How can I be committed to making a difference as a student?

When you're a student, all you think about is partying. When you're a student, you don't really have time. When you're a student, you don't really care about the world around you... right? Wrong. You can be a student and still be committed to making a difference. We can show you how.

According to this year’s results of the “Baromètre du Bénévolat” (“Volunteering Barometer”), a study that has been measuring France’s commitment to volunteering for 4 years running, the number of young people committed to volunteering is increasing (+ 40% since 2010). Their volunteering style is different from older age groups: younger people often get involved on a short-term basis as a group and seek to participate in projects with clear targets and concrete results.

Volunteering in Associations 

The world of “Associations” – the French term that describes non-profit-making organizations or clubs - offers students a wide range of volunteering opportunities that can cater to your interests, the role you’d like to fill, what is important to you and the amount of time you are willing to devote to a cause. Whether it be food distribution, tutoring (learning support), accounting, minor jobs or creating communication tools, every student can easily find a volunteering mission that will suit them.

At ESDES Lyon Business School, all students are asked to participate in SoliCity: a humanitarian mission that involves social and civic engagement. The students commit to volunteering for 2 months with associations out in the field, working closely with less privileged populations, either close to home or in developing countries. Students will be able to acquire a deeper sense of community by committing to a cause. To succeed in this mission, they will first need to overcome any prejudices they may have. They will get the rewarding experience of discovering on a daily basis that giving is receiving.

Find out more about the SoliCity mission

Sinclair working as a volunteer in India

During your study program

As commitment to a cause is one of the hallmarks of ESDES Lyon Business School, we offer volunteering opportunities to students on campus, throughout the academic year. The students are encouraged to get involved by participating in one of the many different associations (there are over 20), whether it be humanitarian, cultural or sports-related. Student life is punctuated by meetings, events and challenges that are organized by these associations to raise awareness and provide help and support for various different causes.

"The rich variety of opportunities offered by the ESDES associations is a great strength. Students are brought together by a shared passion or a cause they really care about and they create wonderful projects. But there’s not much point in me describing it, you have to experience it, it’s incredible... you just have to go for it!" Sandra, former president of the Showbise Association

Discover the ESDES associations.

Proof that you can make a difference while studying as a student…