Volunteer Hub & Community Engagement

THE ENGINE OF SOLIDARITY

Why Volunteer with ASSOCIATION VACANCES 93?

Voluntary civic action is the moral backbone of our non-profit association. In Seine-Saint-Denis, where public resources are often stretched thin, the selfless dedication of volunteers ensures that more than 4,850 youth enjoy access to sports facilities, organized athletics coaching, and life-changing holiday expeditions each year.

When you volunteer with ASSOCIATION VACANCES 93, you join a supportive, democratic collective of more than 150 active citizens—including university students, retired teachers, healthcare workers, and neighborhood parents. We provide comprehensive onboarding, covering youth safeguarding, conflict resolution, and certified first-aid training (PSC1) subsidized entirely by our association. All membership fees and dues are fully reinvested in the association's public interest missions.

The Four-Step Volunteer Integration Journey

To ensure total child safety and provide our volunteers with the support they deserve, we guide every candidate through a transparent four-stage integration process:

The Volunteer Rights & Safeguarding Charter

Volunteering with ASSOCIATION VACANCES 93 is a mutual commitment founded on trust, respect, and shared ideals. Our Volunteer Charter guarantees that:

• You receive clear role descriptions, designated mentor support, and all necessary safety equipment.
• You are covered by comprehensive association civil liability and accident insurance throughout your service.
• Your service hours are officially documented, entitling you to certified civic experience attestations (Passeport Bénévole) valuable for university credits (ECTS) or civil service examinations.
• You have a democratic voice: active volunteers are full voting members of the annual General Assembly with the right to stand for election to the Board of Directors.

In-Depth Preparatory Workshops and Skill Development

Before stepping onto a court or boarding a camp coach, every volunteer completes our signature Civic Sports Preparation Course. This curriculum is divided into three practical modules designed to build confidence and pedagogical clarity:

Module A: Positive Group Dynamics on the Court. Learn how to organize lively warm-up games, establish clear group boundaries without shouting, and ensure that shy or physically insecure participants are actively included in ball rotations.

Module B: Pediatric Mental Health First Aid. Delivered in partnership with youth psychologists, this session teaches volunteers how to spot signs of emotional distress, respond empathetically to outbursts of anger or frustration, and create a calm, psychologically reassuring space for children experiencing stress at home.

Module C: Field Logistics and Emergency Preparedness. Hands-on training in inspecting sports facilities for physical hazards, managing emergency kit supplies, handling allergic reactions, and coordinating with municipal safety staff during unexpected weather shifts.

Reflections from Our Active Volunteers

Soraia, a 22-year-old law student from Saint-Denis who serves as a weekend athletics volunteer, reflects: "Joining Association Vacances 93 transformed the way I see my department. On the court, you see kids who face real hardships light up with joy, learn to trust each other, and celebrate small victories. The training I received here gave me leadership skills that helped me tremendously in my university studies. It is the most rewarding commitment of my life."

Marc, a retired physics educator from Bobigny who mentors junior counselors, adds: "Retirement gave me time, and Association Vacances 93 gave that time purpose. Working alongside these brilliant young volunteers and helping organize mountain camps keeps me energetic and connected to the heartbeat of Seine-Saint-Denis."

Institutional & Inter-Association Volunteer Partnerships

In addition to individual citizen engagement, ASSOCIATION VACANCES 93 partners with university student unions, public hospital employee associations, and municipal sports federations across Île-de-France. These institutional partnerships enable collective volunteer days, specialized sports equipment clinics, and shared supervisory teams during large summer sports festivals in Bobigny and Saint-Denis.