Volunteer Activist Campaign in France
"ACT LOCAL!"
Background
Whilst setting up volunteer workcamps in and with local communities across France, Jeunesse et Reconstruction became aware of the following challenges that were addressed in its volunteer activist campaign:
-the consumerist attitude of volunteers hosted in workcamps
-the lack of local youth's commitment to their community
-the lack of awareness of local communities and volunteers vis-à-vis their ability to take action for social change
About this campaign
"Act Local!" aimed at promoting and empowering the active participation of young people at the local level. The campaign took place in the summer of 2014 in the 50 international volunteer workcamps organised by Jeunesse et Reconstruction across France. The approximate 600 international volunteers involved in the 2014 summer camps formed both the target group and the actors of the campaign. Each volunteer team, with the support of Jeunesse et Reconstruction coordinators and camp leaders, created and implemented a mini-action to the benefit of the local community hosting the camp. The mini-actions included expression, animation and awareness raising activities for local inhabitants (and especially the local youth) organised by the international volunteers and addressed diverse social, political or environmental issues. The actions provided the volunteers with the opportunity to reflect and exchange views, opinions and perspectives on the addressed con-
cerns, take collective action at a local level, and drew attention to locals, especially local youth, about their ability to take action.
Act Local « Around the world with the children »
Thursday 26th June, L’Alpe-d’Huez
An intercultural workshop with 25 children from 5th grade class aimed at questioning their representations of other countries and cultures, and introducing a new outlook beyond clichés and prejudices. The workshop included a world tour across Italy, Catalonia and Spain, France, Germany, Japan and China. The activity was prepared and led by an international volunteer team from Jeunesse et Reconstruction’s workcamp in Huez.
This workshop was conducted with the support of the Regional Direction for Youth, of the town Huez, the primary school’s staff and the active participation of the pupils.
Act Local « Raise your hands for peace »
Wednesday 2nd July, Saint-Alban-Leysse
The action involved the creation of an artistic map for celebrating international solidarity and mutual understanding. Together with 30 children from the local youth center, Jeunesse et Reconstruction’s volunteers discussed their vision of the world and developed a collective expression for defending peace. The ensuing “fresque” was exhibited at the town hall and presented to the elected members of the community, the local media, and parents on the 4th July.
This action was prepared and led by an international volunteer team from Jeunesse et Reconstruction’s workcamp in Saint-Alban-Leysse. It was conducted with the support of the Regional Direction for Youth, of the town of Saint-Alban-Leysse, of the Rhône-Alpes region and the staff and youth from the SICSAL. 
Act Local « With Le Clalage »
Thursday 10th July, ChazeronCastle (Loubeyrat)
Our 13 international volunteers organised an exchange with local teenagers. Loubeyrat being a very rural area, this exchange was a quite rare occasion for the 25 local youngsters who discovered new cultures from all over the world. During a workshop at the leisure center “Le Clalage”, our volunteers decided together with the youngsters to make a fresque symbolising peace. A few days after the local group went to Chazeron Castle (working place of the volunteers) to visit the international volunteers, which allowed them to discover their local heritage.
This action was conducted with the support of the Regional Direction for Youth, the Regional Direction for Culture and Heritage, the Chazeron Castle, the Leisure Center « Le Clalage » and the active participation of the local teenagers.
Act Local « Let’s play together and discover each other » 
Tuesday 15th July, Etoile-sur-Rhône
The 17 volunteers hosted in Etoile-sur-Rhône decided to invite the local community to share a friendly moment with them, trying to mix different ages and populations who wouldn’t have met otherwise. Several activities have been organised such as pétanque, table tennis and board games for the enjoyment of young and adults. The volunteers of Jeunesse et Reconstruction also prepared different intercultural workshops to exchange with locals on their countries and cultures. They proposed a “postcards world tour” on a map presenting foreign monuments and landscapes and a “writing workshop” offering people to have their names written in Korean, Taiwanese and Russian. Over 30 persons participated to these different workshops: neighbour families, youngsters from the local youth center, elderly companions from the social community Emmaüs.
This action was conducted with the support of the Rhône-Alpes Region, the city hall of Etoile-sur-Rhône, the Emmaüs community, the House for Youth and Culture Etoile-Beauvallon (MJC) and the SNCF Foundation.
