Behavioural Change & Citizens Science & Service Learning & Living-labs

In Horizon Europe projects, we can act as a specialised partner at the science–citizens–institutional governance interface, particularly in calls where impact depends on social uptake, citizen participation and the territorial implementation of results.

Our contribution focuses on strengthening the R&I with and for society dimension, supporting the social relevance, accessibility and usability of scientific knowledge for citizens and territorial actors, while facilitating structured dialogue with public administrations without assuming policy design functions.

We contribute active participatory methodologies, including co-creation processes, applied citizen science, stakeholder engagement and social data collection. These approaches enable citizens to act as project actors, both in the generation and validation of knowledge and in the identification of social barriers and opportunities for uptake and replicability of solutions.

Within this framework, we can facilitate applied participatory governance spaces, understood as practical mediation formats that connect scientific knowledge, citizens’ experience and dialogue with public administrations and territorial actors. These processes support social acceptance, the generation of territorial evidence and the alignment of solutions with real implementation contexts.

Our experience relates to several recurring environmental thematic areas within Horizon Europe:

• Awareness-raising on just ecological transition, with a focus on consumption behaviours at household and community level.

• Promotion of sustainable lifestyles, focusing on food, ecological footprint, transport, energy, water, waste, circular economy and citizen participation.

• Nature, biodiversity and territory, using inclusive governance approaches, volunteering, service learning and citizen science.

• Environmental education and training for sustainability, linked to generating positive social and environmental impact and supporting replicability.

Within consortia, we could contribute to social tasks or work packages, covering the design of participatory processes, the implementation of citizen science actions, mediation with local actors, social data collection and the evaluation of environmental and social impact, supporting the achievement of the project’s expected outcomes.