village house or a castle. The houses have been renovated over the years by many volunteers and permanent staff who live and work there together.
When?
6 months from April 2027
Where?
Like many other farms in mountainous and remote areas, the Faï farm was abandoned at the beginning of the 20th century due to the collapse of agricultural and pastoral activities. When the association set up at the Faï farm, most of the buildings were in a state of disrepair.
Thanks to a renovation project and international work camps, the hamlet has developed into a national and international meeting centre. The renovation work was carried out almost exclusively with the involvement of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, international volunteers, families and so on.
For the past 20 years, the Villages des Jeunes have also been organising music and land art festivals at the Faï farm, making the most of the farm’s unique geographical features: It lies at the foot of a valley in the Alps and is surrounded on one side by a 400-metre-high, semi-circular cliff, which creates a unique acoustic effect and is used as a ‘natural organ’.
The project
The volunteers are part of the permanent team that runs Le Faï throughout the season. You will therefore be involved across the board in all the association’s activities:
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Centre management: You will prepare the bedrooms and clean them, plan the meal menus, organise activities and entertainment programmes, and look after and brief new arrivals.
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You will also lead a number of activities and encourage dialogue and interaction amongst the very diverse group of people who come to Faï.
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You will play a key role in supporting our social work, as you will be sharing your working hours and daily routine with everyone we support here. You will organise activities on weekdays, in the evenings and at weekends, and support the permanent team in looking after people with special needs.
As a member of the team, you will take on specific tasks and also support the association’s project at the centre through:
All volunteers are also expected to act as leaders during the international Workcamps held in Le Faï or the surrounding villages. You will receive special training for this. You can also get involved in the association’s other activities, such as promoting international voluntary service and international Workcamps amongst young people, as well as the association’s internal and external communications.
You can find the full project description for the project in Le Faï here.
Conditions of participation
Volunteering through the European Solidarity Corps is open to all young people aged 18-30. Of course you should be motivated for the project. A driver's license is strongly recommended in all projects as they take place in rural areas.
Apart from that, Solidarités Jeunesses works on the principle that the differences between people are an opportunity to learn, discover and grow from each other. Therefore, everyone is welcome, regardless of origin, gender, sexual orientation or world view.
What does participation cost?
Participation is free. The program is funded by the European Commission. You will be provided with lodging, meals, medical insurance, and round trip tickets (up to the maximum amount allowed by the program) for the duration of your stay. You will also receive a small amount of pocket money.
Apply now
To apply, you need the application form and a letter of motivation.
No special qualifications are required for the projects, so your text is used to assess the motivation to participate in a specific project. It's an opportunity for you to express why you want to volunteer in a rural area with people from different countries and backgrounds. Your letter of motivation must relate to the specific project you are applying for.
Lukas is at your disposal for all questions about ESC voluntary services and the application:
Send an email: outgoing@ibg-workcamps.org