France’s Mois de l’ESS 2026: discover local projects and career opportunities

A careers conversation, an open day or a shared cooking workshop can help you find your place in a new community. France’s Mois de l’ESS brings these opportunities together throughout November, introducing the people and organisations behind the social and solidarity economy.

The national initiative is coordinated by ESS France and supported in the regions by the CRESS network. It is a chance to discover associations, cooperatives and other organisations that combine economic activity with a social purpose. For newcomers, that can mean finding local networks as well as exploring a different kind of workplace.

Explore careers in Brittany

Apec Bretagne’s November programme includes an online session on Friday 20 November, from 11:30 to 13:30. It introduces professional roles in the sector, organisations recruiting in Brittany and opportunities to explore a workplace through professional immersion.

The session is aimed at managers and professionals, recent graduates and people considering their next career move. Follow Apec’s registration instructions and check whether the event matches your experience and interests.

On Thursday 26 November, from 14:00 to 17:00, an ESS employment forum takes place at the Maison de Quartier de Villejean in Rennes. Its programme brings together employers, training organisations and employment support services, with information on jobs, placements and starting an activity.

• Preparing to meet employers? Read our guide to writing a CV in France.

Meet local organisations in Champigny

You do not have to be looking for work to join in. Champigny-sur-Marne’s municipal programme includes practical ways to discover neighbourhood organisations.

Emmaüs Liberté holds open afternoons on Saturdays 7, 14, 21 and 28 November, from 13:30 to 17:30, at 84 voie Sonia Delaunay. Visitors can explore the site and learn about its work with donated goods and people facing exclusion.

There are also food-waste cooking workshops on 6, 13 and 28 November, from 14:00 to 18:00, at MPT Youri-Gagarine, 6 avenue du 11 Novembre 1918. The city page gives the registration contact. Check the arrangements before attending rather than assuming a place is available.

Find your own starting point

These are examples, not a complete national itinerary. Use the Mois de l’ESS website to find activities in your area, then check the organiser’s details for booking, admission and language. Do not assume every event is free or offered in English.

One visit can be enough to discover a useful local contact, a possible career direction or a project you would like to get involved with.