Volume 7, No. 1

Douglas D. Perkins, Manuel García-Ramírez, Isabel Menezes, Irma Serrano-García, Melissa Strompolis

Community Psychology and Public Policy: Research, Advocacy and Training in International Contexts

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We introduce a special issue on public policy research, advocacy, and training by community psychologists that grew out of the Fifth International Community Psychology Conference held in Fortaleza, Brazil. Two papers from Portugal propose changes in sex education policies in schools and communities to promote adolescents’ rights and drug abuse policies based on decriminalization of use and possession, risk and harm reduction, and health promotion. An article from Spain addresses transformative policies to reduce public health disparities for the Roma population in that country. Three contributions from Brazil examine a Landless Workers Movement popular education and agroforestry project to support children and adolescents’ rights and participation; another social movement to control public policy on youth and adult literacy and education; and racist environmental and natural resource policies that ignore the territorial rights of indigenous Amazonian populations. A paper from Chile describes the creation of a regular public forum to reduce stigma and promote human rights in community mental health care. Another paper examines the development and presents examples of social-community psychologists’ involvement in policy work in Puerto Rico, the process of training students for this endeavor and how to improve training. Finally, three articles cover recent trends in policy advocacy by community psychologists in the United States including its promotion and capacity building by the Society for Community Research and Action; using social media as a tool to enhance effectiveness of advocacy efforts; and an assessment of advocates’ and legislators’ capacity, knowledge, and perceptions of child injury prevention to inform policy change efforts.

Mirian Patricia Burgos, Joaquim Luís Coimbra, Pedro Ferreira

Democracia, Participação Social E Controle Social De Políticas Públicas No Brasil: A Experiência Dos Fóruns Da Educação De Jovens E Adultos Do Brasil

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O artigo apresenta o surgimento e a trajetória do movimento social dos Fóruns da Educação de Jovens e Adultos do Brasil (Fóruns da EJA do Brasil), a partir da década de 1990, como dispositivo de controle social exercido pela sociedade civil organizada frente às ações do Estado nesse campo. A investigação analisa inicialmente a conjuntura em que surge uma nova e distinta compreensão e uso conceitual nas ciências sociais do significante “controle social”, dando ênfase à relação entre Estado e sociedade civil no período da redemocratização brasileira pós-ditadura militar a partir da década de 1980. Em seguida, o artigo situa os posicionamentos contemporâneos em torno dos conceitos “controle social” e de “Advocacy”. Tais conceitos têm suas expressões analisadas no contexto brasileiro e, mais especificamente, no campo da Alfabetização e Educação de Jovens e Adultos e em experiências de participação no movimento social que se organizou para intervir nesse campo. Com um aporte teórico ancorado nas ideias de Coutinho (2006), Freire (1987; 2000; 2005), Lima (2009), Pontual (2008) e Warren (2014), o estudo visa a identificar as conquistas, os desafios e as possibilidades dos Fóruns da EJA do Brasil no campo das políticas públicas, como contribuição para a efetivação de uma sociedade justa, livre e pluralista, a partir do conceito freireano de participação.

 

This paper presents how the social movement of the Forums for the Education of Young People and Adults of Brasil (Forums EJA of Brazil) came to be and developed, from the 1990s on, as an instance of control of state actions in the field by organized groups of civil society. This research starts by analyzing the context how a new understanding and use of the 'social control' concept emerged, one emphasizing the control by civil society of state actions, in the redemocratization period, after the military dictatorship, and since the 1980s. It then situates those that are the contemporary understandings of 'social control' and 'advocacy'. These concepts are analyzed for the Brazilian context  specifically in the field of alphabetization and education of young people and adults and in experiences of participation in the social movement which organized to act in this field. With theoretical contributions anchored in the works by Coutinho (2006), Freire (1987; 2000; 2005), Lima (2009), Pontual (2008) and Warren (2014), this study identifies the conquests, challenges and possibilities of the Forums EJA of Brazil in terms of public policies, as contribution to the making of a free, fair and pluralist society, following the Freirian concept of participation.

