The Chilean PUENTE program A bridge between families and their rights Psychosocial support for families from the Intersectorial Social Protection System, “Chile Solidario”

Puente program – between the family and its rights The use of educational materials in the psychosocial process Paola Barros – Tutor of Barbados

Importance of educational materials The educational materials of the Chilean Puente program are considered to be a tool that supports the Puente intervention strategy and methodology in its psychosocial approach to vulnerable families. The basic concept is Popular Education. Dialogue is the main method: conversation between people, adapted to each individual or family, in which everyone participates actively. Creation of huge sheets with paintings that represent scenes from daily family life. Formation of spaces for reflection and discussion within the family about all significant issues.

Circular process: – Understanding and building new behaviors – Changing habits in order to improve the reality in which the family lives – Working within this reality and changing it with the integration of new elements; exercising rights and obligations The methodological tools represent a symbolic and abstract aspect, and this strengthens the development of trust in relation to state agencies, working together with state representatives, and making families commit to their own development. The educational materials facilitate awareness of personal family history, of available human capital, and of setting development goals and their connection and use of social, institutional, and community networks. Importance of educational materials

There is a set of inputs that can be considered tools, and each of them represents the way in which the link with the Family Support Counselor is being shaped. The tools give the opportunity to go from something abstract to something concrete. Referring to the assumptions that underlie the family intervention: The process of social inclusion and development has to be accompanied by initial processes that rescue the families’ abilities to function. This allows the families to build and develop life skills to resolve issues and problems, which further on help to face more complex processes. Importance of educational materials

Materials and their incorporation into the Puente in the Caribbean program Local culture and features have to be appreciated. Symbolic aspects cannot be translated in a literal way. Recognize each country’s experiences in education and training processes in order to reuse the same concepts, games, types of relationships, etc. that are part of the personal and family history of a community. Resist the temptation to reduce the use of these working tools to the final goal of the program. Reflect critically on the State’s common practices towards vulnerable people. Why are our tools able to “seduce” people who are used to traditional intervention? How can we have trustworthy relationships with families and get their permission to support and accompany them in a process THEY are willing to undergo themselves? The tools give families the opportunity to build something in a symbolic way and, at the same time, in a very concrete way to carry out their own development plans.

Family history Dimensions or pillars Resources Partial goals Activation and use of the networks Psychosocial support process

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