Civic Service

Introduced by the Law of 10 March 2010, the Civic Service is a voluntary public programme dedicated to serving the public interest. It is open to all young people aged 16 to 25, regardless of their qualifications, and is extended to young people with disabilities up to the age of 30.

Participants receive a monthly allowance of €619.83 net and may carry out their Civic Service with non-governmental organisations, local authorities (municipalities, departments, or regions), or public institutions (such as museums, middle schools, and high schools). Missions can take place in France or abroad and last between six and twelve months, with a minimum commitment of 24 hours per week.

Source: French Government, Civic Service: Requirements, Assignments, and Compensation, https://www.info.gouv.fr/actualite/service-civique-conditions-missions-indemnites 

Council of Europe

The Council of Europe is the continent's leading human rights organisation. It was founded in 1949. It includes 47 member states, 28 of which are members of the European Union. All Council of Europe member states have ratified the European Convention on Human Rights, a treaty designed to protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe. The Council of Europe promotes human rights through international conventions and it monitors member states' progress in these areas, making recommendations through independent expert monitoring bodies. The Council of Europe advocates freedom of expression and of the media, freedom of assembly, equality, and the protection of minorities, among other key human rights.

Source: https://pjp-eu.coe.int/en/web/youth-partnership/glossary

Course unit (Unité d'enseignement - UE)

A Course Unit is a group of courses or teaching activities that form a coherent academic and educational module. Each Course Unit is assigned a certain number of European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits. Course Units may be compulsory, optional, or elective. Students earn the corresponding ECTS credits upon successful completion of the Course Unit. The ECTS system enables the recognition and transfer of academic credits across higher education institutions in Europe.

Draft public finance law (Projet de loi de finances)

The draft public finance laws are a category of financial norms introduced in the Constitution, article 34 in the constitutional revision of 23 July, 2008. They are part of an approach to public finance management spanning several years, aimed at balancing the budget. Le PLF prend la forme d’un document unique qui rassemble l’ensemble des recettes et des dépenses de l’État pour l’année à venir. Ce projet de loi propose le montant, la nature et l’affectation des ressources et des charges de l’État selon un équilibre économique et financier déterminé. Le PLF émane obligatoirement du Gouvernement et est soumis à une procédure parlementaire particulière

Source: French Government, What is the Draft public finance law?. 

Economic, Social, and Environmental Council (Conseil Économique, Social et Environnemental - CESE)

Established in 1958 under the Constitution of the Fifth Republic, the Economic, Social and Environmental Council is France's constitutional advisory assembly. It advises the Government and Parliament on economic, social and environmental issues and contributes to the development and evaluation of public policies in these fields. The CESE may be consulted on draft legislation, ordinances and decrees within its remit, and certain economic, social and environmental policy plans must be submitted to it for consultation. Although its opinions are not legally binding, they contribute to public decision-making.

Website: https://www.lecese.fr/

Evidence-Based Youth Policies

Evidence-based youth policies are youth policies that are not only based on political and moral objectives, but also on accurate empirical information on the social situation of young people across the society and their changing expectations, attitudes and life-styles. One important source of information is independent, objective and professional research and statistics. Furthermore, reliable empirical information on the implementation of policies is needed to learn from experiences and further develop goal setting, the policy approaches and youth work methods and activities.

Source: https://pjp-eu.coe.int/en/web/youth-partnership/glossary 

Family Allowances Fund  (Caisse d’allocations familiales - CAF) 

Family Allowance Funds are responsible for managing family benefits within France’s general social security system. Coordinated by the National Family Allowance Fund (Caisse nationale des allocations familiales - CNAF), the network of 101 Family Allowance Funds provides families with support in the form of income supplements; services and facilities, as well as guidance, support and advice.

Together, the CAFs and the CNAF form the Family branch of France’s general social security system. They constitute one of the four branches of the general social security scheme.

The other three branches are: Health Insurance; Old-Age Insurance; Contributions Collection.

Source: French Government, CAF, https://www.monparcourshandicap.gouv.fr/glossaire/caf 

General Inspectorate of Social Affairs (Inspection générale des affaires sociales - IGAS)

The General Inspectorate of Social Affairs carries out inspection, audit and evaluation missions, provides advice to public authorities, and contributes to the design and implementation of reforms. It carries out assignments at the request of government ministers, as well as on the basis of its own annual work programme. Its activities cover issues affecting the daily lives of all citizens, including employment, labour, vocational training, healthcare, social inclusion, and social protection systems.

Source: IGAS official website, http://www.igas.gouv.fr/

Local authorities (Collectivités territoriales)

Local authorities are public entities that are legally distinct from the State. Under Article 72 of the French Constitution of 1958, municipalities, departments and regions have the status of local authorities. Each local authority has its own executive body and deliberative assembly, elected by universal suffrage, and exercises its powers freely within the framework established by law, alongside the actions carried out by the State.

Like the State and other public institutions, local authorities are legal entities governed by public law. They have administrative and financial autonomy, meaning that they manage their own affairs and assets within the limits set by legislation.

France has several categories of local authorities, each with specific areas of responsibility. However, their powers remain administrative in nature: they cannot exercise sovereign powers reserved for the State, such as adopting independent laws, exercising judicial authority, or conducting foreign policy autonomously.

