In a context where the way we work, move, eat and interact with each other is being challenged, the third place is a response to the transformation of our lifestyles. It was the American sociologist Ray Oldenburg who introduced this concept in 1989 to designate "intermediate places between home and work adapted to an urban, individualized and mobile lifestyle". Aiming to give priority to the local, they recreate links and cooperation between inhabitants, via an open space. On site, it is often possible to eat locally, to work close to home, to discover the initiatives of local actors through events and meetings. Beyond giving back importance to the local and to the dynamization of a geographical place, they can also have the objective of reducing C02 emissions. This was the case, for example, with the "Smart Work Center" set up in Amsterdam, to reduce road traffic by inviting people to work close to home, by bicycle. The Third Places are crossroads of expression, exchange and construction of new models with and for the inhabitants.
The different types of Third Places
Crafts, culture, ecology, agriculture, social and solidarity economy... Third-Party Places are often created around a specific theme. Here are several examples of Third Places, each with its own field of action:
- The Recyclerie, in Paris, which raises public awareness of eco-responsible values and behaviors by organizing events and fun workshops.
- The Tiers Lieux paysan de la Martinière, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, which is part of the ecological transition from the perspective of agriculture, with the aim of rethinking agricultural models and the development of rural areas.
- The socio-cultural Third Places, as creating and animating them The group Petite Lune, which wishes to make culture accessible to all types of people.
- The Third-Party Places that promote the ecological and social transition on their territory, such as Oasis 21, in Paris.
- Coworking spaces, as managed by The Cordée.
To retrain in a Third-Party profession
Welcome to Transition
With a focus on ecological and social transition, Bienvenue en Transition offers an 8-week training course, immersed in the Hameau de Mergieux, in Aveyron, for all those who wish to undertake a reconversion in the field of ecological transition. You will develop soft skills around shared governance and cooperation and learn the basics to create a third place. In partnership with the Campus de la Transition, some training courses are also held at the Domaine de Forges in Normandy.
What about financing?
If you are financing your training on an individual basis, you can contact Bienvenue en Transition to find out if you are eligible for the grants they offer.
👉 Read more HERE
The ecovillage of Pourgues
Through courses and training to learn about collective living, new forms of leadership and democratic education, the Pourgues ecovillage provides you with tools for new ways of thinking and acting as an individual and within a collective. Through a self-managed week, for example, you can learn what life is like in an ecovillage and develop the kind of life skills that are expected of people working in third places.
What about financing ?
The trainings are eligible for CPF and Pôle Emploi and for some stays, like the self-managed week, a solidarity price is reserved for people with no savings and very low income.
👉 More information HERE
The Institute of Tramayes
In Burgundy, the Tramayes Institute offers 5-day, 10-week or 9-month training courses for young people wishing to build a meaningful future and for people who are retraining for a job that serves the common good. The goal of these trainings is to learn how to undertake to respond to the existing problems of rural territories. Lodged on site in the Tiers Lieu, you will discover manual trades in contact with field actors and you will learn to solve in a concrete way the problems identified in rural areas.
What about financing?
The trainings are eligible to Pôle Emploi.
👉 Read more HERE
To create your own third place
The Third-Party Campus
Founded in 2017 in Paris, the Campus des Tiers-Lieux offers two types of training for anyone wishing to create and manage their own Tiers-lieu. One is a 6-month incubation program and the other is a 40-hour module focused on creating a cultural venue. In both cases, you are immersed in the third places of the Sinny&Ooko agency, which has created several in Paris. The campus gathers a community of mutual aid of more than 350 people and has allowed the emergence of 50 projects of third places in France.
What about financing ?
The training is eligible for Opco and Pôle Emploi.
👉 More information HERE
Examples of jobs with an impact in the sector of third places
Here are some examples of possible job offers:
- Responsible for the Third-Party Facilities
- Project manager in Third Places
- Site Manager or Stage Manager
- Business Development Officer
- Communication officer
- In charge of the animation of the Third Place
- Partnership Manager
- Accompanist of the uses of the Third Place
You can also work on the development of the emergence of Third Places everywhere in France by joining for example the Association of National Third Place, or in a specific geographical sector, as in Isère, within the collective Luz'In.
To take action
👉Here are all the job offers in the sector of the third places.