NEW: Social Enterprise and Community Empowerment in Former Coal Mine Towns – 2025

Overview

Saint-Avold is located in Moselle, Lorraine, in Northeastern France on the border with Germany and is a sister city of Fayetteville, NC. It is a historically rich and culturally diverse region with a unique identity marked by coal mines and industries, successive waves of immigration, rolling fields of farmlands, forests, and the remnants of WWI and WWII.

Because of its industrial past, Saint-Avold and its neighboring towns attracted a strong labor immigration from Poland, Italy, former Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia, and the Maghreb. In its heyday in the 1970s, Saint-Avold boasted a dynamic town center with diverse businesses which benefitted from the generous financial and social benefits of the mines and industries. A population of all backgrounds (primarily working class) and origins thrived, and the area was a magnet for employment. However, from 1980 to 2004, coal mines gradually closed and with their ends began a slow process of desertion of people and businesses, which led to an economic impoverishment in the area. Today, precarious socioeconomic conditions and high unemployment rates are fought by non-profit organizations which are deeply committed to bettering the lives of local communities affected.

This DukeEngage France program will couple the motivation and skills of Duke students with the abilities, creativity, and aspirations of local young and adult community members through meaningful initiatives lead by the non-profit organizations.

Participants can expect to work hand in hand with communities on chantiers d’insertion (employment integration programs) and various social, educational, and creative projects based on the needs at the time of the program (see more details in community partnerships). A strong emphasis on social enterprise and entrepreneurship will be made to assist community members in becoming actors of change and gain professional skills and expertise. The objectives are to increase socioeconomic horizons and to empower community members to act in their direct environment.

Together with community leaders and members, DukeEngage France participants will develop skills in self-reliance, entrepreneurship, creativity, and interpersonal and intercultural communications. Students will gain a deeper understanding of community needs and disparities in industrial French towns, social policies currently existing in France, and regional socioeconomic particularities of towns on the Franco-German border.

Through weekly reflections and cultural visits, students will also develop a strong cultural awareness and a rich knowledge of international relations, French language specificities, immigration patterns, WWI/WWII history, and social governmental policies.

Community Partnership(s)

Students can expect to be involved in both major and secondary projects throughout the 8 weeks, based on community needs. We will work with the following partners:

• A.S.B.H. (Association d’Action Sociale du Bassin Houiller – Organization for Social Action in the Coal Basin): Originally founded in 1978 to support mine workers and their families, this non-profit organization now provides support to all communities through employment integration programs for young professionals and adults, social enterprises for vocational training, educational and cultural activities for underprivileged children and teens, early-childhood care, after-school support, and parental support for families.
• The town of Saint-Avold
• Audaces’s (Association d’Union des Activités Culturelles, Éducatives, Sociales et Sportives – Organization for cultural, educational, social, and sporting activities): a non-profit community center located in Folschviller near Saint-Avold providing meaningful social work and support for locals: support for female and minority groups, administrative assistance, pedagogical and educational activities for the youth, school lunches and after-school support, and creative and design studios to encourage business idea development.
• Mission Locale du Bassin Houiller: a non-profit organization working primarily with young people (16-25 years old) out of the school system. It provides support in the form of professional development and training, business idea start-ups, housing needs, health education, administrative support, and geographical mobility.

Additionally, partnerships with local schools and other smaller organizations may result in joint educational projects such as language and cultural exchanges (street theater, exhibitions, festivals).

Projects may include renovation of town squares, creation of community gathering spaces, transformation of empty stores, working in existing social enterprises (furniture making, restaurant, thrift store), creating street art, preserving and restoring historical monuments, assisting in web designing, podcasting and interviewing locals, filming documentaries, participating in local festivities, constructing shared gardens in neighborhoods, building community trails.

Program Requirements

Language: Due to direct contact and daily work with community partners, the ability to speak and understand French will be an essential part of the success of the engagement in the program. A minimum of intermediate level French is therefore required of all participants. “Intermediate” generally translates to a minimum of 4 years of US high school French or, at Duke, having completed French 203. At the Director’s discretion, students may be encouraged to enroll in a French language course during the Spring semester if schedules permit or otherwise hone and refresh language skills. English will not be an effective communication tool on project sites with community partners. However, programmatic communications between students, the Director, and the Site Coordinator will occur in English to ensure mutual understanding and to provide support, reflection opportunities, and educational information. Students who are unsure of their French level are encouraged to contact the director before applying.

Coursework: any course in the French Language Program in addition to FR203 is recommended. In addition to language skills, the program seeks students with interests in varied subjects such as science, engineering, business, public policy, economics, social studies, history, anthropology, ethics, arts, and media.

Skills: a strong willingness to learn with and from others, to be patient and flexible. A desire to work on hands-on projects. Some skills or prior experience with the following could be useful: web design, podcasting, social media, teaching, filming, cooking, landscaping and gardening, marketing, and theater.

Personal Qualities:

• DukeEngage France volunteers will thrive if they are motivated and enthusiastic for meaningful work with partner organization leaders and participants. An approach to each other with an open and respectful attitude can create memorable bonds and can greatly impact lives.
• Students should exhibit a willingness to share decision making, collaborate, and discuss with patience and thoughtfulness.
• Participation in the program should originate from a true desire to learn from diversity and different cultures, respecting different backgrounds and viewpoints, working with young and less young humans, and being open to thriving in an unfamiliar environment, such as living in a foreign country for eight weeks.

Logistics

Housing, meals, and transportation: Students will live in single-occupancy studios in a university residence in Saint-Avold within walking distance of the town center, supermarkets, restaurants, shops, and laundry facilities. Each studio comes with a kitchenette, a small fridge, a bathroom, a single bed, a desk, and shelves. The residence is modern and safe, and a residence keeper lives on site. Students will shop for groceries and cook for themselves. A passenger van will be used to reach project sites that are not within walking distance of the residence. Saint-Avold is well connected to other towns by efficient public transportation systems.

Local safety, security, and cultural norms: We encourage students who have questions or concerns about health or safety in international programs to check Duke’s International SOS (ISOS) portal for relevant information. If you have special needs related to health, culture, disability, or religious practices, please contact the program director(s) or the DukeEngage office to discuss whether your needs can be accommodated in this program.

For guidance on how race, religion, sexual/gender identity, ability, or other aspects of identity might impact your travels, we suggest exploring the Diversity, Identity and Global Travel section of the DukeEngage website.

Academic Connections

This program is open to all and may appeal specifically to students interested in pursuing further courses and opportunities in French studies, public policy, cultural anthropology, sociology, political science, business, environmental science, international comparative studies, and community service.

Ideally, this program would be part of a constellation of experiences that students pursue regardless of their major, but participation in DukeEngage France could strengthen experience to pursue careers in French studies, NGO leadership, education, social work, or social enterprises.