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CHAM started its activities overseas in 1989 when the French Ministry of
Culture asked it to organise a training session for heritage volunteer projects
in Reunion, a French island in the Indian Ocean. Since then the organisation
is active in those distant French territories that do not necessarily have fully
operational facilities to protect their historic heritage, nor established programmes
for encouraging young people’s involvement and sense of responsibility for heritage
conservation. Shortages in local expertise in restoration techniques, in heritage
education and conservation mean that help is needed in setting up initiatives
in heritage training, whilst ensuring their perpetuation using local resources. |
CHAM has thus been involved in projects for the protection and enhancement
of heritage sites and in heritage training in four overseas French territories.
In Guadeloupe (Caribbean) CHAM set up training sessions for heritage
volunteer project organisers over two years on a 17th century fort.The
association was active in Mayotte (Indian Ocean) over a four-year period,
running training sessions and heritage workshops on a 19th century
sugar factory and a 15th century mosque. In New Caledonia (South
Pacific) CHAM led training sessions for heritage volunteer project coordinators
on a XIXth century fort and prison, as well being involved in training
teachers for heritage activities with schoolchildren.
CHAM’s strongest overseas presence is in Reunion, where it has been
active for over ten years. A CHAM local office has been set up there and
employs two local workers. Activities in Reunion have included long-term work-training
projects with unemployed people, seasonal and weekend heritage conservation projects
as well as heritage coordinator training. Through these activities, CHAM
volunteers have achieved considerable conservation work on 19th century
thermal baths and a sugar factory and 18th century mausoleums and tombs.
CHAM acts overseas at the request of state authorities dealing with youth,
heritage and community development issues. It sees its role as that of transmitting
its know-how in restoration techniques, in setting up and organising heritage
conservation volunteer projects, in education and awareness-raising. It always
works with local institutions and organisations, in order to ensure the projects’
local ownership and thus their sustainable impact.
To complement these overseas initiatives, CHAM has also hosted, as part
of their training process, volunteers from New Caledonia, Guadeloupe and Reunion
on its projects in metropolitan France.
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