J. Taylor Scott, J’Vonnah Maryman

Using Social Media as a Tool to Complement Advocacy Efforts

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Community practitioners must leverage a variety of tools in order to promote and advocate for social change. Social media are relatively innovative tools for informing and mobilizing communities in an advocacy effort. As part of a coordinated effort, social media align well with the principles of community psychology by enabling individuals to contribute to participatory dialogue about social issues, collaborate on change efforts, and establish a sense of community. These tools can enhance supporters’ advocacy engagement and can help sustain efforts in the midst of inevitable challenges. However, social media alone are not sufficient for promoting social change, but should be used to enhance traditional organizing strategies. In addition to synthesizing literature across empirical and practitioner (e.g., communication consultants) sources, real-world examples are provided to illustrate how social media can enhance advocacy efforts. This article presents findings from an extensive literature review to serve as a resource for community practitioners on ways to enhance advocacy efforts with social media. 

Manuel García-Ramírez, Marta Escobar-Ballesta, Tona Lizana, María-Jesús Albar

El Reto de la Equidad en las Políticas Sanitarias Dirigidas al Pueblo Gitano en España

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En este artículo abordamos la contribución de la psicología comunitaria en la formulación de políticas de salud pública transformadoras dirigidas al pueblo gitano. La brecha en salud entre la minoría gitana y el resto de la población en Europa, ha conducido a la Organización Internacional para las Migraciones a implementar el proyecto Equi-Health. Su finalidad es redefinir las políticas de salud dirigidas al pueblo gitano desde los principios de equidad y justicia social. En España, esto ha supuesto un proceso iterativo de cuatro fases: (1) encuadrar el problema, (2) construir capacidad de colaboración entre los agentes; (3) desarrollar conocimiento compartido, y (4) planificar acciones y fortalecer compromisos futuros. Las lecciones aprendidas de esta experiencia permiten: (1) visibilizar las fortalezas de la psicología comunitaria en la innovación de políticas de salud; (2) crear conciencia sobre nuestro compromiso con los grupos oprimidos, y (3) responder científicamente a la gobernanza de la salud.

 

In this paper we address the contribution of the community psychology to the formulation of transformative public health policies for the Roma. The gap in health between the Roma and the rest of population in Europe has led the International Organization for Migration to implement the Equi-Health Project. Its aim is to redefine public health policies addressed to the Roma from the values of equity and social justice. In Spain, it has entailed an iterative four stage process: (1) to frame the problem, (2) to build collaborative capacity among stakeholders; (3) to develop shared understanding, and (4) to plan future actions and strengthen commitments. The lessons learned from this experience allow to: (1) make the strengths of community psychology visible for the innovation of public health policies; (2) raise awareness of our commitment with oppressed groups; and (3) scientifically respond to governance for health.

Ana Paula Soares da Silva, Juliana Bezzon da Silva, Leandro Amorim Rosa, Regiane Sbroion de Carvalho, Ana Cecília Oliveira Silva, Thaise Vieira

Prática comunitária e o trabalho do Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST) com crianças e adolescentes em Ribeirão Preto/SP - Brasil

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O artigo relata a experiência de prática comunitária do LAPSAPE que, nos anos de 2007 a 2012, por solicitação do setor de educação do Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra – MST, realizou atividades em um assentamento de reforma agrária, localizado na cidade de Ribeirão Preto, Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. A atuação foi orientada pela perspectiva teórica e metodológica histórico-cultural, articulando conhecimentos da Psicologia do Desenvolvimento e Psicologia Social-Comunitária. O objetivo da prática era contribuir para a formação de educadores populares, construindo com eles instrumentos para a atuação em diferentes níveis: organização e realização de atividades lúdicas e educativas com as crianças e adolescentes; construção de conhecimentos sobre a infância para proposição de ações de defesa de seus direitos junto a órgãos governamentais; envolvimento com as políticas de atendimento à educação das crianças e jovens assentados; integração das crianças ao espaço do assentamento da reforma agrária e ao modelo de produção econômica escolhido e em implantação pelos adultos. Participaram aproximadamente dez adultos e quarenta crianças e adolescentes de diferentes idades (dos três aos 17 anos). Orientou o trabalho o entendimento da necessária coconstrução e do aprendizado mútuo entre assentados e Universidade. Alguns dos eixos de trabalho desenvolvidos foram: o lugar da infância e da criança no assentamento rural de reforma agrária; direitos das crianças e adolescentes; brincadeiras; registro e memória; desenvolvimento infantil; educação do campo; relações campo-cidade; preconceito; sustentabilidade. Por meio do trabalho com diferentes linguagens e métodos, houve a contribuição no empoderamento dos adultos para a organização de ações de luta pela melhoria das políticas de educação. Destaca-se o protagonismo construído: na mobilização de adultos e crianças para combater os riscos no transporte escolar (o que resultou na visibilidade do tema na mídia, na conquista de melhores condições dos veículos e na contratação de adultos assentados para acompanhar o trajeto entre o assentamento e a escola); na luta pela inclusão, no planejamento orçamentário do município, de verba para a construção de escola no próprio assentamento; no envolvimento das crianças e adolescentes no projeto agroflorestal do assentamento. Ressalta-se que a prática foi realizada em uma comunidade politicamente engajada, principalmente devido à história de participação no movimento social e à luta pela consolidação do assentamento de reforma agrária. Nas avaliações conjuntas com os assentados, concluiu-se que a intervenção do grupo do LAPSAPE contribuiu, num movimento gradativo, para a construção das identidades dos participantes como educadores infantis, bem como para a construção da autonomia em relação à argumentação, junto aos poderes públicos locais, a favor das políticas públicas que visem a melhoria das condições de vida das crianças e adolescentes assentados. 

