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Local and regional authorities

Local and regional authorities

Strengthening the community’s international cooperation partnerships, opening up local territories to the world, supporting citizens’ desire for solidarity, facilitating young people’s international mobility: International Exchange and Solidarity Volunteering (VIES – Volontariat International d’Echange et de Solidarité) is a powerful and cross-cutting tool for local and regional authorities.

Volunteering and local/regional authorities

International volunteering supporting local and regional authorities

Many local and regional authorities, both in mainland France and overseas, have adopted VIES as part of their decentralised cooperation or youth policies, with a very positive impact both for the volunteers and for the authorities and their partners involved in the area.

This is why France Volontaires has made the mobilisation and support of local and regional authorities a major focus of its work. They are represented within France Volontaires either individually or through their associations (Regions of France, Geographical Departments of France, Cités Unies France, etc).

France Volontaires offers a wide range of support:

  • Information/guidance on international exchange and solidarity volunteering schemes
  • Recruitment of international volunteers to facilitate cooperation partnerships
  • Support/advice in the construction of projects recruiting international volunteers
  • Identification of international partners
  • Supporting volunteers in their mission countries
  • Support for the hosting of international volunteers within the framework of reciprocal schemes

France Volontaires relies on:

  • A network of around 50 member organisations in France;
  • Partnerships with regional authority associations and regional multi-stakeholder networks;
  • Its network of 24 Volunteering Centres around the world.
  • Its branches in the French regions of Mainland France and in the Overseas Territories.
Project

Focus on the Territoires Volontaires project

France Volontaires, with the support of the Delegation for the External Action of Local and Regional Authorities (DAECT -Délégation à l’Action Extérieure des Collectivités Territoriales) of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, runs the ‘turnkey’ programme Territoires Volontaires, which supports local and regional authorities, especially the most novice ones, in the management of volunteers through a considerable support system.