I didn’t want to sit idly by for too long during my study break. I needed to move, not just spend time waiting. I also wanted to travel alone, to live a real experience of my own, and the International Civic Service allowed me to do that. In addition, there was an allowance, so I could do it without stressing too much about the money.
It was also an opportunity to discover a field that attracted me, that of nature, to test and see if I really liked it. And then, living in a Maghreb country was something I had always wanted to do, not just to spend holidays there as I was used to, but to settle there a minimum, to immerse myself in everyday life.
In France, the school dropout rate — that is, the percentage of young people aged 18 to 24 who leave the education system without a diploma or training — is about 7.6%. This represents about 100,000 young people each year, without officially recognized qualifications. When the time comes to enrol in higher education via Parcoursup, many of them find themselves in difficulty: a file that is not highly valued, a lack of clear benchmarks, a poorly perceived reorientation. Some courses remain inaccessible for non-linear baccalaureate holders or for those whose grades do not correspond to expectations.
What if you don’t pursue studies immediately? Volunteering, and in particular international civic service, appears to be a possible path: open from the age of 18, without any qualification requirement, it allows you to commit yourself for 6 to 12 months, in a wide variety of missions, while being compensated. A way to regain self-confidence, develop skills, and sometimes create a bridge to new professional directions.