Act Local « Exchanging and sharing with children »
16th and 21th July, Villeneuve d’Olmes
The action, based on sharing and exchanging knowledge about each other's background and culture, was conducted by the volunteers over two and a half day. During the first half day, the international group hosted a dozen children from the local leisure center aged 3 to 10 years, in order to share their knowledge about building a river stones wall. The following week, the volunteers went to the leisure center to organise a game afternoon about their different cultural backgrounds: flags workshop, concert with guitar and Spanish, Turkish, Russian songs
This action was carried out with the help of the Regional Council of Midi Pyrenees, the Regional Direction for Youth in Midi-Pyrenees, the Conseil Général d’Arieège, the mairie de Villeneuve d'Olmes and the Leisure Centre of Villeneuve d'Olmes.
Act Local « Mens Mime et Songs »
Thursday 17th July, Mens
9 volunteers from Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Russia and Spain spent an afternoon at the local retirement home and prepared mime sketches and songs in order to share their volunteers experience with the residents in the hope of bringing joy and international enthusiasm to the residents and exchange stories and point of views about European history, international friendship, borders, cultures.
This workshop was conducted with the support of the Regional Direction for Youth and La mairie de Mens.
Act Local « Let’s make healthy pizzas »
Friday 18th July, Montmorin
This action was an interesting opportunity for creating intercultural and intergenerational exchange. Invited by the international volunteers for this workshop, 30 inhabitants from Montmorin (kids, teenagers, adults) prepared pizzas with locally produced and fresh products. The pizzas were baked in a traditional oven. The workshop aimed at bringing people closer to local consumption and self made products!
Thanks to the support of the Regional Council of Auvergne, the Regional Direction for Youth, the Puy de Dôme Departmental Council, the Mairie de Montmorin and the local youth organisation.
Act Local « Resistances »
Saturday 19th of July, Vassieux-en-Vercors
The international young volunteers (age 14 to 17) helped the organisation in organising a day dedicated to all types of political, economical, social, environmental Resistance movements, in the memory of the destruction of the Vercors maquis in July 1944 by the german army during 2nd WW.
Act Local « in Rocles »
Sunday 20th July, Rocles
Jeunesse et Reconstruction volunteer’s team from Rocles workcamp supported the local Junior association and its socio-environmental projects on the weekly market of the village: the volunteers had an information stand in which they sold homemade jewelry and pottery in the benefit of the Junior Association, and attracted local visitors' attention by means of a musical and dancing flashmob.
Act Local « Creating a veggie garden for the School »
Monday 21st of July, Chalvignac
As they were hosted in the municipal school, the 13 international volunteers from Chalvignac workcamp had the idea to build a veggie garden for the pupils. In agreement with the municipality and the teacher, and with the participation of some kids and parents from the neighborhood, they prepared the ground and planted the vegetables. 20 people took part in this action, which gave the local children the opportunity to grow their own vegetables all year long.
The Regional Direction for Youth and the Mairie de Chalvignac gave us the support to set up this action.
Act Local « Social Disco Soup 
»
Wednesday, 23rd of July, Le Biau Jardin (Gerzat)
Volunteers worked for 3 weeks in an organic farm called « Le Biau Jardin ». This farm works for natural growing and social inclusion: the employees are in fact people that meet several social or professional issues and are therefore excluded from the traditional labour market. Our international volunteers who were hosted there for a camp decided to organise a “disco soup” event together with the employees. The concept was simple: cooking a big bowl of soup with all leftovers from the garden and eating together while live music was playing in the background. This action reinforced the exchanges between people from different social backgrounds and helped raising the participant’s awareness for preventing food waste.
This action was carried out with the help of the Regional Council of Auvergne, the Regional Direction for Youth, the Puy de Dôme Departmental Council, the Regional Direction for Environment and the organic farm « Le Biau Jardin ».
Act Local « A quiz for a better understanding »
Thursday 24th of July in Chambon sur lac
Locals were invited by the volunteers for a quiz game. All the volunteers, from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Korea, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine, prepared questions about their countries, cultures and habits. The around 30 local residents were happy to participate and wanted to know more about the volunteers after the quiz.
This activity has been conducted with the support of the Mairie de Chambon sur Lac and the Puy de Dôme Departmental Council.
Act Local « Let’s sing for Le P’tit coup de Pousses »
Tuesday 29th July, in Bois d’Oingt
International volunteers, together with youngsters from the local youth center, will perform a musical and circus show for promoting the activities of Le P’tit coup de Pousses. Le P’tit coup de Pousses is a social grocery that provides alimentary and daily products with adapted price scale to any kind of persons in Bois d’Oingt, wealthy or in need. The young volunteers involved in the village discovered the shop while helping there one afternoon and decided to put their diverse talents (dance, music, magic) to good use for promoting this service. They will perform in the street and hope to raise the local population’s interest for Le P’tit coup de Pousses.
