Playbook/Lisbon: Securing a community space for a social housing neighbourhood
Steward: Amelia
Secondary issue bucket: HOU - Housing
Summary: Residents of the social housing neighbourhood in Quinta do Mocho told the Circle they had been promised a community space for over a year. The Circle took the issue to the local freguesia (parish council) alongside a community leader. When the office failed to open for a booked meeting, the Circle documented it and followed up by email with the evidence. Shortly afterwards, the community leader was given keys to the community centre and a dedicated room to run workshops.
The issue
Quinta do Mocho is a public housing neighbourhood in Sacavém, just outside Lisbon, built in the 1990s to rehouse families from informal settlements. It has a large African diaspora community, including Cape Verdean, Angolan and Guinean-Portuguese families. Residents told the Circle they had been promised a community space and had waited for it for over a year.
Why was it winnable
The space had already been promised by the local authority, so the Circle was asking for something specific that was owed, not proposing something new. A local community leader was already engaged and could set up the meeting with the freguesia. The Circle had also been working in the neighbourhood for months, which gave it trust and context.
Who was affected
Residents of Quinta do Mocho, particularly young adults and creatives who had expressed an interest in running workshops and community activities.
The goal
Secure the community space that residents had been promised, with a dedicated room for the community leader to run workshops and other activities.
What they did
- Asked the community leaders what they needed. The Circle listened to community leaders in Quinta do Mocho, who said they had been promised a space for over a year.
- Chose to help with that issue. The Circle took on the community space as its winnable issue because it was what residents asked for.
- Booked a meeting with the freguesia. A local community leader set up the meeting and the Circle went along to support.
- Documented the closed office. The office did not open on the day of the meeting, so the Circle recorded video and photos showing that the freguesia had not turned up to the booked meeting.
- Followed up by email with the evidence. The community leaders and Circle became a pressure group, emailing the freguesia and attaching the evidence that the office had not opened.
- Received the keys. Shortly afterwards, the community leader was given keys to the community centre and a dedicated room to run workshops.
Who they worked with
A community leader in Quinta do Mocho, who set up the freguesia meeting, the freguesia itself, and Circle members.
What worked
Listening to what the community said it needed, then supporting residents to get it. The Circle also kept a clear record of what happened, with video, photos and an email trail showing the office had not opened for the agreed meeting, which made the follow-up hard to dismiss.
What didn’t work
The freguesia office was closed on the day of the booked meeting,so rather than a simple meeting the Circle and local residents needed to become a pressure group.
The outcome
Shortly after the Circle followed up by email, the community leader in Quinta do Mocho was given the keys to the community centre and a dedicated room in it to run workshops and other activities.
What was learned
Include everyone in the pressure group on cc with their workplace emails where possible, so the whole group is visible to the recipient. Keep photo and video evidence whenever someone doesn’t turn up when they said they would.
What could another Circle replicate
Start by asking community leaders what they need, and pick a promise that has already been made to residents and not kept. Go to the meeting with the leader, keep a record of what happens (including if the other side doesn’t show up), and send a polite follow-up email with the evidence attached, copying in everyone in the group. The approach needs no budget, only organised persistence.
Resources
Local association for the neighbourhood that the Circle partnered with - https://mochomais.com/
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