On October 29, 2025, the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) published an article on the REGION.innovativ project BePart. The BePart project examined how people in two small towns in Lausitz experience and help shape structural change in their region. Although the towns appear similar at first glance, the research revealed clear differences in attitudes, dynamics and self-images: While some municipalities see themselves as active shapers of change, others take on more of an observational role. The project's program line aims to gain a better understanding of how social innovations can contribute to successfully shaping structural change. The focus here is on the question of what conditions need to be created so that local people can develop real prospects for the future. Newcomers and returnees in particular, who return to their home region with new ideas and the will to shape the future, are seen as important drivers of change processes. The research team plans to extend the studies to other municipalities in the future in order to record regional characteristics and potentials even more precisely and to deepen existing knowledge. The idea of a long-term study over a period of five to ten years is also being considered in order to continuously observe and gain a better understanding of developments, moods and change processes within a municipality. In this way, the BePart project is helping to make the mental landscapes of Lausitz visible - and to show ways in which community participation and engagement can have a lasting impact on change in the region.