Whether it is a question of status, payment or the time that has to be planned for the commitment, volunteering and honorary work are different and relate to two different realities.
Volunteering is a free commitment that is not tied to a specific age or school-leaving qualification. You do not have an employment contract, but you must comply with the rules and statutes of the organisation as well as the safety regulations. You are subject to a moral obligation, according to which you must give your time and willingness to contribute to the realisation of the association’s goals. However, nothing can be forced on you and you cannot be penalised by the organisation you have committed yourself to. You are free to terminate your participation without trial or compensation.
Note: You should be aware that you are not entitled to social security as a volunteer. You retain your original status (student, pensioner, employee, etc.) and the associated social guarantees. If you are unemployed and receive unemployment benefit, you can work as a volunteer and continue to receive unemployment benefit as long as you continue to actively look for work.
Volunteering as a contractual and exclusive obligation. You are therefore subject to a contract that applies only to the organisation. To become a volunteer, you must in most cases be at least 16 years old for assignments in France and 18 years old for international assignments. The status of volunteer is growing rapidly, whether working in France or abroad. The variety of forms of volunteering remains complex. The status of a volunteer is somewhere between that of an employee and that of a volunteer. You are not an employee because you dedicate part of your life to a task of general interest. You are also not a volunteer because you are bound by a contract and exclusivity. If you wish to terminate your commitment, you must always observe a notice period of at least one month.
Note: The status of volunteer gives you the right to social security (illness, industrial accident, maternity, invalidity, death, …).
Please note that this refers to the legal situation in France and partly in Germany. The legal status may be different in your country. If you are interested, we will check the individual legal situation.