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1. Structure of Decision-making

2. Main Themes

3. The National Agency for Youth

4. Policy monitoring and evaluation

Structure of Decision-making

Youth policies are designed and coordinated by the central administration and implemented at regional and departmental levels. The French Parliament, composed of the National Assembly and the Senate, adopts legislation across a broad range of policy areas, including those affecting young people.

Local authorities are also involved in the development of youth policies and work in cooperation with the Ministry for Sports, Youth and Voluntary organisations.

It should be recalled that, at local level, the French administrative system is based both on the State (the government and ministries) and on decentralised State services.

In addition, several levels of local administration coexist, including regions, departments, municipalities and inter-municipal authorities, each with their own areas of responsibility.

At the national level

Ministry of Sports, Youth and Voluntary organisations

The national authority is the Ministry of Sports, Youth and Voluntary organisations. The ministry has the general competence of definition of the national strategy, regulation and control of the youth policy according to Decree of the 8th January, 2025, attributing the Minister's prerogatives.

To develop and implement its youth policy, the Minister of Sports, Youth and Voluntary organisations relies on the Directorate for Youth, Non-Formal Education and Voluntary Organisation (DJEPVA - Direction de la Jeunesse, de l’Education Populaire et de la Vie Associative)  which draws up and implements youth policy. The DJEPVA comprises:

• the Sub-directorate for interministerial youth and voluntary organisations policies ;
• the Sub-directorate for popular education ;
• the Sub-directorate for engagement (since 2025) ;
• the National Institute for Youth and Popular Education (a national competence service).

The General Secretariat of the Advisory Council on Youth Policies (Conseil d'orientation des politiques de jeunesse - COJ), the General Secretariat of the High Council for Community Life (Haut conseil à la vie associative - HCVA) and the General Secretariat of the Animation Sector Committee (Comité filière animation) are attached to the Director of the DJEPVA.

Interministerial Delegate for Youth

Since 2014, an Interministerial Delegate for Youth (Délégué interministériel à la jeunesse – DIJ) has been appointed. Pursuant to the Decree of the 12th November of 2024, this role is now carried out by the Director of the Directorate for Youth, Popular Education and Associative Life (Direction de la jeunesse, de l’éducation populaire et de la vie associative – DJEPVA) within the Ministry for Sports, Youth and Associative Life (Ministère des Sports, de la Jeunesse et de la Vie associative).

In this capacity, the DIJ monitors the implementation of actions carried out by the various ministries in favour of young people, while ensuring the involvement of all relevant stakeholders and partners.

The National Agency for Territorial Cohesion (Agence nationale de la cohésion des territoires - ANCT)

The ANCT was set up in 2020 by merging the General Commission for Territorial Equality (Commissariat général à l'égalité des territoires), the digital agency and the public establishment for territorial planning of restructuration of commercial and artisanal spaces (Etablissement public d'aménagement de restructuration des espaces commerciaux et artisanaux - Epareca). It sustains exchanges and links with local authorities.This agency supports local authorities in their competence on education, youth, or access of young people to culture and sports (see section below “local authorities”).

At the local level

Deconcentrated  departments

Deconcentration is a process of state planning that consists of establishing administrative authorities representing the state in local administrative districts, known as deconcentrated services. These authorities have no autonomy or legal personality of their own. The aim of this process is to improve the efficiency of the state by speeding up decision-making at local level.

As part of the reform of the territorial organisation of the State, since 2021, the missions relating to the field of youth, commitment and sport have been integrated into the Regional Academic Delegations for Youth and Sport (Délégation régionale académique à la jeunesse, à l'engagement et aux sports - DRAJES), under the authority of the academic rector and the prefect. The regional or departmental prefects have functional authority over the regional academic delegation for youth, commitment and sport for the missions within their competence.

These directorates are present in each regional 'capital' and are responsible for steering and coordinating the implementation of national youth policy.

The decree of 9 December 2020 on the competences of the academic authorities in the field of youth, popular education, associative life, civic engagement and sports policies and the organisation of the services responsible for their implementation, presents the missions of the DRAJES.

At departmental level, the Departmental services for youth, commitment and sport (Services départementaux à la jeunesse, à l’engagement et aux sports - SDJES) are placed under the authority of the academic director of national education services (Directeur académique des services de l’Education nationale - DASEN). The prefect of the department, for the missions within their competence, has functional authority over the departmental service for youth, commitment and sport. This was specified in Decree No. 2020-1542 of 9 December 2020 on the competences of the academic authorities in the field of youth, popular education, associative life, civic engagement and sports policies and the organisation of the services responsible for their implementation.

Local and regional authorities

Local and regional authorities play an essential role in youth policies, and their responsibilities in this field have continued to expand. At all levels of local administration (regions, departments, municipalities and inter-municipal authorities), they carry out actions targeting young people, in complementarity and cooperation with the DJEPVA and the State’s decentralised services.

Regions

The responsibilities of regions mainly focus on territorial development and spatial planning, vocational training, the management of upper secondary schools (lycées) and public transport.

Regions are considered the lead authorities for certain actions carried out by local authorities, particularly in the field of youth policy. Furthermore, the Equality and Citizenship Law of 27 January 2017 introduced the principle of “territorial structured dialogue” on youth policies between public authorities (the State and regions), civil society and young people.

Departments

Departments are responsible for social solidarity policies and specialised preventive services, particularly for minors at risk.

They contribute to youth policy through the construction and maintenance of lower secondary schools (collèges) and through the development of local social policies, notably by implementing child welfare services that support families facing significant material or educational difficulties.