Source: Vie publique, What is a local government or local authority?, https://www.vie-publique.fr/fiches/19604-quest-ce-quune-collectivite-territoriale-ou-collectivite-locale 

Local mission (Mission locales) 

Local missions are present throughout the national territory and carry out a public service mission in order to enable all young people aged 16 to 25 to overcome the difficulties that impede their professional and social integration. For more than thirty years, the local missions have developed a global accompaniment towards the young people. They deal with all the difficulties of social inclusionint: employment, training, guidance, mobility, housing, health, access to culture and leisure. This comprehensive approach is the most effective way to remove barriers to integration into employment and working life.

 Source: http://travail-emploi.gouv.fr/ministere/acteurs/service-public-de-l-emploi/article/missions-locales

Metropolitan France (France métropolitaine)

Metropolitan France, also referred to as Hexagonal France (l’Hexagone), designates the part of French territory located in Europe. It includes the 96 departments of mainland France, as well as the nearby islands of the Atlantic Ocean, the English Channel and the Mediterranean Sea, including Corsica.

Metropolitan France is distinguished from Overseas France, which refers to the territories of the French Republic located outside the European continent, including overseas departments and regions and other overseas territories.

Source: French Ministry of Interior, France's territory, https://formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr/fiches-par-thematiques/histoire-geographie-et-culture/atlas-de-la-france/le-territoire-de-la-france/ 

Prefect (Préfet)

The prefect is a senior civil servant appointed by decree of the President of the Republic, adopted by the Council of Ministers, upon the proposal of the Prime Minister and the Minister of the Interior. As the representative of the State within the territory, the prefect is the holder of State authority at the local level. He or she is responsible for safeguarding national interests, ensuring compliance with laws, and implementing government policies within the department.

The prefect oversees the administrative supervision of the department, municipalities, and public institutions located within its jurisdiction. He or she is also responsible for maintaining public order and exercises administrative police powers. In addition, the prefect implements national policies relating to economic development, territorial planning and regional cohesion at the departmental level.

Source: Vie publique, What is the role of a prefect?, https://www.vie-publique.fr/fiches/20169-quel-est-le-role-dun-prefet 

Professional Training Account (Compte Personnel de Formation - CPF)

The Personal Training Account enables individuals to acquire training entitlements that can be used throughout their professional career. It is a universal scheme available to all people in employment. It is an individual and rechargeable account, which can be used throughout a person’s working life to finance eligible training programmes. From the moment individuals enter the labour market until they retire, they accumulate training rights that can be used to maintain and develop their skills, enhance their employability, and secure their career paths.

The CPF includes:

• The training entitlements acquired by individuals throughout their professional career until retirement;
• The training courses and programmes available to them.

The Personal Training Account is accessible through the official online platform Mon Compte Formation (My Training Account).

Source: French Ministry of Labour, The Personnal Training Account, https://travail-emploi.gouv.fr/le-compte-personnel-de-formation-cpf 

National Directory of Professional (Répertoire national des certifications professionnelles - RNCP)

The National Directory of Professional Certification is aimed at informing constantly people about professional and vocational diplomas and qualifications certificates. It contributes to facilitate the labour market access, the management of human resources and professional mobility.

Website: http://www.cncp.gouv.fr/repertoire

State prosecutor (Procureur de la République)

The Public Prosecutor is a magistrate and a member of the Public Prosecutor’s Office (Parquet). He or she represents the interests of society before the courts and is responsible for ensuring the enforcement of criminal law, the protection of public order, and the application of the law.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office is composed of magistrates responsible for initiating and conducting criminal proceedings on behalf of society. It operates under the authority of the Prosecutor General (the head of the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Court of Appeal) and the French Minister of Justice.

The Public Prosecutor is appointed by decree of the President of the Republic, following the opinion of the Superior Council of the Judiciary (Conseil supérieur de la magistrature – CSM).

The Public Prosecutor may take action when an offence is brought to their attention by the judicial police, other public authorities, or following a complaint filed by an individual. They act within the territorial jurisdiction of the court to which they are assigned.

Website: http://www.justice.gouv.fr/_telechargement/doc/Presentation_du_metier_de_procureur_de_la_Republique.pdf

Urban Policy (Politique de la  Ville)

Urban Policy is a national and local policy aimed at promoting urban cohesion and solidarity towards disadvantaged neighbourhoods and their residents. It is defined by Law No. 2014-173 of 21 February 2014 on urban policy programming and urban cohesion, known as the Lamy Law.

It is implemented by the State, local authorities and their associations, with the shared objective of ensuring territorial equality, reducing development gaps between disadvantaged neighbourhoods and the urban areas to which they belong, and improving the living conditions of their residents.

Urban Policy is implemented in Priority Neighbourhoods for Urban Policy (Quartiers prioritaires de la politique de la ville – QPV) and benefits from dedicated funding and specific tools to support its implementation.

Source: French Republique, Urban Policy, https://www.collectivites-locales.gouv.fr/animer-les-territoires/cohesion-territoriale-et-lamenagement-du-territoire/la-politique-de-la-ville