YOUNG people will be paid for carrying out work in the community under a proposed law debated yesterday in the National Assembly.

Called the service civique (to replace the current service civil) it will initially involve 10,000 young people rising to 75,000 by 2015 at a cost of €500m per year.

The scheme is open to all young people aged 16-25 who live in France, regardless of their nationality, and involves projects in charitable areas, culture, sport and public administration in France and overseas.

For their work they will be paid €540 per month (€640 for graduates) and it will also be counted towards their pension contributions.

The commissioner for solidarity and young people, Martin Hirsch said he would work quickly to ensure that voluntary projects would be set up as soon as possible, despite the fact that a source of financing has yet to be found.