EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Improved continuity of volunteer neighbourhood committees

Improved continuity of volunteer neighbourhood committees - Seraing, Belgium

Introduction

How can the continuity and representativity of volunteer neighbourhood committees be guaranteed? And how can collaboration between the committees and authorities be organised? The case of Seraing, Belgium.

Description

Seraing, just outside Liège, has some eighteen neighbourhood committees which are constantly being disbanded and restarted due to differences of opinion between volunteer members. They do not always have the same vision on how to improve life in the quarter they represent. A new structure is designed to prevent expertise being lost to the town in this way.

Approach

Neighbourhood committees provide the local authorities with insider information about neighbourhoods, so the town is keen to ensure their stability and survival. The aim of the project is to improve the situation by designing a better framework for the committees.

The approach consists of the following steps:

Each neighbourhood committee signs an agreement with the town in which it is recognised as an official negotiating partner.
The town helps the committees become autonomous associations. Each committee has at least seven volunteer members from different households and meets at least twice a year. Committee members are elected for a term of three years.
Two coordinators are appointed to assist the committees in structuring the organisation and making applications for funding. Committees are allowed to use funding for logistical expenses and to organise infrastructural projects or an annual neighbourhood party.
Once a year, deputies from each committee, the mayor and a number of representatives of the town come together in a joint meeting.

Results

The majority of neighbourhood committees have now signed the agreement.
Committees are recognised by the local authority and they are called in to help in the evaluation of local projects.
The town initiates new projects at the request of the committees.
The new structure has brought about an improvement in committee members' sense of commitment.
The new structure and improved continuity of the committees renders them more visible to local residents. This in turn improves communication between committee members and those whose interests they represent.

Contact info

la Citoyenneté Seraing
Ms Anne-Françoise Valesio, tel. +32 43308330

Project start date

01/07/2002

Links

City of Seraing

The neighbourhood committee project in Seraing (PDF, Fre, 445 KB)

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Community development

Keywords

Support for local groups