Intervention Project - Part II

                 This week I focused mainly on understanding and research what has been done in terms of projects in the area in which I want to develop  mine, but also to plan and what I have and want to do with this intervention project.

                During my  Degree and perhaps even during former  years of training  I got used to plan and  schematize what I have and want to work, so in the post above ,I have already showed you  the first scheme of work and ideas. However, that one is just a kind of brainstorming of the project, and now thinking more in detail in the work index, I have  idealized a series of steps that I think are essential to set priorities and start the project further and deeper.

                So I present the following work index, however it is important to add that the visit to the association PIER CAIS, unfortunately, has not been done for several reasons, but the process is in progress and  as soon as possible and know that I will have news about it and  that it will be easier to have concrete ideas because  it is important to remember that although the theory in this and other projects is very important as theoretical basis, the practical issues of intervention on the ground and even confrontation with reality are very important because, for me , from this confrontation is that things can change and change for the better. This is because, and in my opinion, one of the main functions of sociology is to help in the improvement of society to the common welfare of their people , because it is of them that society is composed.

So here we have the first index of the project:
1- Objectives of the project
2- Exhibition of the main ideas and guidelines of the project and the target audience
3- Relevance of the project and its importance to the community and to the target audience
4- Definition of homelessness or individual in a situation of social exclusion (which in this case will be the target audience) so that is perceptible and acceptable to the largest number of researchers
5-  Theoretical  basis and studies already done in the area
6- Activities and practical application of the project
7- Partners and Sponsors to whom we  would have to appeal
8- Budget
9- Schedule
10- Conclusions

                The order and even the steps of the project may be changed  and I ask again, if anyone has something  that can be  relevant or even  beneficial  to  help at this stage , I accept suggestions.

                Now and  as I have  already mentioned above, this week I have also tried to understand if  there were  any projects in the area, and I  undoubtedly know that there are many , but I started by reading a book about the Second Seminar on "Poverty - Change / Development" (1992 ) from  the Regional Commissioner of  the Southern Fight against  Poverty .

                 In this book there is a description of a seminar on issues  about poverty and its change and development.  In this book I read about  a project for the homeless, developed by the Institute of Private Social Solidarity "Community Life and Peace" “ Comunidade Vida e Paz “ for 4 years (1992/1995). What is interesting to analyze this project is that, despite the years that have passed, the ideas and the basic mission of the project is remains . For example, today it is still urgent to create spaces of socialization, such as providing housing, food, hygiene and health and spaces of socio-professional integration, such as providing human, social and professional, all this aiming  the  social  insertion  as it is  mentioned in the project  of the IPSS.

                It is also current the issue of volunteering and the involvement of volunteers with the target audience and the training of the volunteers for the tasks they will perform. It is also mentioned

 in the project  that  I read it is also mentioned that these actions either on the streets with volunteers to help   night or day with food and personal support and individual homelessness or living in monthly meetings, has had a very positive component  among the  homelessness, and some of them assumed an attitude towards life, as mentioned in the project of the "community life and peace." I think that it is also  interesting to mention  the infrastructures that were built as housing for example, a small farm on the surroundings of Lisbon who receives housing and where it is possible to accommodate, train and professionally literate youth and adults "homeless" in order to integrate them socially. In Fatima, it  was also in  construction, on land offered,  equipment for the reinsertion of young people. Of course, and it is important to mention, there was a budget for this  innovative and ambitious project, from the Regional Commissioner of the Southern Fight against  Poverty .

                Although the duration of this project has ended (92/95), it seems to me  that it is still  important the concerns and aspirations contemplated there, and that such projects can be a strong support for the construction of my own intervention project because it is based on  other ideas and going deeper  that, I will be able to build this project. Besides that , we can always learn from others and get some benefits of  what has been or could have been a good idea to build a better future for all. That seems to me  to be the mission of this project which I  read in the book and in my own project.

                In short, I think it is an interesting  project and a very interesting idea  of  this IPSS and always adapting to the context and time in which we live, it seems to me that  some ideas and activities can bring benefits in order  to make society and the insertion of "homeless" in society or people in social exclusion, an issue easier to be  solved  and develop in  a way to  provide the welfare of the entire population.

Projecto de Intervenção - Parte II

Esta semana centrei-me essencialmente em entender e pesquisar o que já foi feito em termos de projectos na área em que quero desenvolver o meu, mas também a planificar aquilo que tenho e quero fazer com este projecto de intervenção.

Na Licenciatura e talvez até em anos de formação anteriores, fui-me habituando a planificar e esquematizar aquilo que tenho e quero trabalhar, assim no post acima referido já vos fui mostrando qual o primeiro esquema de trabalho e de ideias. Contudo, aquele é apenas uma espécie de brainstorming do projecto, agora e pensando mais em detalhe num índice do trabalho, idealizei uma serie de etapas que penso serem essenciais para definir prioridades e iniciar o projecto mais a fundo.

