The Centre Français de Berlin is a non-profit, private company, which was founded by the managers of the SPI on the German side and the CEI on the French. The mission and goal of the CFB is to contribute to the European spirit of friendship between different people in the areas of youth, training and culture. This involves in particular: - international youth exchange programmes, educational and extra-curricular - encouraging the professional mobility of young people and supporting them in their projects abroad - being a local cultural centre and meeting place with cultural events - socio-cultural, non-profit educational and youth projects and the availability of the premises - exchange programmes for young people and professionals in relation to the Paris-Berlin Tandem project - supporting local associations working in the areas of integration and equal opportunities and in the execution of European exchange programmes The CFB carries out three programmes: the Paris-Berlin Tandem, the Voltaire programme and the Placement Office. The Placement Office - supports young people in their personal projects abroad, whilst promoting professional mobility - is an information point and offers guidance in the search for internships, summer jobs and permanent positions in Germany and France - offers CV and application support and interview preparation - offers practical as well as technical help - adapts its service to the demands of each young person while they remain independent and responsible for their project - regularly organises conferences and training days to help and train young people and students looking for employment; these trainings days aim at encouraging young people towards a professional venture abroad. Paris-Berlin Tandem The Centre Français de Berlin coordinates youth and professional exchanges for the Senate for Education, Science and Research of Berlin with the support of the Youth Direction of Paris. The aim of the project is to create an enduring exchange between the two cities and substantiate this through regular meetings and exchange programmes for young people and professionals. The CFB's aim is to reach, through various projects, young people who would not normally have the opportunity to take part in international exchange programmes and often come from socially disadvantaged backgrounds. We pay special attention in maintaining a respective balance in combining young people with regard to their social and cultural background. In 2011 over 530 young people and 110 professionals from the partner cities participated in 22 exchange programmes in the areas of hip-hop culture, dance, music, theatre, vocational development, integration and equal opportunities. The Voltaire Programme The purpose of this exchange programme is to improve linguistic and cultural knowledge among young people from the partner countries of France and Germany. It aims at creating a network of young people who had close contact with their neighbouring country in their youth which taught them to think and act naturally in a European context. At the end of February/beginning of March, the French students come to Germany, where they live in their exchange partner's family and go to school for 6 months. The programme being based on the idea of reciprocity, the French participant then welcomes their German exchange partner into their home from September until March for a further 6 months, so that they spend an entire year together. In 2012/2013, there were 440 participants involved.