In this interview, we speak with Yacine Diallo Gaujot, the European Project Coordinator of Bellidée, a French NGO dedicated to improving community living in the city of Saint-Martin-Boulogne. Through various activities and services, Bellidée aims to enhance the quality of life for all residents, from toddlers to seniors.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and about your organization?
Bellidée is a French NGO managing three community centers in Saint-Martin-Boulogne. We are dedicated to fostering community cohesion and enhancing the quality of life for all residents. Through a diverse range of activities and services tailored to different age groups, we strive to create an inclusive and supportive environment.
With a team of approximately 100 staff members spread across our centers, we offer assistance in various areas, including social inclusion, education, and food security. Each center has specialized staff dedicated to specific demographics, ensuring comprehensive support for our community. I’m the European Project Coordinator of Bellidée.
What sets us apart is our commitment to participatory democracy, which lies at the core of community centers in France. Residents actively participate in decision-making processes, with many serving as board members elected by neighborhood councils. This unique system, mandated by the Family allowance fund, empowers local inhabitants to shape the initiatives that directly impact their lives.
What inspired your organization to join the Speak Up project?
Bellidée is a community center, and that's why we focus on engaging with our local residents. Our decision to join the Speak Up project was motivated by several factors. Firstly, we saw it as an opportunity to showcase our unique approach to working with inhabitants and to share our expectations with our partners. We are also looking forward to learning from other partners: as our volunteer base ages, it's crucial for us to attract new residents, especially young people, and encourage them to become involved in our local public life. We believe that community involvement is vital for the success of our neighborhood projects and Speak Up provides us with a new platform to organize initiatives and attract new members.
Additionally, we aim to develop our skills and gain recognition for our expertise in participatory democracy. While much of our work is informal, we see ourselves as a hub for participatory democracy, yet this role is not always acknowledged by the public and local authorities. Participating in the Speak Up project offers us an opportunity to formalize our processes and increase our influence on local decision-making.
What are your expectations of participating in the Speak Up project?
In terms of achievements, it may be premature to measure, as we are still in the early stages of the project. However, we are preparing exchanges between residents and partners, particularly with the towns of Roeselare and Mechelen in Belgium later in 2024. These exchanges will enable residents from different cities to come together, share experiences, and learn from each other's democratic practices. It's not only an enriching experience for our residents but also for our employees, who can benefit from exchanging best practices with their counterparts.
Furthermore, we are planning a visit to the Europa Experience in Paris, an interactive museum aimed at informing local residents about the upcoming European elections. This visit, scheduled for May, aligns with our commitment to promoting civic engagement and raising awareness of European affairs. Throughout May, our neighborhood homes will also host activities related to this theme, furthering our commitment to fostering an informed and engaged citizenry.
What is a citizen engagement initiative that your organisation is proud of?
At Bellidée, we don't have a specific initiative to point out because all our projects are driven by our residents. We take great pride in this approach because it's what has kept us going strong since 1993. Even after thirty years, we are still here, deeply rooted in our community's life.
Our residents are at the heart of everything we do. Even our decision to join projects like Speak Up is made by them. Before we start anything new, we talk to our board of directors, who are our residents, to get their support. Every project we do is carefully planned with input from our residents. It's not always easy, though. When we suggested joining Speak Up, we had to explain everything to our residents—what the project was about, how much it would cost, and what we hoped to achieve. But that's how we work, openly and together.
My employers are inhabitants, it's a very unique system in Europe.
One recent project that shows how we work with our community is our work around the European elections. Some residents felt they did not know enough about Europe and how the elections worked. So, we organized events throughout May to raise awareness. We had talks and city tours to show what Europe means for us. We made sure everyone could take part, however they wanted. At Bellidée, our residents are at the center of everything. They drive us forward and make sure we keep making a difference in our community.
Could you share any upcoming initiatives and events related to Speak Up?
One of our major upcoming events is the partner meeting scheduled to take place at our location in Saint-Martin-Boulogne. We are eagerly anticipating this gathering, as it will provide us with the opportunity to showcase our daily activities and interactions with the local inhabitants. Despite our efforts to explain our work to others, we find that it can be challenging for people to fully grasp the scope of what we do at the community center. We believe that firsthand experience is essential to truly understand the impact of our initiatives. Therefore, we welcome partners to come and see for themselves, meet the people we serve, and witness the vibrant spirit of our community. Additionally, we are thrilled to extend a warm welcome to our European partners, as the local community is eager to share our experiences and welcome Europe to Saint Martin Boulogne.
In addition to the partner meeting, we have plans to collaborate with and visit our Belgian partners in September or October. These visits will provide us with valuable insights into their approaches to community engagement and citizen participation. We look forward to learning from their experiences and exchanging ideas to further enhance our own initiatives within the Speak Up project.
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