Apresento assim o seguinte índice de trabalho, todavia é importante acrescentar que a visita à associação CAIS, infelizmente, ainda não foi realizada por diversas razões, mas está em andamento o processo e o mais breve possível sei que terei noticias sobre a mesma e que com isso será mais fácil ter ideias concretas pois é importante não esquecer que, apesar de a teoria neste e noutros projectos ser muito importante enquanto fundamento teórico, a prática, as questões de intervenção no terreno e até de confronto com a realidade são importantíssimas pois, para mim, é a partir deste confronto que as coisas poderão alterar e mudar para melhor. Isto porque, e na minha opinião, uma das funções principais da sociologia é ajudar na melhoria da sociedade de modo ao bem-estar comum das suas populações pois é delas que é composta a sociedade.

Assim, aqui temos o primeiro índice do projecto:

1º Objectivos do projecto

2º Exposição das ideias principais e linhas orientadoras do projecto bem como do público-alvo

3º Pertinência do projecto e sua importância para a comunidade e para o público-alvo

4º Definição de sem-abrigo ou de individuo em situação de exclusão social (que neste caso serão o público-alvo) de modo a que seja perceptivel e aceite pelo maior numero de investigadores

5º Fundamentos teóricos e estudos já elaborados na área

6º Actividades e aplicação prática do projecto

7º Parceiros e Apoios a que se teria de recorrer

8º Orçamento

9º Cronograma

10º Conclusões

A ordem e até mesmo os passos do projecto poderão ser alterados e peço mais uma vez, se alguém tiver algo que acha relevante ou até mesmo salutar para dizer que possa ajudar nesta etapa em que estou, aceito sugestões.

Agora e como já tinha referido atrás, esta semana também tentei entender o que já havia de projectos na área, sem dúvida que poderão haver inúmeros, todavia comecei por ler um livro acerca do II Seminário sobre "A Pobreza - Mudança/Desenvolvimento" (1992) do Comissariado Regional do Sul da Luta contra a Pobreza. 

Neste livro aparece descrito um seminário acerca das questões da pobreza e sua mudança e desenvolvimento. Encontrei neste mesmo livro um projecto para os sem-abrigo desenvolvido pelo Instituto Particular de Solidariedade Social "Comunidade Vida e Paz" durante 4 anos (1992/1995). O que é interessante de analisar neste projecto é que, apesar dos anos que já se passaram, as ideias e a missão base do projecto continua atual. Por exemplo, continua a ser actual a urgência de criar espaços de socialização, tais como proporcionar alojamento, alimentação, cuidados de higiene e saúde e espaços de integração sócio-profissional, tais como proporcionar formação humana, social e profissional, tudo isto visando a inserção social, tal como é referido no projecto da IPSS. É actual também a questão do voluntariado e do envolvimento dos voluntários com o público-alvo e a formação dos próprios voluntários para as tarefas que irão desempenhar. Sendo também referido no projecto que li que estas acções com voluntários sendo nas ruas a ajudar quer de noite quer de dia com a alimentação e apoio personalizado e individual aos sem-abrigo, quer em encontros de convívio mensais, tem tido uma componente muito positiva juntos dos sem-abrigo, tendo alguns deles assumido uma atitude frente à vida, tal como é referido no projecto da "comunidade vida e paz". O que também me parece interessante referir são as infra-estruturas habitacionais que foram construídas como por exemplo, uma pequena quinta nos arredores de Lisboa que aufere de habitação onde é possivel acolher, alfabetizar e formar profissionalmente jovens e adultos "sem-abrigo", com objectivo de os integrar socialmente. Em Fátima, estava também em construção, em terreno oferecido, um equipamento para reinserção social de jovens. É claro que, e é importante de referir, existia uma verba para este projecto, inovador e ambicioso, do Comissariado Regional do Sul da Luta contra a Pobreza.

Apesar da duração deste projecto já ter terminado (92/95), parece-me que continuam actuais as preocupações e aspirações nele contempladas e que este tipo de projectos podem ser uma forte ajuda para a construção do meu próprio projecto de intervenção, pois é baseando-me e aprofundando outras ideias já realizadas ou idealizadas somente, que me será possível construir este projecto, na minha opinião. Além do mais podemos sempre aprender com os outros e aproveitar o que já foi ou podia ter sido uma boa ideia para construir um futuro melhor para todos, que me parece ser a missão fundamental deste projecto que foi lido no livro e do meu próprio projecto.

