The association

Le Créneau

Le Créneau Association is the delegation of Solidarités Jeunesses in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. It has been working for over 30 years to promote gender diversity, social diversity, intercultural cooperation and civic engagement through doing and living together.

Le Créneau is part of the Solidarités Jeunesses movement, made up of 8 popular education associations, guided by common values of solidarity, voluntary commitment and social responsibility. Our vision is that of a society where social progress and respect for human beings and the environment are paramount.

Based at the Château des Prureaux in Montcombroux-les-Mines (Allier), the association welcomes young people from around the world around collective projects that combine education, solidarity and ecology.

Values and how we work

Workcamps and projects at Le Créneau are an opportunity to take on responsibility, to grow and push one's limits in a place where mistakes are allowed, where preconceptions are not set in stone, and where everyone is capable.

Mission

The association carries strong values:

• Fight against exclusion by creating spaces for meetings and learning open to all.
• Encourage mobility and European citizenship by enabling young people to access exchange and volunteering programmes, particularly those far from existing systems.
• Raise awareness of sustainable development through participatory workcamps and concrete actions on the environment.
• Strengthen young people's engagement by giving them tools to act on their territory and beyond.

How we work

The association operates on a sociocratic, collegial model, promoting collective decision-making and participation by all. The team is made up of employees, volunteers and voluntary workers committed to the association project.

Training is provided for volunteers and supervisors to ensure the quality of projects and support for participants. Each year, a ten-day training course is organized in partnership with other structures to prepare workcamp facilitators. We regularly train volunteers in this participatory model.

Workcamps and volunteering

International participatory workcamps

Throughout the year, Le Créneau organizes participatory workcamps bringing together young people from different countries. These projects bring together around 15 participants per session of 2 to 3 weeks. They aim to rehabilitate heritage, promote intercultural exchanges and experiment with ecological practices. 60 people per year take part in international participatory workcamps.

Workcamps enable the enhancement, rehabilitation and development of sites that help improve living environments while developing intercultural and intergenerational links. They take place mainly on the Château des Prureaux site; some are organized in partnership with local authorities to extend the project's impact on the territory.

Some workcamps are designed for teenagers (15-17 years old) for a first experience of mobility and intercultural collective life. Others are aimed at young adults (18-30 years old) and people aged 18 and over.

Long-term volunteering

Le Créneau welcomes volunteers in civic service or European Solidarity Corps (ESC) every year for periods ranging from two months to one year. 6 to 8 people for an average of 8 months. By living on site, these young people actively participate in the life of the site and in co-running the projects.

They are involved in collective life, co-run workshops with local partners and develop awareness-raising actions on topics such as international mobility, ecology and interculturality. Volunteers also work with local structures (secondary schools, community centres, care homes, local missions), in tandem with a paid employee, to exchange with local residents and strengthen links between the project and the territory.

Exchanges, hosting and training

Youth exchanges

Three to four times a year, the association organizes international stays of around 15 days around themes such as inclusion, citizenship and environmental issues. These meetings allow young people from different backgrounds (15-17 and 18-30 years old) to share their experiences and discover other cultural realities. 80 people per year take part in exchanges.

An open place: hosting and activities

The Château des Prureaux is an open space where everyone can come and share a moment, discover other cultures and take part in a variety of activities. The association regularly organizes events: board game evenings and social gatherings, creative and artistic workshops, intercultural meetings and international meals, cooking workshops and discovery of other cultures. These initiatives help to build links between local residents, volunteers and local partners, and make the castle a real place for living and exchange. 209 people were welcomed in 2024.

The association alternates between on-site activities and outreach to its partners to enable broader participation and raise awareness of the project.

Training and outreach

The association runs training for volunteers and supervisors, seminars, and outreach in schools and municipalities. Our teams and volunteers work on themes such as living together, citizenship, mobility and sustainable development, with an emphasis on interculturality.

Partners

Le Créneau relies on a network of French and international partners. It works with local authorities and associations to run its projects and cooperates with social partners so that young people furthest from volunteering can benefit from its actions. Funding comes mainly from international, national, regional or departmental grants.

Thanks to our partners