18.06.2025Five new Seed Grant projects to promote participatory research

As part of the 2025 Seed Grant call, we are funding five new projects and thus creating incentives for participatory research. As in previous years, there was a great interest in the seventh call for proposals. A total of 40 project applications were received. We briefly present the funded projects here.

Perimenopause is the first stage of an inevitable hormonal transition. It is critical, yet widely overlooked, affecting 680’000 40-50 year old women in Switzerland. Two third of them experience fatigue, anxiety, mood swings or sleep disturbances without realizing these are likely signs of perimenopause. As a result, they struggle in silence, unaware their symptoms are treatable. Our 30-day study with 30 women (aged 40-50) will explore how women recognize and interpret early perimenopausal symptoms and whether they seek support. By analyzing their symptoms, coping strategies and interactions with employers and healthcare, we aim to identify gaps in awareness and intervention. In addition, Meno Swiss will lead educational initiatives (podcasts, events) to bridge the knowledge gap. This study is a starting point for larger investigations into Swiss women’s hormonal health and long-term well-being.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in Switzerland. Without screening, two out of 80 individuals die before the age of 80. While effective screening programs for detecting CRC are available, participation from the target population, citizens aged 50 to 69 with an average CRC risk, is lower than desired. Pharmacies are ideal partners for implementing screening programs, yet their roles and citizens’ preferences have rarely been explored. In this project, a team of researchers, pharmacists, program and participant representatives will 1) investigate the needs and preferences of program (non-) participants & pharmacists for accessing organized CRC screening in Lucerne through community pharmacies; 2) co-create prototypes for locally relevant strategies and solutions to recruit more CRC program participants through pharmacies. With interviews, focus groups, surveys and creative workshops they will develop citizen- relevant strategies and practical solutions for program pharmacies.

The project researches “integration” in Wetzikon in the Zurich Oberland, with a focus on local offers and demands for integration, with the aim of developing scientifically sound foundations and practically applicable proposals for a more integrative city life. The overarching question is: how can integration in Wetzikon be made even more successful? Through socio-cultural participation, the project aims to strengthen a new sense of unity in Switzerland as a polyphonic migration society. The project is supported by the city of Wetzikon and is designed to be co-creative in all project phases. Ethnology students are also involved in the project. Three groups of actors are differentiated and included in this research: those who offer integration services, those to whom these services are directed and the long-established population of Wetzikon.

Outdoor activity and exposure to nature are vital for well-being, yet accessibility and inclusion barriers limit equal access and participation in urban green spaces. For people with a refugee background in particular, challenges include the unfamiliarity with accepted social norms and limited knowledge of available activities. This pilot project will address these issues by introducing refugee children (ages 10-14) to nature-based Citizen Science, engaging them in the mapping of urban green spaces. Participants will explore new environments, connect with nature, enhance scientific literacy, and build community ties. Using a multi-method approach, researchers and policymakers will gain insights into refugee children’s engagement with green spaces and the multifaceted impacts of Citizen Science on this vulnerable community, including place attachment and well-being. Through dissemination activities among stakeholders—including schools and municipalities —we will promote nature-based Citizen Science as a unique tool for fostering community cohesion, social inclusion, and environmental education, aligning with the Child-Friendly Cities initiative and the Planetary Health framework. Conducted in collaboration with the Mapping for Recreation initiative (University of Twente), the project will adapt its tools to the Swiss context, strengthening sustainability and international impact.

Fairy tales support language development, cultural identity, and socioemotional skills, yet their relevance is declining, particularly among boys. Concerns about outdated gender roles and violent themes highlight the need for adaptation. This Citizen Science project takes a co-creative approach, integrating parents, educators, and community members as active collaborators in adapting fairy tales to modern educational needs. Through participatory workshops and generative AI tools, citizens contribute to story development, research design, and evaluation, ensuring that the adapted narratives reflect diverse perspectives while preserving the cognitive and emotional benefits of storytelling. Using a randomized waitlist-control design, children aged 4 to 8 are assigned to one of three groups: (1) traditional fairy tales, (2) citizen co-created adaptations, or (3) a waitlist-control group. Pre- and post-intervention assessments measure language proficiency, socioemotional skills, and parent-child engagement through standardized tests, observational data, and qualitative feedback analyzed by citizen scientists. This project pioneers a participatory research model, empowering communities to shape storytelling practices that foster language acquisition, inclusivity, and scientific literacy. The project aims to modernize fairy tales in a way that strengthens intergenerational connections and ensures broad accessibility and long-term societal impact.