Updated
15-MAR-08
Union Nationale
des Associations Regionales ETUDES et CHANTIERS
It was created in 1962
by several Youth movements and follows the idea of non-violence and humanism
as well as international co-operation and exchanges in the “Education
Populaire” movement – a French concept meaning non formal education. We are
engaged in the world-wide movement of international voluntary services (short
term and long term like EVS) through partnerships with 70 organisations in more
than 60 countries.
We organise around 60 international camps every year (and through out most of the
year) – some of them are for younger volunteers (14-17 years old).
We have also developed lots of activities working with
people facing social or economical difficulties.
Our “Union” is divided into 4 regional offices, with a national secretariat in Paris:
EC-Idf : Etudes et Chantiers Ile de France – Paris
area and North of France
ECL: Etudes et Chantiers Lorraine –East part of France
ECB: Etudes et Chantiers Bretagne- West part of France
ECec: Etudes et Chantiers espace central – Centre and South of France and the International
Delegation.
Each of them run
permanent project independently from each other, but they work together on the
workcamp programme which is co-ordinated at the International level by the
International Delegation in Clermont-Ferrand.
Usually we host 12 volunteers on each of our workcamps
(9/10 international volunteers +2/3 French participants) but some projects are
open to 8 volunteers only and some others for 15 participants !
On our adult projects you work about 35 hours per week ; most of the time you
don’t work on week-ends, but it might happen for different reasons.
On our workcamps, all activities are
decided together with the volunteers and the camp leaders. You will live an
experience in a group and things are planned within the group.
The languages
spoken on our workcamps are English and French, except on a few Teenage camps
and one international French speaking adult camp.
Every
day life: the group will organise teams so that
everybody can participate in the cleaning, tidying up, preparation of the
meals… do not forget your recipes !
Activities: on your arrival, leaders will propose several
activities ; but your ideas are welcomed and everything can be discussed. So be
imaginative, the workcamp is a place for having fun ! We don’t expect you to do
activities on your own, going to visit friends living nearby or going alone to
watch a movie !
Leader team: camp leaders are not there to manage everything ;
they advise volunteers, suggest various activities ; they are also a link
between the different actors of the workcamp: the organising association, the
project sponsor, the local population and the volunteers. Our camp leaders are
staff paid, with added volunteer co-leaders. If you are interested to be a
co-leader, contact us through your organisation.
Age Limit: 18 years old minimum – no maximum ;
From now on we accept 17 year old participants (1
or 2) if they already have had a volunteer experience and if they are mature
enough to join an adult project (a motivation letter would be highly
appreciated for minor volunteers)
On each project we reserve 1 or 2 places for people facing social difficulties (like
living in orphanages or in specialised institutions). Be aware that these
volunteers are expecting a lot from a workcamp experience ; it is for them a
big adventure and good contacts with International volunteers are really
important for them.
Insurance: our association covers the volunteers from the first to the last day of the
workcamp (civil liability, personal accident,
assistance repatriation). Our
insurance does not cover lost or stolen objects, nor illness (except those
due to accidents).
General information on
this country can be accessed via any of the following websites:
Library of Congress country studies … http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/
US Dept of State country background pages …
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/bgn/
CIA Factbooks …
http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/
National newspapers online via Internet
Public Library
… http://www.ipl.org/reading/news/