A model, the Lóios District in Chelas,
and 57 participants aged 5 to 72 years. These were the main ingredients of a
social project that brought together the school community and the local
community. This project, which took place between February and March, contributed
to show that it is possible to develop an integrated and transversal approach to
multiple dimensions: economic, social, environmental and
political-institutional. In the end, the model was presented during the 5th
Edition of the Congress of Marvila, which took place on March 17.
“A model of the
«Bairro dos Lóios». This was the challenge presented to Valsassina School and it intended to
join, in the same project, students from schools inside «Bairro dos Lóios» and
its residents. The initiative was devised by João Rosa, an intern at the “School of Education of
Lisbon” and resident in this Chelas block.
To develop this project several work teams were formed. Each team was
invited to recreate their living space with reusable materials. At the same
time, a Focus Group was to conduct a discussion on the Potential/Needs of the «Bairro
dos Lóios». In the end, five Focus groups were formed with 57 participants of
different ages ranging from 5 to 72.
To João Rosa, the positive aspects in the neighbourhood were: the
existence of a supermarket, local commerce, three schools, a daycare center and
a healthcare center. The connection between friends and neighbors was also
emphasized, as well as the intergeneration relations. On the other hand, he
identified the negative aspects as: the existence of degraded places, buildings
and garden stools, and the presence of garbage on the floor. Furthermore, some
cases of violence, theft, and even illicit substance use were observed.
To improve the Lóios neighbourhood the participants highlighted the need
to: focus more on interpersonal relationships, creating conditions for the
existence of more leisure facilities, and improve the lighting in some corners
of the neighbourhood.
This activity was like an open door to create links/relations and to avoid
bias in a community. When asked about their participation in the project, a
group of students around the age of 11/12 attending School
E.B. 2,3 Damião de Góis shared: “We took great pleasure in
participating in this project for we got to know our school and neighbourhood a
lot better.”
The main goals of the project were raising awareness of one’s
responsibility and obtaining control over one’s own development, just like
Francisca Xara-Brasil (14 year-old at Valsassina School) did, while
participating on the project.
João Farinha, one of the teachers at School E.B. 2,3 Damião de Góis and
the person in charge of GAAF, a student and family support centre, states that
“the relationship between School and Family is often spoiled, leading to a set
of problems concerning misbehaviour, absenteeism and even violence at school.
The sort of measures taken with this project draws closer a better cooperation
between School and the local institutes in the neighbourhood. Working together
becomes, therefore, vital to fight back school and family problems as well as
other problems that one may come across in the neighbourhood.”
For the students of Valsassina School, the highest point of this process
coincided with the last stage, in which the model was complete and on display
in “Loja 31” (a solidarity store) for Valsassina´s students, residents and
users of this space to see and to enjoy.
It was a moment of experience sharing at intercultural and
intergenerational levels. To Marta Oliveira, 13 year-old, “the fact that
Valsassina School is an Eco-School gives us the opportunity to learn more about
reusing materials and valueing/ working with what you have”. Francisca
Xara-Brasil also highlighted that such activities teach us that there can be no
sustainability without a balance between the social and the environmental
spheres. Paulina Lemos, (13-year-old), states that such initiatives “motivate
us to change our attitudes even more".
“Think globally, act locally”, is the motto of a sustainable development.
The challenges put forth by a
diversified society involve multiple social problems and stress the need of participatory
politics grounded in active citizenship and in public speech.
Acknowledgments: this work would not have been possible to
accomplish without the contribution of João Rosa. Therefore, we thank him for
his kindness, cooperation and availability.
Young reporters for the environment. Valsassina
School: Carolina Fonseca, Pedro Leal, Diogo
Silva, Catarina Soares, Gonçalo Pereira, Joana Duarte
Valsassina
School and School E.B. 2,3 Damião de Góis. Lisbon, Portugal
