Author: Emma Fàbrega, UB

At the end of January 2025, in line with EXIT’s final stage of research, Research Action and policy building, the Universitat de Barcelona’s (UB) research team conducted its first workshop in Montcada i Reixac, the UB’s urban case study. These workshops are part of a participatory research plan spearheaded by the European Anti-Poverty Network in Spain (EAPN-ES) with the goal of giving back preliminary results to participants and encouraging them to participate in future workshops where strategies to counteract territorial inequalities will be coproduced.

This workshop in Montcada i Reixac counted the attendance of 18 residents and stakeholders, who listened to researchers’ preliminary findings and gave feedback while separating into two smaller groups. Based on their experiences, participants prioritized the issues in the area that were most pressing, while also commenting on existing strategies to counteract territorial inequalities and whether in their opinions these work and why.

This process led to the identification of housing, the environment, insufficient social services, and limited work opportunities as key issues in addressing territorial inequalities in Montcada i Reixac. At the same time, it highlighted the many existing strategies driven by long-standing residential organizations with a strong tradition of activism. Therefore, the activity not only detected problems but also showed the potential of the area to address them.

Through this process, participants validated researchers’ findings; while also stating the utility of the activity and the opportunity it gave them to connect with other residents and stakeholders in their area who were invested in bettering the lives of their fellow cohorts. This positive ending is what EXIT Empowerment Workshops search for, as they aim to foster collective awareness, strengthen local networks, and inspire collaborative action. Looking ahead, future sessions will build on these discussions, working towards concrete strategies that harness both local knowledge and institutional support in an attempt to drive meaningful change.