They also manage financial support schemes, including the Youth Support Fund (Fonds d’aide aux jeunes – FAJ) and the Active Solidarity Income (Revenu de solidarité active – RSA).

Municipalities and inter-municipal authorities

Municipalities and public establishments for inter-municipal cooperation (Établissements publics de coopération intercommunale – EPCI) are the administrative bodies closest to young people. Their youth policies mainly focus on social and educational action, crime prevention and civic engagement. Municipal social services may, in cooperation with departments, provide support through the Youth Support Fund (FAJ) and assist young people facing severe difficulties. Young people can also obtain information on employment, health, housing, mobility and social rights through Youth Information structures (Information Jeunesse).

Municipalities may also implement Territorial Educational Projects (Projets éducatifs territoriaux – PEDT), which provide children with quality activities during and after school hours. Incorporated into the Education Code (Code de l’éducation), these projects are based on partnerships between the State, local and regional authorities, youth and popular education associations, educational stakeholders and Family Allowance Funds (Caisses d’allocations familiales – CAF) (see Glossary).

Main Themes

See Section 1.3 “National youth strategy” - “Scope and contents”.

The National Agency for Youth

France does not have a national youth agency in the strict sense. It should be noted that the Erasmus+ Youth and Sport Agency (Agence Erasmus+ Jeunesse et Sport) and the Civic Service Agency (Agence du Service Civique) are public interest groups (groupements d’intérêt public) operating under the authority of the ministry responsible for Youth, Sports and Associative Life, rather than agencies in the strict institutional sense.

However, since 1 January 2016, the National Institute for Youth and Popular Education (Institut national de la jeunesse et de l’éducation populaire – INJEP), established in 1953, has been attached to the Director of the Directorate for Youth, Popular Education and Associative Life (DJEPVA). Organised as a national public service body with specific competence, its missions and operating arrangements are defined by Decree No. 2015-1771 of 24 December 2015.

INJEP carries out observation, expertise and knowledge-production activities. In this capacity, it produces analyses and statistical data, conducts research, and undertakes studies and evaluations in the fields of youth, popular education, associative life and sport.

(For further information, see Section 1.6 “Evidence-based youth policy”).

Policy monitoring and evaluation

The monitoring and evaluation of youth policies in France rely on a broad institutional framework, including research bodies, youth consultative bodies and inspection mechanisms.

Court of Auditors (Cour des comptes)

The Court of Auditors (Cour des comptes) is an independent financial court, established in 1807, whose mission is to ensure the proper use of public funds and to inform citizens about their use.

Its activities are structured around four main missions: auditing bodies and institutions receiving public funding, judging public financial managers, certifying the accounts of the State and the general social security scheme, and evaluating the effectiveness of public policies.

Each year, the Court publishes an Annual Public Report (Rapport public annuel – RPA). In March 2025, this report focused on public policies in favour of young people.

Youth Policy Advisory Council (Conseil d’orientation des politiques de jeunesse – COJ)

The Youth Policy Advisory Council (Conseil d’orientation des politiques de jeunesse – COJ) is an administrative consultative body placed under the authority of the Prime Minister and established by Decree No. 2016-1377 of 12 October 2016.

In accordance with the aforementioned decree, the COJ contributes to the coordination and evaluation of public policies relating to young people aged 16 to 30, youth integration and popular education, while fostering dialogue among stakeholders involved in these policy areas.

To this end, the COJ performs three main functions:

• Promoting coordination and dialogue among stakeholders involved in youth, youth integration and popular education policies;
• Providing expertise on public policies. It may be consulted on any matter of general interest, as well as on draft laws and regulatory texts relating to youth, popular education and youth integration;
• Contributing to the evaluation of public policies. It may submit proposals to the Government concerning youth, popular education and youth integration policies with a view to improving the situation of young people in France.

Interministerial Directorate for Public Transformation (Direction interministérielle de la transformation publique – DITP)

The Interministerial Directorate for Public Transformation (Direction interministérielle de la transformation publique – DITP) is a department attached to the Prime Minister that supports the French Government in the implementation and evaluation of public policies.

General Inspectorate of Education, Sport and Research (Inspection générale de l’éducation, du sport et de la recherche – IGÉSR)

Several ministries have inspection services or bodies responsible for carrying out inspections and evaluation studies.

In this context, the General Inspectorate of Education, Sport and Research (Inspection générale de l’éducation, du sport et de la recherche – IGÉSR) is an interministerial inspection service operating in the fields of education, higher education, research, youth, sport, popular education, associative life, reading, documentation and public libraries. The Inspectorate carries out inspection, control, audit, investigation, evaluation, advisory, support and international cooperation missions.

National research institutes

At the research level, several national bodies produce quantitative and qualitative research aimed at evaluating the effects of public measures and national programmes, as well as analysing the situation of young people:

• The National Institute for Youth and Popular Education (Institut national de la jeunesse et de l’éducation populaire – INJEP), attached to the Directorate for Youth, Popular Education and Associative Life (Direction de la jeunesse, de l’éducation populaire et de la vie associative – DJEPVA);
• The Directorate for Evaluation, Foresight and Performance (Direction de l’évaluation, de la prospective et de la performance – DEPP) within the Ministry of National Education;
• The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques – INSEE);
• The Ministerial Statistical Departments (Services statistiques ministériels – SSM).

(For further information on research in the field of youth, see Section 1.6 “Evidence-based youth policy”).