Implementation of the Citizens Xelerator Action Laboratory in Portugal

During the month of May, APCEP began joint implementation with partner ALEM – Associação Literatura, Literacia e Mediação the Citizens Xelerator (CX) model and kit, involving a group of 10 women, aged between 26 and 69 years old.

Most of the members of this group have been part of various ALEM and its partners’ initiatives since 2012.

This project takes place in the Quinta do Cabrinha neighborhood, in Lisbon, in a space cared for by the group itself that has well-established operating rules, such as preparing breakfast, cooperating in all hygiene and well-being tasks, organizing workshops, contributing to a welcoming atmosphere and a positive environment conducive to the involvement and active participation of all.

During the sessions, the embroidery workshop works in parallel with the brainstorming aimed at identifying problems and challenges that they would like to address collaboratively in the communities.

Among them, concerns emerged as varied as practicing a healthy diet at affordable prices, ensuring cleaning habits in buildings and the neighborhood, taking advantage of educational and cultural offers, managing meager income and subsidies, debating women’s rights, participating in European elections…

The registration area, through post its, will allow, in the next sessions, to prioritize and propose initiatives/actions and resolve or raise people’s awareness of the challenges considered most urgent.