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1. Intercontinental youth work cooperation

2. Development cooperation activities

Intercontinental youth work cooperation

Several international solidarity schemes for young people promote international cooperation between young people, but also between youth professionals in France and other countries

The international Solidarity scheme

Since 1991, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministère des Affaires étrangères) has overseen the City, Life, Holidays/International Solidarity (VVV/SI – Ville, Vie, Vacances/Solidarité Internationale) initiative and, since 1997, the Youth, International Solidarity (JSI – Jeunesse, Solidarité Internationale) initiative, which together form a single programme.

This programme enables groups of young people from France and abroad to participate in intercultural gatherings as part of international solidarity efforts in France or abroad.

These subsidy schemes depend on partnerships between public authorities (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and associations – particularly youth associations – that are responsible for designing solidarity projects.

Projects proposed as part of this scheme must be led by young people and must help young people from countries eligible for public development aid to come together and work on international solidarity projects, both abroad and in France.

Since their inception, these initiatives have enabled the co-financing and successful implementation of more than 600 international solidarity projects involving over 11,000 young French people in over 35 different countries (and France). The aid amounts to a maximum of €8,500, rising to €10,000 for projects from the French Overseas Territories and Corsica.

The progamme targets  youth groups from 15 to 25 years-old and preferably of mixed gender  wishing to carry out projects.

For further information on such themes, see Chapter 2.5. Cross-border mobility programmes.

International solidarity initiatives

The Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE – Ministère de l’Europe et des Affaires étrangères) launched the “International Solidarity Initiative” (ISI – initiative en faveur de la solidarité internationale) in June 2019. 

For further information on such themes, see Chapter 9.4. Raising awareness about global issues.

Development cooperation activities

The action to support the French-speaking world at international level is run within the institutional context of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF): 56 member states and governments and 19 observers, of which France is a member. The main instrument to promote cooperation for young people (and sports) is the Conference of Youth and Sports Ministers of Francophonie / Conférence des ministres de la Jeunesse et des Sports de la Francophonie (CONFEJES).

The CONFEJES plays the role of a permanent ministerial conference responsible for identifying policy directions for young people. It is also involved in running the action programmes to support young French-speakers in Southern countries. In particular, France supports the Youth Entrepreneurship Promotion Programme / Programme de promotion de l’entreprenariat des jeunes (mainly micro-enterprises) for young people from “Southern” French-speaking countries.

For further information on such themes, see Chapter 2.5. Cross-border mobility programmes.

Bilateral cooperation

Apart from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs programmes and schemes, the bilateral offices such as the Franco-German Youth Office ( Office franco-allemand de la jeunesse - OFAJ) and the Franco-Québec Youth Office  (Office franco-québécois -  OFQJ) are also involved in interstate cooperation, via actions to support young people and youth exchange programmes.

The Franco-German Youth Office (Office franco-allemand de la jeunesse - OFAJ), which celebrated its 60 year anniversary in 2023, aims to promote exchanges between young people and youth workers between Germany and France. It supports around 8 000 projects by and was impacting, before the Covid-19 crisis, 190 000 young people per year.

The Franco-Québec Youth Office (Office franco-québécois pour la jeunesse - OFQJ) aims to develop relationships between young French people and young Quebecois, to promote an opening up of these relationships to the whole French-speaking world and to contribute to promoting this. Since its creation in 1968, more than 160 000 young people have taken part in actions initiated by the Office.

For further information on such themes, see Chapter 2.5. Cross-border mobility programmes.