ZupdeCo

Since 2005, ZUPdeCO has been committed to advancing equal opportunities by offering free tutoring and homework assistance to students from underprivileged backgrounds. The organization has a clear mission: to prevent school dropouts and support students in achieving their educational potential.

Many students from modest backgrounds face significant barriers to academic success due to a lack of accessible support, which often hampers their school performance. To address this, ZUPdeCO created a unique, solidarity-driven tutoring program. Volunteer university students dedicate two hours per week to mentoring one or more struggling students, either in person or online, fostering measurable improvements in their academic performance.

Every year, 100,000 young people leave the education system in France without any qualifications, with youth from modest backgrounds being three times more likely to drop out.

€230,000
The cost to society of a single dropout over 40 years.*

113 vs. 93
The average gap in math scores between students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds and their peers in France, compared to the OECD average.**

*Source: BCG Study 2012, calculations by the Centre d’Observation de la Société based on data from the French Ministry of Education.
**PISA Study 2022.

The impact of early school dropout is significant — both in terms of individual life paths and the broader social and economic cost.
We all get one or several chances in life. Sometimes we’re able to seize them. Other times, they remain just out of reach — even when we stretch out our arms. That’s the reality thousands of young people who leave the school system each year without qualifications.
At ZUPdeCO, we re-engage them in their education and help them rebuild their self-confidence.

Francois-Afif Benthanane - Président-fondateur ZupdeCo

"Equal opportunity in education is at the heart of everything we do at ZUPdeCO. We believe that the education a young person receives stays with them for life — and our goal is to make that education as equitable as possible, especially for children from low-income families."

Cindy Essoh-Schenk - Directrice Générale de ZUPdeCO

Action Levers for Solidarity-Based Tutoring

1. Supporting Students in 98 Schools

ZUPdeCO provides tutoring in 98 schools across Île-de-France, Paris, Lyon, and Blois. This local presence, closely tied to teaching staff, enables ZUPdeCO to effectively address educational inequalities and prevent school dropouts. Engaging workshops and cultural outings complement this support.

2. Personalized and Flexible online tutoring

Remote tutoring is available in 78 departments, reaching students in rural areas outside priority education zones, where educational resources are more limited.

3. Supporting Young Football Players

ZUPdeCO works with football club members aged 10 to 18, combining sports and academic success.

4. Advocacy Initiatives

ZUPdeCO piloted the after-school tutoring program for nearly a decade. Its advocacy efforts contributed to the launch of the government-led "Devoirs faits" initiative in 2017. The organization continues to advocate for access to tutoring for all students, whether at school or home, and to promote student volunteer engagement.

10,113

students from modest backgrounds supported during the 2023-2024 school year

195,441

hours of tutoring delivered

75%

of students believe they made progress thanks to ZupdeCo

Resources provided by Altitudes Foundation

Contributions to the growth strategy

through the mobilization of various expertise. Support the ambition to reach directly 50,000 students annually by 2030 and to expand access to tutoring in France through advocacy and partnerships.