Co-creating social transformation: IN-HABIT methodology to transform vulnerable urban realities from within

1 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Co-creating social transformation: IN-HABIT methodology to transform vulnerable urban realities from within IN-HABIT methodology to transform vulnerable urban realities from within 2 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Co-creating social transformation: IN-HABIT methodology to transform vulnerable urban realities from within. Methodological guide for the replication of the IN-HABIT methodology. Authors: María del Mar Delgado Serrano (Universidad de Córdoba) orcid.org/0000-0003-0171-6097 Francisco J. Martínez Carranza (Universidad de Córdoba) orcid.org/0009-0003-0871-5465 Catalina Cruz Piedrahita (Universidad de Córdoba) orcid.org/0000-0002-2737-1210 Nuria Chacón Molina (Asociación Vecinal Unión y Esperanza de las Palmeras) orcid.org/0009-0009-3663-6784 doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16985974 August 2025, Córdoba, Spain. This document is part of the IN-HABIT project (Inclusive Health and Wellbeing in Small and Medium-Sized Cities), funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant Agreement No. 869227).. 3 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 The IN-HABIT project (Inclusive Health and Wellbeing in Small and Medium-Sized Cities), funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme, has explored how inclusive, nature-based, and socially innovative interventions can transform vulnerable urban contexts. In Córdoba, Spain, a significant part of the work has focused on Las Palmeras, one of the country’s most disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Over five years, residents, researchers, local authorities, and grassroots organisations have worked together to imagine and co-create new forms of inclusive wellbeing. This methodological guide draws from that experience and provides a practical roadmap to replicate and adapt the IN-HABIT approach in other neighbourhoods, cities, and with other vulnerable groups. Through participatory processes and integrated solutions, both tangible and intangible, it shows that it is possible to generate real, sustainable, and context-sensitive transformations. The guide is designed for local authorities, community associations, urban professionals, researchers, and social actors who aim to design and implement community-driven interventions that reduce inequalities and promote health and wellbeing in an inclusive way. In these pages you will find: • The key principles of the IN-HABIT methodology. • The steps to follow, including tools and recommendations. • Concrete examples of interventions. • Success factors. • Barriers and strategies for adaptation. We invite you to explore this guide as a flexible and adaptable resource, which can be used as a whole or consulted in parts, depending on the needs of each context. TRANSFORMING URBAN WELLBEING STARTS LOCALLY youtu.be/JZca-nrblwg Access the video explaining the methodology at: 4 The starting point: context and methodological foundations 5 6 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Co-creating social transformation: IN-HABIT methodology to transform vulnerable urban realities from within 7 10 12 18 20 01. INTRODUCTION 02. CURRENT URBAN CHALLENGES 03. THE IN-HABIT PROJECT IN CÓRDOBA 04. METHODOLOGY 05. REPLICATING CÓRDOBA MODEL 50 06. METHODOLOGICAL ADAPTATION FRAMEWORK 7 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 The starting point: context and methodological foundations The continuous growth of the urban population is transforming cities worldwide (Carmichael et al., 2017). Although urbanisation brings economic and social benefits, it also has profound effects on health and wellbeing, intensifying segregation and existing inequalities (Badland & Pearce, 2019; Carmichael et al., 2017). In many cases, urban environments amplify these gaps, disproportionately exposing minorities and vulnerable populations to situations of risk. Factors such as air pollution, noise, waste accumulation, extreme weather events, precarious employment, long commutes, or social isolation contribute to the deterioration of both physical and mental health, leading to a general decline in wellbeing (Kuddus et al., 2020). These impacts particularly affect people with low incomes, older adults, migrants, ethnic minorities, and individuals with disabilities, who often face multiple and interconnected barriers that limit their access to healthcare, decent housing, employment, green spaces, and social support networks (Corburn, 2017; Short et al., 2018). In the face of this reality, it is increasingly important to address health and wellbeing from a cross-cutting and holistic perspective. 01. INTRODUCTION 8 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Co-creating social transformation: IN-HABIT methodology to transform vulnerable urban realities from within Cities are under strong pressure to reduce socio-economic inequalities and to guarantee equitable access to urban wellbeing. To achieve this, innovative approaches are needed that integrate social justice, environmental sustainability, and community participation. At the same time, contemporary research stresses the need to ground urban planning in scientific evidence and context-specific approaches (De Sá et al., 2022). Within this framework, the IN-HABIT research project, funded by the Horizon 2020 programme, explores strategies to increase Inclusive Health and Wellbeing in small and medium-sized European cities. It examines how inclusive, nature-based, and socially innovative interventions can transform urban environments. The project is being developed in four cities: Córdoba (Spain), Lucca (Italy), Riga (Latvia), and Nitra (Slovakia). Despite