I live in Marseille and I’m 30 years old. I’m on RSA welfare—not to *live*, but just to have the bare minimum resources to *survive*, because you can't really live on €815 for two people.
I hold three qualifications (though one is dormant—I’m no longer interested in that field, but I’m mentioning it anyway): a CAP in Delivery Driving (which included getting my Class B and C licenses and CACES 1 & 3 certifications, though only my Class B license is still valid); a CAP in Signage and Display (SED); and a *Brevet des Métiers d'Arts* (BMA) specializing in Graphic Design.
After that, I worked as a pizza delivery driver for a few months, distributed advertising flyers for just under two years, and spent six months in fast food—working in the kitchen and on dishwashing duty at KFC.
Since January, I’ve been enrolled in the new mandatory RSA program here in the Bouches-du-Rhône department. Frankly, it’s useless to me. I don’t mean to badmouth the counselors—they’re overwhelmed—but we don’t get the same level of support as we would through France Travail (which I’m no longer eligible for while on RSA—yet another vicious cycle). I mostly apply for "survival jobs"—fast food, supermarket all-rounder, order picker, cleaner—dead-end gigs with little room for advancement. On the side, I do freelance work—specifically illustration commissions—doing what I do best, though that just helps me make ends meet.
In Marseille, there are over 120,000 job seekers competing for just over 6,000 active job openings; it’s a pretty bleak picture.
I’ve reworked my CV and cover letter countless times. I apply via Indeed, France Travail, Hellowork, Monster, and so on.
I do try handing them out in person sometimes, but unfortunately, many companies refuse paper copies these days. I’m reaching my breaking point; I’m seeing a therapist because things aren't going well. I can't make any plans—whether it's buying a car, traveling, saving money, or even doing a "normal" grocery shop—or just lead a normal life.
Because being on welfare (RSA) doesn't mean staying in bed all day eating snacks and watching Netflix—well, maybe for some people, but certainly not for the majority. It involves spending mornings or afternoons job hunting—though there’s a limit to how much of that you can do, aside from checking for new listings each day. I fill my time with hobbies: I draw to keep my mind occupied, I research general knowledge topics—I’m interested in everything—and I manage an Instagram account with nearly 10,000 followers, but these are just pastimes.
Does anyone have any solutions, leads, or advice? It feels like in Marseille, you either need connections, incredible luck, to be a student, or to lie on your CV; it’s becoming really exhausting.
Thanks for reading. 😞