Em suma, achei um projecto e uma ideia muito interessante aquela desta IPSS e, adaptando sempre ao contexto e época em que vivemos, parece-me que se poderão aproveitar algumas ideias e actividades para tornar a sociedade e a inserção dos "sem-abrigo" na sociedade ou das pessoas em exclusão social, uma questão mais fácil de se ir resolvendo e desenvolvendo de forma sempre a proporcionar o bem-estar de toda a população.

Margarida Piçarra Navalhinhas

Intervention Project - Part I

Integrated into the subject Globalization, Social Justice and Human Rights, and seen as a method of evaluation, but rather as learning method, we were proposed to make an intervention project that was useful to the association concerned, in my case the association “CAIS” .

According to the information presented at the association's website, its mission is to contribute to the global improvement of the living conditions of homeless , socially and economically vulnerable in situations of deprivation, exclusion and risk. Founded in 1994 the first big project of this association was the creation of a magazine ,  “CAIS”  with the name of the association, sold on the streets by homeless people or in situations of deprivation or exclusion. In 2003, “ CAIS” has established its center thus expanding its operations.

Issues such as poverty, social exclusion and inclusion and social justice, have always been areas of study that particularly interested me and still interest.
So this week I focused on the theme of exclusion. For that, I read a part of a well-known book of Giddens (2001), Sociology published by the Calouste Gulbenkian. To start this theme it seemed to be the most suitable book, and so according to Giddens,I tried to find:
- A definition of social exclusion,
- Relate this theme to poverty,
- Try to understand why social exclusion exists and
- connect Social exclusion  homeless people (since it is essentially about these that my project will focus).

Starting with the first point, Social exclusion and according to Giddens, this topic was first introduced by sociologists to refer to new sources of inequality. Thus, it is understood by exclusion the ways in which individuals can be deprived of full involvement in society.
The issue of social exclusion is also a different issue of poverty itself.  Exclusion we can say say that focuses its attention on a broader set and factors that prevent individuals or groups have the same opportunities that other people have.
Exclusion can be seen at various levels, the economic, the political level, or  the social level.

However, the concept of exclusion also raises a question, the question of  action. Exclusion always implies that someone or something is being removed from each other.
Regarding  social exclusion and according to  Giddens , there are two chances to answer. The first is that there are actually instances in which individuals are excluded in accordance with decisions made outside their own control, as an employee of a certain age, who is dispensed and can’t get a new job because of his age, etc.. Another hypothesis is people that  are "self-excluded", if I may say this in this way,   the central aspects of society, for example : an individual decides to give up studying, abstains from voting, etc..
So, when we are studying this subject of social exclusion we should be alert to the relationship between human action and responsibility and, on the other hand, the role of social forces in the construction of situations in which people find themselves.

Finally, I decided to choose to understand what  is then the relationship between social exclusion and homelessness, and so once again according to Giddens, the homeless are people who haven’t, for several reasons, some type of home or a permanent shelter. The lack of a permanent place of residence is one of the most extreme forms of social exclusion. People without a permanent residence may be excluded from many daily activities, going to work, getting  letters by mail, going to the bank, etc.. All this excludes the person  of everyday life in all societies and even of the resident population.
What leads people to  to a  situation of exclusion and in more extreme cases of homelessness , are several factors as we have already reflected. However, what seems most relevant to study is the way of those people who want , being inserted  again into society and return  to be"included" as citizens of a society and as  active and socially integrated people.

There is still no consensus on how to help these people getting out of the streets to a permanent accommodation and to have a more stable life. However, and although this is not the final decision,the majority of the  sociologists who have studied the problem agree that the supply of housing in conditions, is an important aspect to end homelessness.
Finally, I finish quoting  Christopher Jenks from his book” The Homeless” (1994) and cited in Giddens(2001): "Regardless of the reasons people live on the street, giving them a place to live that offers a minimum of privacy and stability is usually the most important thing you can do to improve their lives. Without stable housing, nothing more will result . "

Of course, this issue is not consensual and that this is just an opinion that even though it is more or less consensual, it is still the target of criticism. It can also be particularly important to contribute to  improve the lives of these people, to offer more helps   either to the psychological level or the social level and even of training always bearing in mind   the improvement of self-esteem of these people  and bet that they can do more and be more and even better. All this  seems unrealistic now, however, with proper helps and a  bet on people  may perhaps become   quite profitable and better to everyone.

So this week I have detained myself  essentially in the creation of the conceptual and theoretical foundations for this intervention project ,in a  still very early stage I thought I should start framing the first ideas theoretically, but it does not mean they can not be

 Changed  because they are not tight, however I thought it would be a good starting point to begin by reading what Giddens says about this topic.
To conclude, I would like  to explain what  I  thought I could do and study  and help to improve the project in question, and so I built  the following scheme:

Right now, and at  a first glance, this is  the idea of project I have, it is not concrete yet and if anyone wants to help or give some opinions that may be useful,  they are accepted .