Problem addressed

Despite numerous national and EU-level efforts, many NEETs remain disconnected from education and the labor market. In France, although a strong support system exists, the most fragile youth—those with psychological issues, long-term unemployment, or a migrant background—are still at risk of exclusion.

Traditional local programs are not always sufficient. These young people need new opportunities, structured support, and a sense of purpose. The challenge is not only professional but personal and social: helping them regain confidence, autonomy, and the motivation to reintegrate into society.

In addition, there are currently not work related experience offered to Youth in Romania, Bulgaria and Poland, where even (unpaid) internship are scarce, and there is no system similar to French national Civic Service. We aimed through the French experience, undertaken with locals, to disseminate also good practices locally. 

Innovative solution

ALMA France FROM1EU2EU offers a dual innovation:

- mixing ALMA and EU mobility with the civic service model and volunteering. Strategic use of France’s Civic Service ecosystem: Many ALMA participants are former Civic Service volunteers, already equipped with basic training, teamwork skills, and a sense of civic engagement—making them ideal candidates for EU mobility when accompanied with tailored mentoring. 

The partnership model is also key: all hosting organizations were ESC/Erasmus+ certified, ensuring high quality and compliance. Detailed partnership contracts established expectations, ensured flexibility, and protected the needs and rights of vulnerable participants.

- Transnational engagement with public benefit: Rather than placing participants in private sector internships, ALMA France focused on volunteering and public interest missions abroad. These created real, visible impact in host communities and raised awareness and support for the program. Some local governments (e.g., Kielce in Poland) have since shown interest in launching their own ALMA initiatives or create local volunteering systems, helping reach out disadvantaged local Youth in similar manner. 

Youth were also systematically in very high level events, to help disseminate their experience to national level, such as 3 Embassy's events, the International Direct Democracy Forum, Karpacz Economic Forum (biggest of Central Europe), 2024 Paris Olympics, the Fall of Berlin Wall Berlin Conference and the first Weimar Triangle event post renewal of relations between Poland, Germany and France.

This project is inspired by French national civic service and the systematised use of volunteering as a tool of insertion. It is also largely I spired form our global action through European Civic Service where we intertwined insertion and EU mobility and make EU instruments such as EU Solidarity Corps articulate themes elves with national volunteering frames. 

Key results and benefits

Out of 30 NEETs Youth, over 20 were faced with serious challenges (psychiatric, migrant background, etc). 28 are inserted by the end of project, including 2 declared permanently disabled. 2/3 of the 26 remaining are now in jobs, with average income over French average. 

Post project, Poland created the basis for a national volunteering law, Romania study it, and Bulgaria has nominated a national coordinator on the matter. ALMA as a EU pilot is implemented now at regional level, in two of the territories of our project.

All participants report higher self confidence, positive discovery of Europe and higher feeling of European belonging.

A network of cooperation EU structure was also established leading to a polish led other ALMA project during Paris 2024 Olympics and in Germany.

This project led Kielce region to enter ALMA EU pilot to replicate it. In addition we ourselves implemented similar action within a Polish led other ALMA project (New Horizon) during Paris 2024 Olympics and later on in border regions of France and Germany.

Potential for mainstreaming

We implemented this project as a potential mainstreamed Youth policy and systematically have associated local Member States governments’ to it, through events and reporting. ALMA France’s success demonstrates the viability of combining national civic engagement structures with EU mobility opportunities. Its model can be replicated in any EU country with:

- An existing system for youth civic engagement or structured volunteering (France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Austria, etc)

- A strong local network for youth employment support

- Reliable international partners with ESC/Erasmus+ experience

Furthermore, the project highlighted the value of “general interest missions” over private sector placements, both in terms of participant empowerment and community visibility. This approach is especially effective in stimulating local political interest and policy change, as evidenced by emerging interest in Poland and Romania.

Poland has initiated already policies following this project, and it is studied in Bulgaria and Romania, and beyond, with potential development of national volunteering, mixed with EU mobility existing programs, to tackle the needs of Youth. Our ALMA project was identified as best practice under Interreg Europe Yes Volunteer project and we have been contracted to advise it. 

By leveraging existing structures while tailoring each phase of support to vulnerable youth, ALMA France offers a scalable and impactful model for reintegration through mobility.