hosting a large share of the European urban population, small and medium-sized cities are often absent from policy and research priorities (McPhearson et al., 2016). IN-HABIT addresses structural inequalities through the development of so-called Visionary and Integrated Solutions (VIS). They are integrated because they combine intangible interventions, such as social, cultural, or participatory innovations, with tangible ones, such as infrastructure improvements, nature-based solutions, or digital and technological tools. They are visionary because they mobilise undervalued local resources such as culture, food systems, human– animal bonds, or the transformative potential of art and nature. Although each city focuses on different groups and strategies, they all share a common methodological framework and generate experiences that can be replicated in different urban contexts. 9 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 The starting point: context and methodological foundations This document presents the strategy carried out in Córdoba, Spain, to address a central challenge: improving inclusive health and wellbeing in vulnerable contexts through a participatory and context-sensitive approach. It proposes replication guidelines based on the experience and lessons learned during the five years of INHABIT’s implementation. The city has functioned as a living laboratory of social innovation and research, co-creating interventions designed to improve inclusive health and wellbeing (IHW) in urban contexts with high levels of vulnerability. These guidelines describe the key processes and highlight both the success factors and the opportunities and barriers that arise in socially complex urban contexts, thus contributing to European objectives of inclusion, innovation, and community resilience. Their purpose is to serve as an example for designing interventions tailored to specific realities and to support institutions, professionals, and local actors interested in applying or adapting the approaches developed. By transferring theoretical knowledge into applicable solutions, this document acts as a bridge between research and practice. IN-HABIT proposes a replicable model of inclusive urban transformation, showing how a medium-sized city like Córdoba can lead innovation in health and wellbeing, in line with the European Union’s principles of sustainability, social cohesion, and territorial equity. 16 17 Methodological guide to promote Inclusive Wellbeing in vulnerable contexts 18 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Co-creating social transformation: IN-HABIT methodology to transform vulnerable urban realities from within The methodological strategy of IN-HABIT redefines how urban transformations aimed at inclusive health and wellbeing can be conceived, implemented, and sustained, particularly among groups facing high levels of vulnerability. Far from applying standard solutions, the project proposes the following paradigm shift: Cities are not merely recipients of policies, but active cocreators of change, capable of generating innovation and social inclusion by mobilising their own resources, knowledge, and contexts. In this approach, health and wellbeing are understood as collective, transversal, and dynamic processes, resulting from the interaction between multiple social, economic, spatial, environmental, and cultural dimensions. Participation is therefore not a complement but the structural axis of intervention. From the outset, participatory tools have been activated to understand the environment from within, such as mapping assets and vulnerabilities, neighbourhood workshops, collaborative diagnostics, and personal narratives. 04. METHODOLOGY 19 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Methodological guide to promote Inclusive Wellbeing in vulnerable contexts These processes make it possible to design solutions and action plans that connect with the priorities expressed by the community. This principle is reflected in the CO-CO-CO-CO approach (co-design, coimplementation, co-management, and co-evaluation), which guides all phases of the project, from identifying needs to assessing results: • Co-design: A collective process of identifying needs, generating ideas, and making decisions, encouraging dialogue between technical, institutional, and social actors, and recognising local knowledge as the foundation of design. • Co-implementation: Residents and final beneficiaries participate actively in the execution of actions, which strengthens commitment, builds capacities, and ensures that interventions are adapted to the reality of the territory. • Co-management: Promotes shared responsibility in the use, care, and maintenance of interventions, to guarantee their sustainability and local ownership, while reinforcing inclusive governance structures. • Co-evaluation: Results are assessed collaboratively, combining quantitative, qualitative, and participatory tools, in order not only to measure impacts but also to learn, adjust, and improve continuously. In Córdoba, this logic has been applied through a context-sensitive strategy that has considered issues such as institutional mistrust, territorial stigmatisation, and long-standing social exclusion. Another key pillar of this methodology is the creation of inclusive governance spaces, such as the IN-HUB, conceived as a dynamic network that brings together residents, grassroots associations, public administrations, universities, and the private sector. The IN-HUB operates as a horizontal and flexible working platform, ensuring that decisions remain connected to the reality of the territory. It works on several levels: identifying demands, validating proposals, promoting shared responsibility, and supporting implementation. Its open and evolving nature enables alliances to endure beyond the project, ensuring continuity of the processes set in motion. The IN-HABIT methodological model is adaptable, replicable, and scalable. Its value does not lie in a fixed format, but in its guiding principles: a people-centred intervention, grounded in local knowledge, integrating multiple dimensions, and placing participation at the heart of innovation and sustainability. The results in Córdoba show that inclusive governance, combined with commitment, active listening, and genuine collaboration, can create more resilient, inclusive, and cohesive urban environments. 