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

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.