Optim@ structure

Optim@ Asbl is a socio-economical and health observatory created in Seraing (Belgium) in 1998, at the field actors' initiative. The six integrating words: «observation, participation, territory, integration, methodology, action» define a spatial approach to fight against exclusion, the references are the concepts of health promotion, territorial intelligence and sustainable development.

Optim@ Asbl is settled in Seraing (Belgium), a city of 60.000 inhabitants, which faced an important industrial transformation. Created in 2001, the association dialogue with the territorial actors to improve the global prosperity of the inhabitants and favor the well-balanced development of the territory. Its subjects of interest are health, social action, culture, schooling, training, employment, housing …

This method refers to the concept of sustainable development aiming at favoring the human and economical growth of the territory by establishing partnerships between actors, by involving the population and particularly by taking into account the weakened public.

In order to do so, the Optim@ Asbl organizes the global observation of of the population and the territory thanks to the Catalyse method. The territorial development is based on the knowledge of the territorial realities: it is a question of analyze of the resources and of the weaknesses, and of defining the prioritary actions and their impact.

The dialogue allows the building up of concrete actions. They are operated and evaluated by new partnerships between inhabitants, professional contributors and authorities.

A permanent team carries this global method throught a multi-field and inter-sectorial based partnership, constituted by about sixty private and public organizations of the City of Seraing and by numerous inhabitants, actors of the development of their district.

The objective of Optim@ Asbl also consists in elaborating the methods and the tools which are necessary for a dialogue based on the observation, in partnership with the CAENTI.

Optim@ Asbl currently gathers sixty organizations located in a 60.000 inhabitants town. Its main function is related to the spatial dynamisation, satisfying population needs.

The association encourages a reflexion with Seraing actors to produce global council territory knowledge. Global and concerted answers are developed to identify the population problems in terms of health, social autonomy, employment and living.