20 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Co-creating social transformation: IN-HABIT methodology to transform vulnerable urban realities from within The practical application of the IN-HABIT methodology in Córdoba has helped consolidate a structured process that can serve as a guide for other cities interested in initiating similar transformations. This intervention model rests on two essential pillars: on the one hand, collaboration between three key types of entities (the university, local authorities, and a grassroots association), and on the other, the central role of community activators, who connect the project’s interventions with everyday reality. The joint work between the university, public administrations, and the social fabric makes it possible to integrate technical knowledge, political support, and territorial anchoring. The university contributes tools for social transformation, analysis, monitoring, and systematisation of results. Local authorities ensure regulatory feasibility and institutional sustainability. The grassroots association acts as a bridge between the project and the community, offering closeness, legitimacy, and deep knowledge of the context. Local community activators are a key figure for the success of the process. This role can be performed either by professionals with strong social involvement or by residents with the necessary training to combine technical skills with listening, empathy, and commitment. Their work consists of energising the area, activating community networks, supporting interventions, and mediating between actors. Given the demands of the role, it is recommended that it be a paid, stable, and full-time position. Building on this support structure, the model is organised into seven phases: 1. Understand the local context. Preparation of a participatory diagnosis to identify vulnerabilities, existing assets, and needs expressed by the community. Tools include direct observation, interviews, social mapping, personal narratives, and meetings with key actors. 2. Identify and engage key actors. Carry out an actor mapping exercise to identify individuals, groups, or organisations with the interest and capacity to make interventions possible. It is crucial to include less visible actors and to consider the most vulnerable members not only as beneficiaries but also as key agents in the process. 05. REPLICATING CÓRDOBA MODEL 21 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Methodological guide to promote Inclusive Wellbeing in vulnerable contexts 3. Build inclusive governance: the IN-HUB modelB. Creation of a collaborative space between the public, private, academic, and community sectors, where decisions are taken in a horizontal and transparent way. The IN-HUB functions as a platform for the joint design, implementation, and evaluation of interventions. 4. Co-design an action plan. Participatory design of interventions, combining intangible solutions (cultural, educational, or social activities) with tangible ones (improvements to public space, green infrastructure, facilities). The plan should be realistic, flexible, and consistent with the territory’s resources and capacities, as well as with the project’s scope of action. 5. Co-implement the actions. Active participation of the community in the execution, maintenance, and monitoring of interventions. This involves training and capacitybuilding processes, with the aim of fostering social ownership and ensuring long-term sustainability. 6. Co-manage the results. Engagement of the final beneficiaries in the maintenance and management of the interventions, to encourage their proper use and to strengthen involvement and shared responsibility. 7. Co-evaluation and monitoring. Establishment of clear criteria and indicators on the objectives and desired impact, in order to evaluate progress and adapt actions if the expected outcomes are not achieved. Involving the community in this stage helps align project promoters’ objectives with the needs expressed locally. 22 Another central element is participatory evaluation, understood not only as the measurement of impact but as an active part of the transformation process. The methodology combines quantitative and qualitative tools, such as surveys, direct observation, monitoring technologies, narrative records, and interviews. This makes it possible to capture both visible effects and more subtle changes in relationships, capacities, or perceptions. Moreover, evaluation is conceived as a tool for collective learning, guiding adjustments and reinforcing community ownership.. Co-creating social transformation: IN-HABIT methodology to transform vulnerable urban realities from within 23 1 2 3 4 5 Understand the local context Preliminary analysis Governance and planning Co-implementation Follow-up and impact Identify and engage key actors Build inclusive governance: the IN-HUB model Co-design an action plan Co-implement the actions 6Co-manage the results 7Co-evaluation and monitoring 24 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Co-creating social transformation: IN-HABIT methodology to transform vulnerable urban realities from within 12 4 3 5 6 7 