Tesslab was created in the very neighborhood where its founders grew up. “This is the space we wish we had when we were younger, where we gain or regain confidence, where we learn to know ourselves, to turn our vulnerabilities, the label we carry when coming from a working-class background, into a strength we use for our future and for others,” explains Hakim Elhadouchi.
Tesslab conducts extensive educational work aimed at young people aged 16 to 25, who primarily come from Urban Policy Neighborhoods. “Education is transformative, and pedagogy has the power to change lives,” he emphasizes. The focus areas are self-awareness, peer support, and taking action.
“We have a foundational philosophy of intervention, which starts with the individual. These are workshops focused on self-awareness. We incorporate non-formal education, popular education, improvisation, and our expertise,” recounts Hakim Elhadouchi. Ideas then emerge because confidence leads to action.
Alongside these workshops, several programs are organized. First, there’s the entrepreneurship program, where young people are equipped to either create a project during the support period or be directed to other structures, notably through a partnership with the Strasbourg Business School, where they can pursue a diploma for young entrepreneurs.
The second focus area concerns mental health. “We believe that the best person to talk about mental health with a young person is another young person. So we created an ambassador program, meaning we train young people on mental health issues.”
Additionally, a strong third focus is on intergenerational connections, in a context of isolation among the elderly, vulnerabilities, and the need for connection. The idea is to create actions that address the urgent emerging needs of aging in social housing. “This is why we talk about innovation laboratories. We identify blind spots or challenges, and we respond quickly yet thoughtfully,” insists Hakim Elhadouchi.
“A person living in poverty needs six generations to move into the middle class. So we act to accelerate this evolution in society. There’s also the idea of destigmatizing the image of working-class neighborhoods, which is often associated with delinquency, crime, and poverty. That’s true. But these are also people who want to succeed. And when they do, they can contribute and thus build society. They are not just territories of problems; they are also territories of solutions,” concludes Hakim Elhadouchi.