Act Local « Discovering volunteers’ cultures »
31th July 2014, Lacapelle-Cabanac
During the traditional camp‘s international meal, where volunteers prepare specialties from their countries to share with the inhabitants, the volunteers decided to organise a special cultural session through a quiz game entitled "Discovering volunteers’ cultures". Through photos, music and volunteers’ explanations, the local participants have discovered the monuments, national anthems, traditional festivals, food etc. from Spain, South Korea and Great Britain. About 30 persons from Lacapelle-Cabanac, small village of 160 inhabitants, gathered for this international event.
This action was carried out with the help of the Regional Council of Midi Pyrenees, the Regional Directorate of Youth and Sport Midi Pyrenees, and the mairie de Lacapelle-Cabanac.
Act Local « Eating together for intercultural exchange »
Thursday 31st of July, Issoire
The Young Workers’ hostel of Issoire welcomes young active people (students, interns, workers…) who need accommodation for a few weeks, or months and cannot afford a regular hotel room. Around 50 young adults live in this original hostel. As the residents there do not have the chance to travel much, the 14 international volunteers from Issoire workcamp decided to offer them an international dinner: one evening around the world, exchanging about young people’s realities in different countries and sharing tasty meals!
They supported this event: Youth Center workers of Issoire « La Passerelle – FJT », the Regional Direction for Youth, the Regional Direction for the Environment, the Mairie d’Issoire, the Regional Council of Auvergne and the Puy de Dôme Departmental Council.
Act Local « Lunch for Inclusion »
Thursday 31st of July, Clermont-Ferrand (Job’Agglo)
The international volunteers together with the local community center organised a lunch in order to meet young people from the neighborhood. This event was an opportunity for 15 local youngsters who face social difficulties, to exchange about volunteering, travelling and to hear about the volunteers’ home countries; and a chance for our volunteers to discover France through the eyes of the young French people.
This event was conducted with the support of the social company « Job’Agglo », the community center « Maison de quartier Croix de Neyrat », the Puy de Dôme Departmental Council and the Regional Direction for Youth.
Act Local « The new version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs »
7th August 2014, Lacaze
Invited to the general assembly and annual dinner of a local association, our volunteers decided to present a play to the 150 inhabitants participating in the event. This theater piece, inspired by the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and prepared along the duration of the camp, was an opportunity for the volunteers to retrace their 15 camp days in the form of mime and brought into humorous scenes. The guests were able to discover the principle of an international workcamp and the various moments experienced by international volunteers in their town.
This action was carried out with the help of the Regional Council of Midi Pyrenees, the Regional Directorate of Youth and Sport Midi Pyrenees, and the town of Lacaze.
Act Local « After the storm »
Saturday 9th of August, Montaigut-le-Blanc
On the 9th of August, the area of Montaigut was impacted by a storm, which caused damages on the village’s roads. The international volunteers, who were hosted in the town, spontaneously grabbed their tools and started to clean the streets. The inhabitants were really surprised and some of them joined the volunteers in this action. Around 10 people from the local area participated together with our volunteers in this moment of solidarity!
The Mairie de Montaigut-le-Blanc, the organization « Mons Acutus », The Regional Council of Auvergne and the Puy de Dôme Departmental Council made this possible.
Act Local « Colored exchanges with the leisure center»
12th August 2014, Antichan de Frontignes
Each year, the international volunteers hosted in Antichan de Frontignes share their habitation with the youth center beneficiaries, usually without exchanges. This year though, our volunteers proposed to share a full activity day with the children, aged 8 to 10. Morning was dedicated to painting workshops: the children could make table sets with their names written in French, Russian and Korean, and with the countries flags. After a shared meal, everyone gathered at the lake for sports and games.
This action was carried out with the help of the Regional Council of Midi Pyrenees, the Regional Directorate of Youth and Sport Midi Pyrenees, the town of Antichan Frontignes and Leisure Centre based in Antichan.
Act Local « Play pétanque! »
- In Etoile, Emmaüs community, Thursday 28th July.
A general tournament gathered the companions living in the community and the international volunteers hosted there. Emmaüs is a community that welcomes marginalized and homeless people, who are called "companions" and live there temporarily while going through a tough phase in life. This activity allowed our volunteers to exchange with some older companions who are usually not so easy to “access”. They spent a sportive and memorable moment, all generations together.This action has been conducted with the support of the Emmaüs community and of the SNCF Foundation.