UNDERSTAND THE LOCAL CONTEXT The first step of the methodology is to understand the local context and the cultural norms that shape community life. Before implementing any strategy in a vulnerable neighbourhood or working with groups at risk of exclusion, it is essential to carry out a detailed analysis of the situation of health and wellbeing, as well as an inventory of the existing services and infrastructures. This diagnosis should also include the history of previous interventions, their outcomes, and, above all, a deep reflection on what has worked, what has not, and why. In vulnerable areas, it is crucial to understand the emotional and political legacy of these interventions. Many communities have historically been neglected or misinterpreted, which generates scepticism and mistrust towards new initiatives. Building trust with residents, the project team, and community activators therefore requires time, presence, and consistency, but is absolutely essential. This process should be led by people with genuine skills, experience, and commitment to addressing the social needs of the area, especially those responsible for decision-making and field coordination. In this process, it is important to: • Adopt an attitude of active listening rather than delivering speeches. • Cross-check information to avoid bias. • Remain open to different cultural and social perspectives. • Identify key people to collaborate with and involve them from the outset.. VULNERABILITY, RESOURCES AND PARTICIPATION 25 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Methodological guide to promote Inclusive Wellbeing in vulnerable contexts Critical success factors: 1. Involve professionals with technical expertise, knowledge of the local culture, experience in vulnerable contexts, and a strong commitment. 2. Use participatory tools to engage participants, paying particular attention to those traditionally excluded or overlooked. 3. Create synergies with existing institutions, organisations, and projects. 4. Take into account the history of previous interventions, including what has worked, what has not, and why. 5. Adapt working methods to local needs, habits, and cultures. 6. Identify and empower local actors and work with them. 7. Prioritise trust-building as a goal in itself. 8. Listen patiently and take time to compare and contrast different perspectives. 9. Allow local actors to set the pace and the language of engagement. • Participant observation and individual conversations to uncover everyday realities and lived experiences that are often overlooked in formal data. • Engagement with associations, businesses, and community groups to identify local goals, challenges, and power dynamics, and to understand the broader social landscape. • Identification of key informants and respected voices to foster meaningful collaboration, while also recognising those who may support or hinder initiatives. Methods: 32 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Co-creating social transformation: IN-HABIT methodology to transform vulnerable urban realities from within BUILD INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE The inclusive governance model of IN-HABIT is based on the creation of a Public–Private–People Partnership, known as the IN-HUB (Inclusive Hub). This structure functions as a social innovation laboratory, aimed at fostering genuine participation of stakeholders and aligning project goals with their needs. More than a physical space, the IN-HUB acts as a meeting point and organisational platform that promotes cross-sector collaboration and facilitates the transformation process. Its design seeks to strengthen networks, promote structural dialogue, and ensure that decisions are guided by local perspectives. The IN-HUB should integrate four key sectors: • Residents, whose experiences and knowledge guide interventions. • Public sector, providing regulatory, financial, organisational, and administrative support. • Private sector, offering resources and facilitating the implementation of actions. • Researchers and educational sector, contributing technical advice, monitoring and analysing results, providing scientific evidence and, in some cases, financial support. THE IN-HUB MODEL 12 4 3 5 6 7 33 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Methodological guide to promote Inclusive Wellbeing in vulnerable contexts This combination avoids generic solutions and allows interventions to be tailored to the real conditions of the context, creating a solid and sustainable working environment that endures beyond the project cycle. Participation may be organised through an open call as well as targeted strategies to inform and engage key actors, including endusers of the activities and groups traditionally excluded. In vulnerable neighbourhoods, the IN-HUB is configured as a polycentric, bottom-up, open, and flexible governance model, structured at three levels of involvement: • Steering group: composed of residents and community organisations, it identifies needs and proposes solutions. • Operational level: includes companies, institutions, and municipal bodies that assess the feasibility of proposals and provide knowledge and resources for their development. • Support level: made up of partners, networks, and organisations that participate indirectly, contributing dissemination, endorsement, or occasional collaboration. Coordination between these three levels supports project development and improves results. Constant interaction between the steering group and the operational level ensures that actions are viable, collaborative, and adapted to the context. IN-HUB meetings can be held as often as needed, depending on requirements, and subcommittees can be set up for specific areas. While the full IN-HUB should ideally meet at least once a year, thematic or specific subcommittees may meet regularly as required. 