La DCC - Délégation Catholique pour la Coopération

What La DCC - Délégation Catholique pour la Coopération does

La DCC - Délégation Catholique pour la Coopération is the official international volunteering service of the Catholic Church in France, founded in 1967/1968 and headquartered in Paris. The organization recruits, trains, and places individual volunteers on international solidarity missions lasting 3 months to 2 years with local development partners across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Its portfolio of mission types is distributed across project management (42%), social (29%), education (10%), medical (9%), engineering (5%), and rural development (4%). Since 2017, La DCC has also operated a reciprocity program that welcomes volunteers from Global South partner countries for 1-2 year placements in French organizations, with 200+ such volunteers hosted cumulatively and 45 new arrivals from 15 countries in September 2025.

The organization runs a structured volunteer formation journey including 'Jeudis de l'Info' (Thursday Info Sessions), 'Choisir' weekends, and 'Partir' departure training, supported by a network of diocesan delegates across France and country mission coordinators overseeing field operations. La DCC maintains no proprietary technology platform; its operations are supported by an association intranet, a WordPress-based public website, and standard donor/membership management tools. Revenue is sourced from individual donations, membership dues, and institutional grants from French government ministries (Europe and Foreign Affairs; Youth/Sports), the Conférence des Évêques de France, CORREF, and the Agence Française de Développement.

The business model is non-commercial: no fees are charged to volunteers, and all mission costs (airfare, accommodation, food, monthly stipend) are covered by partner organizations. La DCC is governed as a non-profit association under French law of July 1, 1901, is dually endorsed by the French Bishops' Conference and the French State, and operates with 72 employees. Its strategic partners include France Volontaires, CLONG-Volontariat, Coordination Sud, CCFD-Terre Solidaire, Secours Catholique, Scouts et Guides de France, Apprentis d'Auteuil, and L'Arche en France.

Name

La DCC - Délégation Catholique pour la Coopération

Legal name

La DCC - Délégation Catholique pour la Coopération

Website

https://ladcc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

La DCC is the Catholic Church in France's official international volunteering service, recruiting and placing individuals on 3-month to 2-year solidarity missions with development partners across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, and reciprocally hosting Global South volunteers in France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Volunteer Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based & Mission Service Programs (EDAIAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education & Teaching Volunteer Programs (EDAIAGAD), Volunteerism, Service-Learning & Community Service (EDALAHAG), Technical Cooperation, Capacity Building & Policy Advisory Programs (BPADABAO)

Keywords

• International volunteer placement
• Solidarity mission programs
• Catholic development cooperation
• Volunteer formation training
• International NGO partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations from public: Individual donors contribute to fund volunteer missions and operational costs through the organization's online donation platform (jedonneenligne.org/ladcc/DON/).
2. Membership fees: Members pay annual dues to support the association and participate in governance (accessible via jedonneenligne.org/ladcc/ADH/).
3. Institutional support: The organization receives backing from French government ministries (Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Sports/Youth), French bishops' conference (CEF), and religious congregations. Funding supports volunteer training, insurance, and mission coordination.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

La DCC recruits, trains, and places individual volunteers on 3-month to 2-year international solidarity missions with Catholic-linked local development partners in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. It also operates a reciprocity program welcoming Global South volunteers to serve in French partner organizations. All volunteer costs are covered by local partners and the organization, with no fees charged to volunteers.