 

The aim of this article is to present the experience of community practice of LAPSAPE in an agrarian reform settlement, located in the city of Ribeirão Preto, State of São Paulo, Brazil. The practice was conducted, during the years 2007 to 2012, at the invitation of the Landless Workers Movement – MST. The cultural-historical psychological perspective and the link between Developmental Psychology and Community Psychology oriented the activities. The purpose of the practice was contribute to the work of popular educators, building with them instruments to act in different levels: organization of playful and educational activities with children and adolescents; construction of knowledges about childhood to propose actions of defence of their rights with government agencies; involvement with the policies of education of children and young people; integration of children into space of the settlement of land reform. Ten adults and 40 children and adolescents of different ages (from three to 17 years old) participated of the activities. The comprehension of mutual construction and learning between settlers and University guided the practice. Some of the principal lines of the developed work were: the place of childhood and of the child in the rural settlement; rights of children and adolescents; plays; registry and memory of the activities; child development; rural education; rural-urban relationships; prejudice; sustainability. Through the deployment of different methods and languages, there was contribution to the empowerment of adults for the organization of actions for improvement of education policies. We highlight the role built in: mobilizing both adults and children to combat the risks on school transport (which resulted in the visibility of this topic in media, in the conquest of better conditions of vehicles and in the engagement of settlers adults to follow the path between the settlement and the school); the struggle for inclusion in municipal budget funding for the construction of the school in the settlement; and the involvement of children and adolescents in the agroforestry project. It should be noted that the practice was performed in a politically engaged community, mainly due to the history of participation in social movement and the struggle for the consolidation of settlement of agrarian reform. In the joint assessments with the settlers, we concluded that the intervention of the LAPSAPE group contributed to the construction of the identities of the participants as child educators as well as for the construction of autonomy in relation to the argument in favour of public policies, aimed at improving the living conditions of children and adolescents from agrarian reform settlements.

Irma Serrano-García, Eduardo A. Lugo-Hernández

Involving psychologists in public policy in Puerto Rico: Processes and Results

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For many years, psychology in Puerto Rico was considered an individual-level positivistic science with a neutral stance towards socio-political issues. However, during recent years psychologists on the Island have become more involved in policy issues. Initially this was the result of the pioneering work of some individuals. More recently, systematic efforts have been supported by research within the social-community psychology program at the University of Puerto Rico and by the Puerto Rico Psychology Association (PRPA). Results of these studies showed that most psychologists who did not participate in policy work had one of the following reasons: a) lack of time, b) lack of training, and/or c) negative attitudes toward party politics. However, there are examples of work in public policy as a result of individual efforts, from NGOs, the PRPA, governmental agencies, and private practitioners. Regarding training, research demonstrated that there are hardly any courses on the subject in graduate programs, nor emphasis on the competencies required for the task in the available curriculum. There are also few publications about psychologists and public policy. This article will:

1. provide information about the efforts that have led to increased participation of psychologists in policy work,
2. present examples of research and projects carried out in Puerto Rico, and
3. discuss the training available and how it should be modified to facilitate involvement in public policy.