34 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Co-creating social transformation: IN-HABIT methodology to transform vulnerable urban realities from within In Córdoba, for instance, numerous ad hoc meetings were organised to co-design, co-implement, and co-manage interventions together with relevant actors and residents. The IN-HUB is a facilitating space for implementing the CO-CO-COCO methodology. Its design ensures that no single actor has unilateral control over decisions, fostering an environment of trust, negotiation, and collective learning. In addition to guiding implementation, this platform contributes to the replicability of the model, integrating local knowledge, trust-based relationships, and multisectoral cooperation. Its functioning is open and adaptable, able to respond to new priorities, changing participation, or emerging dynamics, with the aim of becoming a lasting structure for future initiatives.. BUILD INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE 12 4 3 5 6 7 35 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Methodological guide to promote Inclusive Wellbeing in vulnerable contexts 1. Launch an open call to involve people interested in the project, while also contacting key actors directly, including those traditionally excluded. 2. Request commitment from those who wish to join the INHUB. 3. Avoid creating false expectations about project outcomes. 4. Start with a manageable number of committed partners. 5. Create subcommittees and define their roles clearly, while allowing them to evolve flexibly. 6. Provide opportunities for different actors to participate both in decision-making and in implementation. 7. Adapt working methods and tools to the needs and capacities of each level. Critical success factors: • Inclusive actor mapping. • Identification and outreach to key actors. • Active and inclusive participation techniques. • Tools adapted to participants’ needs and capacities. • Spaces for active listening and participatory dialogue. Methods: 36 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Co-creating social transformation: IN-HABIT methodology to transform vulnerable urban realities from within CO-DESIGN AN ACTION PLAN The next step is to co-design an Inclusive Transformation Plan (ITP) to define the actions that will deliver the project results. This plan is developed in close collaboration with levels 1 and 2 of the IN-HUB, through a combination of bottom-up and top-down participatory processes. Participation is voluntary and does not include financial incentives. The bottom-up approach is articulated through co-design workshops with residents, where participants collectively reflect on how they imagine their environment, what actions could be implemented, and which community resources could be mobilised. At this stage, the first level of the IN-HUB (made up of the local community) plays a central role. It is important that the resulting proposals are realistic and coherent with the objectives and resources of the project. These initiatives are then reviewed in a top-down process with members of the second level of the IN-HUB, as well as with authorities, experts, and institutions, to assess their technical, economic, and institutional feasibility. Constant interaction between both levels makes it possible to adjust and refine the set of actions that will form the ITP. DESIGN TANGIBLE AND INTANGIBLE (SOFT & HARD) INTERVENTIONS 12 4 3 5 6 7 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14795145 37 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Methodological guide to promote Inclusive Wellbeing in vulnerable contexts • Inclusive actor mapping. • Identification and outreach to key actors. • Active and inclusive participation techniques. • Tools adapted to the needs and capacities of participants. • Spaces for active listening and participatory dialogue. Methods: 38 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Co-creating social transformation: IN-HABIT methodology to transform vulnerable urban realities from within CO-DESIGN AN ACTION PLAN 12 4 3 5 6 7 The ITP should include all actions planned within the scope of the project, structured around the VIS (Visionary and Integrated Solutions). At the same time, it should remain a flexible and dynamic document, capable of adapting as the project evolves or as new community needs emerge. Before implementing tangible VIS, it is important to develop social and cultural VIS that motivate, prepare, and connect residents, creating the conditions necessary for physical interventions to have both impact and acceptance. • Tangible VIS include physical infrastructures, such as the refurbishment and renaturalisation of public spaces, the creation of picnic areas, community gardens, accessible pathways, or artistic murals, as well as digital tools (videos, platforms, sensors). • Intangible VIS encompass social, cultural, or educational activities, such as cultural events, socio-cultural visits, wellbeing and healthy eating workshops, sports activities, or digital skills training, among others. This dual approach ensures that spatial transformation is accompanied by real social activation, strengthening ownership and the long-term sustainability of interventions. 39 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Methodological guide to promote Inclusive Wellbeing in vulnerable contexts 1. Co-design an action plan with all relevant actors, especially end-users or beneficiaries of the interventions. 2. Be realistic about the actions included in the ITP. 3. Ensure that actions can be implemented with the available human, financial, and institutional resources, and within the project’s timeline. 