ESC: Join us in Clairefontaine, a living home for deaf children with disabilities, and help us to create an inclusive café

Name: ESC: Join us in Clairefontaine, a living home for deaf children with disabilities, and help us to create an inclusive café
Start: 2025-06-02
End: 2026-06-30
Location: Lyon, France

Code: 457836811002ba8c2d Copied

France European Voluntary Service Social work European Voluntary Service Social work Fixed dates

About the project

📝 Detailed information

🏢 About the local organisation

The IRSAM organization was founded in 1858 by Father Louis-Toussaint Dassy, who was deeply concerned about children with sensory disabilities. He created the Religious Congregation of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate and, together with Sister Marie Bouffier, founded the first institution for blind youth, L’Arc en Ciel in Marseille. In 1866, deaf children were also welcomed.
Development continued beyond Marseille, with the opening of institutions for children in Lyon in 1879, and for adults in Nice in 1905. In 1923, the IRSAM Association, governed by the French law of July 1st, 1901, was established and recognized as being of public utility in 1931.
In 1956, at the request of public authorities, the association created the first center for young people with sensory disabilities on Réunion Island.
Starting in 1980, the IRSAM Association continued to expand thanks to its reputation and the quality of its services. It increased its capacity for reception, care, and support by opening more facilities in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Réunion.
To this day, the Congregation of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate takes part in the Board of Directors of the association and contributes voluntarily in some IRSAM institutions.

💼 What the programme involves

The objective of the mission is to facilitate social inclusion of DHH with disabilities. For that, the volunteer will be in charge to support one of the current project : the opening of an inclusive café. The volunteer's job will be to support the cafeteria team. This team is made up of Clairefontaine professionals and deaf adults with associated disabilities. The cafeteria project enables these people to run a cafeteria, like a real business, within Clairefontaine. Their skills are thus promoted in an inclusive approach. The cafeteria becomes a convivial space for everyone, professionals and residents alike. The volunteer will be able to help prepare sweet and savoury cooking workshops, as well as serving in the cafeteria (open for 2 hours a day). The volunteer will also be tasked with developing partnerships to bring people in, and create events in conjunction with street artists, musicians, artists...

🏠 Accommodation on site

The volunteer will be hosted in a big home in the area of IRSAM establishments. The volunteer will beneficiate of a private room and shared bathroom and kitchen. The location is in Lyon 9, near to the city center by Metro (10 min), and provide also a large garden.

🎒 Leisure activities

⚠️ Requirements

The Participant profile: The profile of the volunteer should be comfortable with social interactions and have some experiences in the scope of disability and/or sensory impairment. As all our residents are deaf, the communication with the residents is in French sign language. A sensitivity to the world of deafness is a must. However, a basic training in LSF is possible. We would like to welcome a volunteer with adaptability, entrepreneurial skills, comfortable and enjoyable cooking or service. An understanding and/or speaking French is a plus. Ideally, the volunteer's mission will last 10 months.
Deadline: No application deadline

ℹ️ Additional information

A training in french is possible as well as a training in french sign langage.

The project is implemented under the European Solidarity Corps Programme, financed by the European Commission.
The participating organisations have to be mindful of these needs as they are responsible for providing a respectful and trusting hosting environment. At the same time, the organisations participating in the initiative devote a great deal of time, energy and resources to set up a high-quality activity; they should therefore expect that European Solidarity Corps participants show a similar level of respect for the local communities and the people that are directly concerned by the activities (https://youth.europa.eu/solidarity/mission_en).
What do we provide ?

Training before and after the project
Health insurance during your project
round-trip travel reimbursement
accommodation and food
pocket money
language course
Return Week-end
Youth Pass and SVI international Volunteer passport

Before applying for this volunteering project, you need to enroll yourself at European Solidarity Corps Platform (https://europa.eu/youth/solidarity_en) and specify your European Solidarity Corps Participant Number (PRN).
This organisation holds a European Solidarity Corps Quality Label.
Contact the ESC coordinator at +32 2 888 67 13 to get more informations.

Interested in this project? Create your account and apply online.

📅 Available sessions

FR45786

01/09/2025 at 00:00 → 30/06/2026 at 00:00

Closed

0 / 2

♂ 0/1 ♀ 0/1

FR45783

02/06/2025 at 00:00 → 28/03/2026 at 00:00

Closed

0 / 2

♂ 0/1 ♀ 0/1

ℹ️ Key information

Age required

18–30 years old

Solidarity donation

0.00 EUR

French tax residents may be eligible for a tax reduction of up to 66% of their costs (membership, plane tickets, solidarity donation).

📍 Location

6 Imp. des Jardins, 69009 Lyon, France

France

🌍 Location info

Local currency

Euro Member Countries (EUR / €)

Timezone

Central European Summer Time

Local time: 22:20 (12/11/2026)

🛡️ Before you leave

Security information

📞 Contact us

[email protected]

+32 2 888 67 13

Contact form

✅ Features

🏠 Accommodation

Collective

🗣️ Languages spoken

English French