Study Visit to the “Our Neighbourhood, Our City” Programme in Setúbal

On 24 April, as part of the Social Work and Community Intervention course unit, 35 students from the Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work took part in a study visit to Setúbal, accompanied by lecturers Nélson Ramalho and Ana Paula Garcia, with the aim of gaining first-hand knowledge of the “Our Neighbourhood, Our City” Programme.

This initiative provided students with the opportunity to explore a model of intervention that places residents at the centre of decision-making, encouraging their active participation in the design and implementation of actions that impact the community.

The programme is based on the idea that social transformation should be built with people and through people, fostering autonomy, responsibility, and collective growth.

Organised into groups, residents participate not only in decision-making processes but also in the implementation of initiatives, following an approach focused on leadership development and community mobilisation.

During the visit, participants toured the Bela Vista neighbourhood, enabling them to observe ongoing housing regeneration projects and reflect on both the challenges and potential of community intervention.

This highly valuable learning experience strengthened the connection between theory and practice in Social Work education.