4. Combine hard infrastructures with soft activities that make them viable and meaningful. 5. Recognise the fundamental value of intangible solutions as essential for the long-term impact of tangible ones, rather than as complementary. 6. Create flexible and dynamic plans that can adapt to changing contexts. 7. Design spaces to be used and lived in, not only to be seen. 8. Promote voluntary participation based on a genuine commitment to improving inclusive wellbeing in the neighbourhood, and not on monetary or similar incentives. Critical success factors: 40 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Co-creating social transformation: IN-HABIT methodology to transform vulnerable urban realities from within CO-IMPLEMENT THE ACTIONS Once the ITP has been developed, actors must participate actively in its co-implementation and co-management. Participation is voluntary and no financial incentives are offered, although symbolic incentives are considered for those who remain continuously and meaningfully engaged throughout the process. An initial analysis of existing skills helps to identify and make use of neighbourhood talents, ensuring they are made visible and recognised. It is advisable to begin with small-scale interventions to gauge their acceptance within the community before moving on to larger actions. Although resident involvement is key, many interventions need to be subcontracted to specialised companies. In such cases, priority should be given to those that: • Include people in vulnerable situations. • Employ residents from the neighbourhood. • Or demonstrate genuine social responsibility. Providing training for the tasks to be carried out also helps to build local capacities and open up socio-economic opportunities. Respecting local cultural practices facilitates community acceptance and participation, especially in diverse neighbourhoods. For example, in Córdoba, the Roma community celebrates night-time bonfires: setting up safe spaces and using fire-resistant materials makes it possible to integrate these traditions without creating risks or conflict. The type of participation promoted by IN-HABIT empowers vulnerable groups, strengthens their sense of belonging, and fosters more sustainable use and maintenance of public spaces. To maintain coherence between the co-design process and the co-execution phase, it is essential to keep participants informed of any changes, challenges, or adjustments. This open communication helps to consolidate trust and commitment. 12 4 3 5 6 7 41 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Methodological guide to promote Inclusive Wellbeing in vulnerable contexts • Co-responsibility workshops to foster collective commitment to change. • Capacity-strengthening tools to equip individuals and groups with practical skills for implementing interventions and facing challenges. • Educational training to promote long-term empowerment by increasing knowledge, confidence, and agency, enabling community members to participate actively and sustain transformation processes. • Recognition and visibility activities to highlight achievements and acknowledge the actors who made them possible. • Methods: Methodological guide to promote Inclusive Wellbeing in vulnerable contexts 41 48 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Co-creating social transformation: IN-HABIT methodology to transform vulnerable urban realities from within In Córdoba, among many other actions, citizen science tools have been used to monitor environmental parameters, alongside training and information sessions, weekly evaluation and discussion workshops, and regular meetings with residents to review progress. Creative formats have also been incorporated, such as evaluation through art, plastic expression, community photography, or music, allowing participants to express perceptions and emotions beyond formal questionnaires. These formats encourage freedom of expression, remove potential barriers, and enable people with limited literacy or language barriers to contribute actively. Collective murals, theatre performances, and visual narratives have also been used to reflect how changes in the neighbourhood are perceived, creating a common language that transcends words and connects different generations. Together, these dynamics have fostered a shared culture of coevaluation in which residents are not merely informants but cogenerators of knowledge, resources, and beneficiaries of their own actions. 12 4 3 5 6 7 CO-EVALUATION AND MONITORING 49 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Methodological guide to promote Inclusive Wellbeing in vulnerable contexts 1. Combine traditional methods with creative expressions that allow greater freedom and diversity in participation. 2. Ensure evaluation goes beyond closed responses, opening spaces for subjective and emotional expression. 3. Remove barriers by using graphic, artistic, and sensory resources. 4. Value not only technical results but also the stories, symbols, and collective representations generated by the community. 5. Promote a safe and trusting environment where everyone can express their views without feeling judged. 