France

The French Youth Information Network aims to support and empower young people. It has a public interest objective which is guaranteed by a state label.

All parts of France, including overseas, are covered by more than 1,200 youth information centres. All young people are targeted, and topics cover guidance, studies, employment, work-study programmes, jobs, internships, access to rights, international mobility, citizenship, and health.

At national level:

CIDJ (Centre d’Information et de Documentation Jeunesse) is the French national youth information centre. It is an association which is supported by the Ministry in charge of youth. As the number 1 youth information structure in France for the last 50 years, CIDJ informs young people on all topics which are relevant to them and supports the expertise of the French youth information network.

Info Jeunes France is an association supported by the Ministry in charge of youth, which was created in 2008 to represent the youth information network in the bodies in charge of youth public policy.

At regional level: regional youth information centres offer information and counselling services to all young people, produce regional resources, coordinate a regional network and offer trainings to the youth information workers in their region. They are co-financed by the State, other institutional partners (regions in particular) or private stakeholders.

At local level: local youth information structures are mainly run by local authorities either as a municipal youth service or as an association subsidised by the municipality or another public entity.

The profession of youth information worker is recognised in an occupation-specific framework which describes activities and competences in detail.