 

Por muchos años la psicología en Puerto Rico se consideraba una ciencia positivista de intervenciones a nivel individual con una postura neutral hacia asuntos socio-políticos. Sin embargo, en años recientes los psicólogos/as en la Isla se han involucrado más en política pública. Inicialmente este fue el resultado del trabajo de algunos pioneros/as. Algunos esfuerzos sistemáticos han sido apoyados por investigaciones desde el Área Social-Comunitaria de la Universidad de Puerto Rico y por la Asociación de Psicología de P.R (APPR). Las investigaciones demostraron que la mayoría de los psicólogos/as que no participan en política pública, no lo hacen por: a) falta de tiempo, b) falta de adiestramiento y c) actitudes negativas hacia el proceso político partidista. Ejemplos de la práctica surgen de esfuerzos individuales, organizaciones sin fines de lucro, de la APPR, desde entidades gubernamentales y desde la práctica privada. Son escasas las publicaciones sobre política pública. Los estudios también revelaron que casi no hay cursos sobre el tema en los programas graduados ni énfasis en las competencias requeridas para estas tareas en el currículo. En este artículo

1. proveeremos información sobre los esfuerzos para aumentar la participación en política pública de nuestros/as colegas,
2. presentaremos ejemplos de investigaciones y proyectos realizados en Puerto Rico y
3. discutiremos el adiestramiento disponible y cómo debe modificarse para facilitar el trabajo en política pública. 

Pamela Grandón Fernández, Rafael Dresdner Vicencio, Marcelo Sanhueza Vallejos, Pamela Vaccari Jiménez

Prácticas Anti-estigma como Eje Articulador del Trabajo Comunitario en Salud Mental

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El estigma es la principal causa de sufrimiento en personas que reciben un diagnóstico psiquiátrico. Por esto el Centro de Rehabilitación Diurno “Luz de Luna” se dio a la tarea de organizar anualmente las Jornadas “anti-estigma”, cuyo objetivo fue generar un espacio de reflexión, debate y sinergia de experiencias sobre la forma de combatir el estigma y resguardar los derechos de las personas en salud mental. Las jornadas se realizan bajo un modelo de investigación basado en la participación de la comunidad, que incluyen un equipo gestor y distintos actores locales. La información obtenida en éstas se analizó usando técnicas cualitativas. Las jornadas han desarrollado diferentes productos y efectos que evidencian la efectividad de trabajar bajo este modelo inclusivo: generación de documentos sobre la discriminación, estigma y promoción de derechos; nuevos espacios de promoción de derechos en salud mental y alianzas estratégicas con redes sanitarias, de educación superior, fundaciones privadas y organizaciones de usuarios con diagnóstico psiquiátrico. 

Stigma is the main cause of suffering in people who receive a psychiatric diagnosis. Hence, the “Moonlight” Rehabilitation Center decided to annually organize the “anti-stigma” sessions, aimed to generate a reflection, debate and synergy space of experiences in order to fight stigma and protect the rights of people in mental health. These sessions are based on a research model of community participation that includes a managing team and different local actors. The information obtained in these sessions was analyzed by means of qualitative techniques. The products and effects that evidence the value of following this inclusive model have been developed: generation of documents on discrimination, stigma and promotion of rights; new promotion spaces of right in mental health and strategic alliances with health networks, higher education, private foundations and organizations of users with psychiatric diagnoses.

Simão Mata , Luís Fernandes

A construção duma política pública no campo das drogas: normalização sanitária, pacificação territorial e psicologia de baixo limiar

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O presente artigo centra-se sobre a recente construção duma política pública em Portugal no campo das drogas, cujos eixos fundamentais são a redução de riscos e minimização de danos (RRMD) e a descriminalização do consumo e da posse para consumo de todas as drogas ilícitas. Daremos atenção ao primeiro dos eixos, dividindo a nossa análise em dois momentos:

