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Voluntary national service will be obligatory by 2021
France's new national service could host 40,000 young people by 2020 – and will be compulsory the following year.
A trial of the Service National Universel (SNU) programme starts in June in 13 departments and has attracted 3,000 teenagers who will take part in two sessions of two weeks.
During the first two weeks, they will live together in a camp, learn about the social values of France and increase their interpersonal skills through group activities.
They then choose a community project or an association to work with for the second fortnight of the programme.
The first volunteers have already received their red, white and blue uniform (bearing a SNU logo) and other clothes to the value of €150.
After this summer trial, the service will be rolled out across France.
Everyone between 16 and 25 can participate on a voluntary basis but it will be compulsory for every 16-year-old by 2021.