- In Viviers, Thursday 7th August “Evergreen pétanque”.
Our 7 international volunteers offered the local retirement home to organise a special activity together with the residents. Pétanque has acquired the place of honour again, as it is an interesting and easy way to interact despite of the differences of age and language. 8 residents from Les Opalines have enjoyed this particular afternoon with our young volunteers; after the tournament they shared a friendly drink. This action was conducted with the support of the Maison de Retraite Les Opalines, the Mairie de Viviers and the Regional Direction for Youth.
- In Bonne, Thursday 14th August “International Day in Bonne”
Our group of volunteers hosted in Bonne, for the 1st international workcamp in this village, wished to organise a big friendly and cultural event dedicated to the local population. Through posters and flyers, the volunteers invited the whole village to come and share an intercultural dinner and to participate to an international pétanque tournament. This action was set up thanks to the support of the Mairie de Bonne and of the Regional Direction for Youth.
Act Local « Exchange around an international quiz »
Thursday 14th August, Fontcouverte-La Toussuire
The volunteers in Fontcouverte created a big game about their cultures and countries and they plan to let the inhabitants of Fontcouverte play on the village’s annual celebration day. The aim was to promote international exchanges and create some new contacts among villagers by playing together.
This action was conducted with the support of the Mairie de Fontcouverte, the Regional Direction for Youth and the association Bien Vivre à La Rochette.
Act Local « Vive Herment » 
Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th of August, Herment
Our 13 volunteers hosted in Herment helped during a 2-days local celebration organisation to set up the Saint Roch celebration. Local volunteers exchanged with our volunteers and were very happy to have international forces coming in as backup. Herment is located in a rural area where people had never met so many different nationalities in one place. More than 40 local volunteers were in contact with the international team and appreciated their involvement.
This action was arranged thanks to our partners : the municipality of Herment, the Regional Council of Auvergne, the Regional Direction for Youth, the Puy de Dôme Departmental Council and the local organization “Comité des fêtes d’Herment”.
Act Local « A reconciliation»
21th August, Mille Pattes (Durban-sur-Arize)
For the second consecutive year, the Mille Pattes association organised an international volunteers workcamp in the Castle of Durban-sur-Arize, a small village of 180 inhabitants. The castle, located 20 minutes walk up from the village, hosts the members of Mille Pattes Association around the year. However, for several years very few contacts have happened between the villagers and the association members, as they are seen as non-conformists. The arrival of the international youth offered an opportunity for the villagers to discover the activities of the Association Mille Pattes and discover and enjoy their lifestyle. Indeed, the volunteers succeeded in attracting thirty villagers to share a big dinner, visit the castle, and enjoy a good time around regional songs, origami workshop and bolas show, helping this way to improve relationships between Mille-Patte and the village.
This action was carried out with the help of the Regional Council of Midi Pyrenees, the Regional Directorate of Youth and Sport Midi Pyrenees, the General Council of the Ariege, and Mille Pattes association.
Act Local « Happy for Pontaix! »
Friday 22nd August, Pontaix
The international volunteer’s team, active on Pontaix workcamp since the beginning of the month, created a promotional video for this small beautiful village. They hope to highlight the welcoming atmosphere of Pontaix and the kindness of the inhabitants by filming a collective dance on the musical clip “Happy”. The video clip was presented to the villagers on the last day of camp and posted on Pontaix website and Fanpage as well as on Jeunesse et Reconstruction’s social nets.
This action was conducted with the support of the Mairie de Pontaix and of the Regional Direction for Youth.
Act Local « Incredible edible in Billom »
Thursday 4th of September, Billom
International volunteers invited local residents to a garden workshop. Kids and older people had the chance to plant herbs and vegetables. Our volunteers wished to present their action as part of the “Incredible edible” movement (http://www.incredible-edible.info/), which invites citizens all around the world to grow food wherever it is possible and share it. 30 persons participated in the workshop in Billom. Everyone appreciated to be part of this action and to have the opportunity to re-appropriate the concept: « food is growing in soil not in the supermarket ».
This action was carried out with the help of the Mairie de Billom, the Regional Council of Auvergne, the Regional Direction for Youth, the Regional Direction for the Environment and the Puy de Dôme Departmental Council.
Thanks to:
For more information on this campaign, please follow:
Our website: http://www.volontariat.org/
Our Fan page: https://www.facebook.com/jeunesse.reconstruction
Our Twitter account: https://twitter.com/volontariat_org
Our Instagram account: http://instagram.com/jeunesse_reconstruction#
