Following the first phase of community sessions in Paiporta, the municipality’s participatory reconstruction process has provided valuable insights into residents’ needs, priorities and experiences after the DANA floods.
The reconstruction of Paiporta has entered a new phase focused on citizen participation, with health promotion and non-communicable disease prevention perspectives. In this context, the municipality launched a broad participatory process aimed at identifying the actual needs of its residents.
The starting point was the formation of the Paiporta Steering Group, a forum bringing together political representatives, technical experts, associations and local organisations, along with the Torrent Public Health Centre, the Paiporta Health Centre and the General Directorate of Public Health. This group helped establish a solid methodological foundation and a community-based approach from the outset.
As part of the process, several community sessions have now been carried out involving a wide range of population groups. The planning included dedicated workshops with people over 60 years old, migrant communities and young people aged between 14 and 18, alongside specific meetings organised across four different areas of the municipality. At the same time, the initiative was coordinated with the Health Promoting Schools intervention, through which around one hundred secondary school students were consulted about their experiences, needs and priorities.
Each neighbourhood session brought together around 65 residents of Paiporta aged between 26 and 85, with balanced participation between women and men. Nearly half of the participants held university degrees, while many others had completed higher education studies, and most had a local background.
The discussions were structured using the Place Standard Tool, a participatory framework that assesses 14 dimensions of place, from mobility and public transport to social contact, safety and natural spaces. Residents scored each aspect on a scale that helps identify strengths and priorities for improvement.
Barriers and ways forward
An initial challenge was defining the zones, since residents do not always identify with formal neighbourhood boundaries. With the help of socioeconomic maps and the Councillor for Community Engagement, who knows the town first-hand, four working areas were agreed. The sessions took place in public schools and the municipal museum. In each session, participants discussed and scored different aspects of their environment, helping to build a clear picture of daily life in Paiporta today.
Division of working areas and perception data obtained from citizens’ sessions using Place Standard Tool
The working groups, composed of four or five people, fostered a sense of closeness and made it possible to accurately identify needs. Paiporta is currently a municipality that is heavily involved in consultations, with more than fourteen active projects from various organisations. As a result, part of the population was showing some weariness toward participatory processes without a clear outcome.
To counter this feeling, the Core Group of JA PreventNCD’s intervention took time to explain the methodology, its purpose and how the information would be used. In this sense, the JA PreventNCD project has become a model of commitment, closeness and grassroots work, incorporating local actors and maintaining a continuous presence in the community.
During the sessions, participants were asked to assess the current situation, avoiding comparisons with the past or projections into the future. The sessions also created spontaneous opportunities for neighbours who did not know each other to meet, allowing them to share useful information, activities and common concerns.
The final session presented a particular situation, as several participants affected by recurrent flooding problems attended in a highly emotional state, which made it impossible to carry out the planned activity. A dedicated space was therefore created with political representatives to address their concerns directly. The format was also adapted to include an open Q&A, with technical and political staff moving between tables to provide clarification. Although this approach was reactive, it could have been beneficial if planned from the start.
Key findings and reflections
The results in Paiporta revealed important differences across areas and groups. Key issues included limited walkability and cycling infrastructure, strong dependence on cars, gaps in public transport access, and widespread traffic and parking problems, intensified by the impact of the floods.
Natural spaces were generally poorly rated due to a perceived lack of greenery, shade and shelter. Structural needs were also identified in relation to key community facilities, housing access and local employment, although local commerce showed signs of recovery.
At the same time, social contact emerged as a need in some neighbourhoods, while identity, belonging and perceived safety were consistently rated positively.
The local museum “El Rajolar” was one of the settings for the participatory process.
Overall, the process generated strong engagement but also highlighted the importance of ensuring continuity and visible outcomes. Residents expressed willingness to participate but emphasised the need for concrete results. Strengthening feedback loops, managing expectations and maintaining collective momentum will be essential to consolidate this participatory approach and support both the physical and social recovery of the municipality.
Healthy Living Environment work in JA PreventNCD
Paula Re
Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of the Valencian Community, Fisabio, Spain
Lluís Pascual i Vidal
Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of the Valencian Community, Fisabio, Spain