Civic Service
a social mission of general interest

Civic service is one of the types of contract accepted for training at INSEEC as part of the compulsory in-company period. It is accepted in the same way as apprenticeship contracts, professionalisation contracts, work placement agreements and permanent or fixed-term contracts. However, it is only acceptable for students in initial training who have to do a work placement during their year of study. Tuition fees are therefore payable by the student.

So what does this contract involve? What are its specific features? What are the benefits?

What is civic service?

Civic service is a voluntary commitment in the general interest, lasting between 6 and 12 months, depending on the needs of the host organisation. It should be noted that a civic service can only be carried out once, and except in exceptional cases, cannot be extended.

With a minimum of 24 hours’ work per week, civic service is aimed at young people aged between 16 and 25 and covers a number of areas, including education for all, health, sport, artistic creation, the media and scientific culture. Although the areas covered are broad and varied, the bonus is the same for all, at 600.94 euros per month.

What are the special features of this type of contract?

Firstly, it is a contract between three parties: the civic service volunteer, the host organisation and the State. The idea is that civic service should be accessible to all, promoting social diversity and access to culture for all, which is why it does not require any particular qualifications beforehand. People with disabilities can do civic service up to the age of 30.

A “civic service” employee is not considered to be an employee but a volunteer in his or her own right within the host organisation, which is why he or she is not subject to the Labour Code. They are in fact considered as a support to the organisation’s activity and cannot be assigned to missions or tasks that are too important on their own, as they are part of the coordination link.

Once again, as this is a contract between the civic service, a host organisation and the State, the volunteer is paid for the most part by the State, with the host organisation paying the rest.

What are the advantages of a civic service contract?

While civic service is now an acceptable part of a student’s training at INSEEC, it also has a number of advantages. Firstly, it reinforces the notion of commitment, since volunteers are not considered as salaried employees, but rather as volunteers in an organisation’s activities. Secondly, despite the fact that volunteers are not considered as salaried employees, they are still mainly paid by the State, and the organisation hosting them supplements this compensation. What’s more, the sum paid to the civic service is not taxable!

In addition to this, you may be entitled to an extra 111.45 euros if you are a student with a grant at step 5 or above, or if you are in receipt of the RSA. Please note, however, that this increase is designed to compensate for the suspension of certain benefits during the civic service contract: benefits such as unemployment benefit, the guaranteed youth allowance or the RSA will not be paid during the contract period.

Civic service also provides an opportunity to develop and strengthen certain skills that are needed in the workplace. In most cases, it’s the first step into the professional world for those aspiring to civic service. Teamwork, autonomy and adaptability are all behavioural skills that you quickly learn to put into practice during a civic service assignment, and which are increasingly appreciated and sought after by recruiters! What’s more, civic service contracts are increasingly sought after, particularly in cultural organisations such as associations and sports clubs, which are often in need of volunteers.

Another advantage of civic service is that it includes compulsory training in two parts: firstly, a theoretical part where volunteers meet for a day to discuss subjects such as equality, sustainable development and democracy. Then there is a practical part, focusing on Level 1 First Aid training, which teaches first aid techniques. It is also possible to access other non-compulsory training courses that may be financed by the host organisation, such as the BAFA (Brevet d’Aptitude à la Formation d’Animateurs).