6. Strengthen the intergenerational dimension through art and culture as common languages that connect different groups. Critical success factors: 49 Participatory definition of quantitative and qualitative indicators. Evaluation workshops with open dynamics and collective discussion. Citizen science tools to involve the population. Creative evaluation sessions (plastic arts, photography, music, theatre, visual narratives, etc.). Collective murals and artistic representations to express personal and community perceptions and beliefs. Use of accessible graphic and visual formats that overcome barriers of literacy or language. Methods: 50 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Co-creating social transformation: IN-HABIT methodology to transform vulnerable urban realities from within This section presents the key elements of the proposed methodological framework for implementing inclusive health and wellbeing initiatives in vulnerable neighbourhoods, together with the common barriers that may arise when adapting it to other contexts. Key elements: • Create a steering group to drive the project, composed of authorities, researchers or facilitators, and a neighbourhood association. • Involve community activators with technical skills, contextual knowledge, and a high level of social commitment. • Establish an inclusive governance model representing the four key sectors: citizens, public sector, private sector, and academia. • Design adaptable projects with realistic timelines and resources. • Develop a thorough understanding of the local context and the history of previous interventions in the area. • Generate real opportunities for co-design, co-implementation, comanagement, and co-evaluation with the community. • Practise active listening, especially with people who are most vulnerable or traditionally excluded. • Combine tangible and intangible solutions to support both social transformation and the transformation of urban spaces, as well as the acceptance of physical actions. • Encourage the voluntary participation of residents who are genuinely interested in improving the inclusive health and wellbeing of their environment. • Apply robust scientific methods and generate useful evidence to inform decision-making and public policy. 06. METHODOLOGICAL ADAPTATION FRAMEWORK 51 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Methodological guide to promote Inclusive Wellbeing in vulnerable contexts Flexible elements: • Projects and budgets may be limited, and actions small in scale. If the guidelines are followed, however, they can still achieve significant impact. • Actions and solutions are highly variable and must be adapted to the environment, the population, and the specific objectives. • The composition and internal dynamics of IN-HUBs may vary depending on the actors involved and their level of commitment. • Evaluation methods should be adjusted to technological capacities, local needs, and available resources, but evaluation for adaptation and decision-making must always be an integral part of the process. Barriers: • Mistrust in institutions due to past failed experiences. • Lack of social cohesion and a limited culture of collaboration among residents. • Difficulties in identifying and involving key community profiles. • Limited participation skills in vulnerable groups. • Precarious living conditions (unemployment, poverty, daily urgencies) that hinder long-term commitment. • General scepticism towards new initiatives. • Lack of safe spaces and channels for community interaction. • Projects and interventions with rigid, top-down designs that prevent adaptation and genuine participation. • Shortages of human, technical, and financial resources. • Dependence on political will, with the risk of discontinuity it entails. • Prevalence of individualism over collective action. • Environments with the presence of illegal activities, which create insecurity and hinder intervention.. 52 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Co-creating social transformation: IN-HABIT methodology to transform vulnerable urban realities from within youtu.be/JZca-nrblwg Badland, H., & Pearce, J. 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Public Health Reviews, 41(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40985-019-0116-0 Mac Fadden, I., Cocchioni, R. y Delgado-Serrano, M.M. (2024) «A Co-Created Assessment Framework to Measure Inclusive Health and Wellbeing in a Vulnerable Context in the South of Europe», International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(4), p. 510. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21040510 McPhearson, T., Haase, D., Kabisch, N., & Gren, Å. (2016). Advancing understanding of the complex nature of urban systems. Ecological Indicators, 70, 566–573. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2016.02.059 Short, S. E., Mollborn, S., & Anderson, K. L. (2018). The science of health disparities research. Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119225722 REFERENCES: Follow us in our Social Media: Check out this guide in 52 IN-HABIT H2020 UCO - CÓRDOBA @in_habit_uco @inhabith2020cordoba @in_uco Co-creating social transformation: IN-HABIT methodology to transform vulnerable urban realities from within 53 This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869227 Methodological guide to promote Inclusive Wellbeing in vulnerable contexts www.inhabit-h2020.eu By scanning the QR code you can access the project’s website, where you will find extended information about its objectives and activities. In the section dedicated to Córdoba, you will find practical resources and examples to implement Visionary and Integrated Solutions in your own context: from event maps to radio programmes, videos, and other support materials. www.zenodo.org/communities/in-habit-h2020/ Through the Zenodo link you can access the project’s repository, which gathers all generated data, publications, and documents. There you will find everything from scientific articles to technical reports and support materials, available for consultation and download. www.youtube.com/@sustlabuco7791 On the project’s YouTube channel you can see practical examples of the interventions carried out, with videos of presentations, workshop summaries, performances, and other activities that show the fieldwork and may serve as useful support tools. WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IN-HABIT? 53 54