Insee Première · May 2021 · n° 1857

1.3 Million Associations: From Hospitals and Retirement Homes to Parent-Teacher Associations and Gym Clubs

In 2018, in France, 170,000 associations were employers and 1.1 million were non-employers. They are run by 2.2 million employees and 21 million volunteer positions, with individual volunteers being able to take on positions in multiple associations. Across the year, this represents 1.5 million full-time equivalent paid jobs and 580,000 full-time equivalent volunteers.

The current resources of employing associations are highly concentrated in the largest structures in four areas of activity: seventy-four percent of the resources are dedicated to disability and the loss of independence, hospitals, social or charitable institutions, education and research.

The activities of non-employing associations are largely focused on sport, leisure and advocacy.

Representing a quarter of all associations, sports associations highlight the role of volunteers in community life.