This article discusses the issue of autonomy in the field of “action communautaire autonome” (ACA) in education. The author argues that this notion, which is particularly driven by the Regroupement des organismes communautaires québécois de lutte contre le décrochage (ROCLD), comes up against a tension between the need to be known and recognized by the government, donors and the population in general, and the desire to preserve and apply autonomy of action, thus fully belonging to the ACA movement. The author demonstrates this tension expressed at the economic, social and intervention level with young people.