Patchwork of social work in Aalst

In Aalst and its boroughs, Elien Ronse and Leontien Allemeersch (Arts Platform PLAN B) are working on a long-term, committed project focusing on social work and community building. They are doing this in collaboration with NW in Aalst. 

In the first phase, Elien and Leontien mapped out social work in Aalst on the basis of interviews with numerous social workers. Their testimonies painted a layered picture of the local field, in which broader social trends – such as commercialisation, privatisation and the dismantling of social structures – are also clearly noticeable. What is happening elsewhere in Belgium is also happening at street level in Aalst.

They heard how local organisations are disappearing or weakening due to political choices and mutual competition, and how social workers are experiencing the daily consequences of policies that leave less and less room for structural care and solidarity. Concepts such as 'erosion', 'crumbling' and 'dismantling' are not abstractions, but reality.

These words inspired a new, hopeful vocabulary. By transforming existing concepts into new terms – such as 'filling', 'de-salination' and 'erosion' – Elien created a language that leaves room for imagination and resilience. The words were cast in candles, whose flame symbolises a future that can be different.

In the second phase of the project, Elien joined a committed group of social workers from civil society organisations in the region, such as SAAMO, Avansa and beweging.net. Together, they are committed to strengthening civil society in the Dender region. They start from the neighbourhood itself: through conversations with residents and organisations, they gauge pride, concerns and needs.

The first neighbourhood where they are active is Rechteroever in Aalst. There, they took to the streets with the question: "If we were to make a travel guide about this neighbourhood, what should definitely be included?" The collected answers form the basis for a neighbourhood portrait that not only reveals what is going on, but also provides concrete levers to strengthen the social fabric once again.

This process is not an end point, but an invitation to continue building a just and caring society together – from the bottom up and with each other.