Trésors de quartier, Paris (France)

In spring 2010, the Evens Foundation launched the project Trésors de quartier in partnership with the city of Sevran, in the northern suburbs of Paris. Inspired by our project Buurtschatten in Antwerp, Trésors de quartier initiates an innovative practice of collaboration between a private foundation and a municipality, in which the objective is to contribute to initiatives that energize and invigorate life in neighborhoods. As with Buurtschatten, this project is based on the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) methodology: it starts with an inventory map of local assets (talents of people, resources, knowledge ...) and seeks to better exploit them for the benefit of the area.

In contrast to the traditional approach of focusing on problems and gaps in problem areas, Trésors de quartier starts from a positive angle: identify the competences of the inhabitants (they are the experts) and activate these local resources in order to start development from the inside. This innovative project is based on the active participation of residents. It encourages them to work together to develop their neighborhood, while reinforcing their social ties.

A pilot project is currently under way in one of Sevran's neighborhoods, Montceleux Pont-Blanc. In collaboration with the Maison de quartier (community center), the project invites people to submit ideas for projects that would improve the quality of life of residents. A jury, composed mainly of local residents, selects the projects, and those who suggested them are entrusted with implementing them. At the initiative of the Evens Foundation, and with the participation of the Sevran municipality, a Community Fund is created in order to provide financing.

Projects proposed by the residents include: the creation of a sports hall open to all and supervised by a team of young volunteers, and garden workshops that bring children and adults together to tidy up the streets and squares of the neighborhood.

The main objective of the project is to encourage inhabitants to make the leap from being spectators to becoming active shapers of their neighborhood, while encouraging their sense of responsibility and commitment.