Community centres provide local and a place for people belonging to different generations and social categories to meet. They have been promoting the development of social and family links by supporting resident-initiated community projects, organizing events, social activities and providing services with a social purpose since 1971. There is a special focus on vulnerable groups and favoring social diversity.

They promote the development of community life by taking residents' requests into account and adopting their initiatives. In addition, community centres frequently welcome the presence of the Family Allowances Fund Office (Caisse d’Allocations familiales (CAF)) who can then reach out to beneficiaries.

CAFs have been key partners of community centres since the end of the Second World War and grant them multi-year financial subsidies to enable the centres to operate. Centres may also be accredited if they meet conditions defined by the National Family Allowances Fund (Caisse nationale des allocations familiales (CNAF)) after consultation with the National Federation of Community and Socioculturel Centres (Fédération nationale des centres sociaux et socioculturels de France (FCSF)).

There are 20,184 community centres of which 84 per cent are involved in combatting exclusion (access to housing, employment, social rights, learning French, etc.).