Product overview

La DCC operates as a single, unified volunteering service focused on international solidarity. The core offering is the Volontariat de Solidarité Internationale (VSI) program, which sends French volunteers on 3-month to 2-year missions to development projects globally. This is complemented by the Volontariat de réciprocité program (since 2017) welcoming volunteers from the Global South to France. Supporting services include the Formation Choisir et Partir training program, various volunteer roles (diocesan delegates, trainers, country coordinators, headquarters volunteers), and the Prix DCC de la solidarité internationale award competition for youth solidarity projects. The organization connects volunteers with partners in sectors including project management (42%), social (29%), education (10%), medical (9%), engineering (5%), and rural development (4%).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Volontariat de Solidarité Internationale (VSI) International solidarity volunteering program sending French volunteers on missions ranging from 3 months to 2 years to support development projects in partnership with local organizations across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and other regions. Open to adults aged 21-75 of all backgrounds and faiths, with all mission costs covered by local partner organizations.
• Volontariat de Réciprocit\u00e9 (Reciprocity Volunteering) Reciprocity volunteering program welcoming volunteers from Global South countries to serve 1-2 year missions in France with partner organizations such as Apprentis d'Auteuil and L'Arche en France. Promotes mutual exchange and intercultural dialogue between North and South, with 65% of volunteers extending into a second year.
• Formation Choisir et Partir (Choose and Depart Training) Structured preparation and training program for prospective international volunteers, including discernment sessions, weekend Choisir workshops, and Partir departure stage preparation. Designed to support candidates through the realities of international solidarity missions before deployment.
• Prix DCC de la solidarit\u00e9 internationale Annual competition awarding four solidarity development projects supporting partners in the Global South, open to student groups, scouts, young professionals, and youth movements. The 2026 edition received 67 project submissions with 23 scout groups participating.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200+ reciprocity volunteers welcomed since 2017
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Espaces France VolontairescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2017Network of France Volontaires offices in partner countries that recruit and orient local volunteers for reciprocity placements in France.
• CLONG-VolontariatcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember organization of the French Long-Term Volunteer Coordination, contributing to the broader volunteer sector ecosystem and policy development.
• Coordination SudcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench coordination of solidarity NGOs, providing network access and shared advocacy on international development issues.
• France VolontairescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey operational partner for managing international volunteer exchanges, hosting Spaces in partner countries for reciprocity volunteer recruitment.
• Conférence des Évêques de France (CEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe organization is the international volunteering service of the Catholic Church in France, officially endorsed by the French Bishops' Conference.
• CORREF (Conférence des Religieux et Religieuses de France)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the French religious conference supporting volunteer placements within congregations' international projects.
• CCFD-Terre SolidairemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor French Catholic development organization collaborating on shared development projects and advocacy.
• Scouts et Guides de France (SGDF)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerScout movement partner recruiting young volunteers; significant source of candidates with 23 groups participating in Prix DCC 2026.
• Secours CatholiquemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatholic relief organization collaborating on humanitarian and development initiatives.
• Aide aux Églises d'AfriqueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation supporting African churches, potentially facilitating volunteer placements in African partner projects.
• L'Œuvre d'OrientminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation supporting Eastern churches, facilitating volunteer support in Middle East and North African projects.
• Apprentis d'AuteuilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatholic youth support organization hosting reciprocity volunteers for educational and social programs in France.
• L'Arche en FrancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization for people with disabilities hosting reciprocity volunteers in France.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• France Volontaires: French public-interest group coordinating outgoing and incoming international volunteers, including the Espaces France Volontaires network that La DCC itself uses for reciprocity recruitment — directly comparable volunteer-exchange infrastructure.
• AFS Intercultural Programs: Global nonprofit running intercultural exchange and volunteer programs across90+ countries; comparable volunteer-placement model, including programs in Latin America overlapping with La DCC's reciprocity geographies.
• FIDESCO: Another French Catholic organization sending skilled volunteers on 1–2 year international solidarity missions in the Global South, with a near-identical placement model, formation journey, and donor base — the closest direct comparator.

Broad incumbents

• Secours Catholique: French Catholic relief organization addressing poverty in France and abroad; shares Catholic identity, French institutional backing, and partnership with La DCC on reciprocity placements.
• CCFD-Terre Solidaire: Larger French Catholic development NGO funding international solidarity projects and advocacy; broader mandate but overlapping partner network, donor base, and Catholic institutional legitimacy.

Others

• L'Arche: International faith-inspired federation creating communities with people with intellectual disabilities; La DCC partner for reciprocity placements and shares the faith-based community accompaniment model.
• Coordination Sud: National coordination body for French international solidarity NGOs; La DCC participates, and peers share the same institutional advocacy and funding-access channels.
• Agence Française de Développement (AFD): French bilateral development agency and a major institutional funder for La DCC; representative of comparable state-backed development-financing ecosystems operating alongside volunteer-sending NGOs.
• CLONG-Volontariat: Coalition of French organizations sending long-term international volunteers; La DCC is a member, and the body serves as the collective policy and standards voice for the same sector.

Emerging players

• Apprentis d'Auteuil: French Catholic foundation supporting vulnerable youth; partner hosting reciprocity volunteers and comparable in faith-rooted social mission and donor base, though focused domestically.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ladcc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ladcc
• Instagraminstagram.com/la_dcc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about La DCC - Délégation Catholique pour la Coopération