As a private office, we mainly work for public authorities to create community gardens, which we called “shared gardens”. It is important to us to create places with high “social” added value (sharing, solidarity, etc.)
As a private office, we mainly work for public authorities to create community gardens, that we called “shared gardens”. For us, a shared garden is simply a space, opened to all, where things are discussed. A shared garden isn’t a space where everything (garden plots, equipments, etc.) should be shared. Also, it is important to us to create places with high “social” added value (sharing, solidarity, etc.) that in the meantime aiming a food autonomy.
We create spaces through our own methodology which aims to be the more inclusive possible, especially for the precarious public.
For that, we have three principles :
working and establishing gardens directly in impoverished, undermined and socially degraded neighbourhoods;
relying on local structures to which the dimensions of inclusion are explained;
go looking for people through direct contact.
Often, the area of the project site and the main objectives are already defined. Our work begins with 2 steps :
a workshop called: “Shared diagnosis” with local actors.
a step of mobilisation, that include a door-to-door.
The shared diagnosis :
The objectives of this phase of immersion are to :
start the process of mobilisation with the stakeholders (associations concerned by the future garden, etc.);
identify and better analyse the expectations and needs of each actor;
identify the potential resources;
optimize data collection and promote positive group dynamics so that the garden is better suited and managed
Around a framing tool, each actor and each person will specify the wishes linked to the garden space in order to identify the threats and opportunities indirectly linked to this action, then the strengths and weaknesses directly concerning the action of this garden.
Mobilisation
In general, mobilisation is used to :
be sure that everyone can have access to the project;
inform, reassure, show that things are possible;
identify local social dynamics;
integrate the people concerned into the creation of the project;
allows the expression of inhabitants’ needs and the formulation of a collective "request" by quantifying the residents' interest in the project and create an initial pool of interested people.
1st step: Door to door
This mobilization takes place through a “door-to-door” in the collective housing near the site of the future garden. This door-to-door operation need to be done with specifical “animation skill” in order to have appropriate, clear language elements that make people mobilized.
Our team passes at least once and if there is no one there, a second pass is made in a different time slot. For each apartment where we didn't see anyone, a letter is left in the letterbox
Each visit is supported by a sign-in sheet in order to collect the contact details of residents (telephone numbers and email addresses) wishing to register for this process. SaluTerre will inform for each event, meeting, workshop, the people who have left their contact details.
2nd step : The first workshop
It’s a convivial workshop, for example a Saturday afternoon to involve as many people as possible, to mobilize around the garden so through a practical workshop and / or a conference.
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