1. A emergência e consolidação das medidas e estruturas de RRMD. Relacionamo-las com duas crises: a crise sanitária aberta pela rápida expansão do VIH, das hepatites B e C e da tuberculose em consumidores problemáticos; a crise das periferias, que trás para o debate público a figura do “bairro social problemático”, vulgarizado na linguagem mediática como “bairro das drogas” e representado como locus de insegurança. A RRMD teria assim como alvo prioritário concentrações de consumidores problemáticos situadas em comunidades urbanas ditas em exclusão, interpretando no terreno uma política alternativa ao modelo médico-psicológico da droga-doença e das terapias centradas na abstinência. Estavam assim criadas as condições de possibilidade duma intervenção territorializada, proximal e de vocação comunitária.
2. Num segundo momento ilustraremos a intervenção em RRMD através do trabalho levado a cabo por uma equipa de rua em territórios psicotrópicos da zona ocidental do Porto. Enquanto membro da equipa, um de nós elaborou um diário de campo entre 2009 e 2013, caracterizando os atores e territórios, bem como as principais áreas, formas e objetivos da intervenção. Dedicaremos atenção especial ao papel do psicólogo numa equipa multidisciplinar e apresentam-se dois resultados da nossa experiência interventiva: 1) status dos atores e identidade de lugar nos territórios psicotrópicos; 2) aquilo que designaremos por psicologia de baixo limiar.

This paper focuses on the recent elaboration of a public policy on drugs in Portugal, the main axes of which are risk and harm reduction (RHR), together with the decriminalization of use and possession for use of all illicit drugs. We will concentrate on risk and harm reduction, organizing our analysis in two stages:

1. The emergence and consolidation of RHR policies and structures. We articulate these processes with two crises: the public health crisis brought about by the rapid expansion of HIV, B and C hepatitis and tuberculosis in problematic drug users; the crisis of urban peripheries, which brings the "problematic council estate" or the "drugs estate" to the public debate, where it is portrayed as an insecure arena. RHR would thus have clusters of problematic drug users located in excluded urban areas as its main target. This is an alternative to the medical-psychological model based on understanding drug use as a disease and on abstinence-based therapies. This created the condition for a territorialized, proximal intervention of communitarian base;
2. On a second stage, we will illustrate the RHR intervention through work carried out by an outreach team in psychotropic territories in the west part of Porto, Portugal. As a team member, one of the authors wrote a field diary between 2009 and 2013, describing actors, territories, and the main areas, forms and objectives of intervention. We will pay particular attention to the role of the psychologist in a multidisciplinary team. Two results are presented based on our intervention experience: 1) actors' status and place identity in psychotropic territories; 2) what we chose to call low-threshold psychology.

J’Vonnah Maryman, Melissa Strompolis, Kenneth I. Maton, Douglas D. Perkins

The SCRA Public Policy Committee in Action: Advocacy, Collaboration, and Capacity Building

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Interest in social policy work has been on the rise in the Society for Community Research and Action (SCRA). SCRA’s Public Policy Committee aims to affect local, state, and national policy on topics relevant to community psychology through advocacy, collaboration, and capacity building. To communicate SCRA’s perspective on pressing social issues, the Public Policy Committee created a policy position statement procedure to address ongoing problems and a rapid response action procedure for urgent matters (e.g., advocacy campaigns). Options for dissemination of policy initiatives include The Community Psychologist (TCP), American Journal of Community Psychology (AJCP), SCRA listservs, and others. Examples of position statements approved or under development include mass incarceration, juvenile justice, immigration reform, and global climate change. Examples of past rapid response actions include the areas of gun legislation, sequester cuts, and psychologists’ involvement in torture. To expand SCRA’s policy reach, SCRA has partnered with other organizations in capacity building efforts. For example, SCRA and the Public Policy Committee partnered with the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) to conduct a Short Course in Policy Involvement and an advocacy training day on Capitol Hill (United States Congress). Finally, the Public Policy Committee has engaged in strategic initiatives to increase the capacity of SCRA members to engage in policy and advocacy work. Strategic initiatives include the annual SCRA Public Policy Small Grants Program, student practicum positions on the Public Policy Committee, surveys of SCRA membership regarding policy and advocacy engagement, and a policy track at SCRA biennial conferences.

Alessandro de Oliveira dos Santos, Gustavo Martineli Massola, Luís Guilherme Galeão da Silva, Bernardo Parodi Svartman

Racismo ambiental e lutas por reconhecimento dos povos de floresta da Amazônia

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O racismo é uma ideologia, uma forma de opressão e de violência. A categoria analítica raça-etnia tem se mostrado um indicador eficaz nas ciências humanas para avaliar o acesso aos recursos naturais pelas populações, o direcionamento de políticas públicas e a alocação de resíduos. Na Amazônia, os recursos naturais e as externalidades negativas produzidas no ambiente têm sido distribuídos ao longo do tempo conforme a raça-etnia das populações que vivem na região, estabelecendo uma relação inexorável entre acesso ao patrimônio ambiental, problemas ecológicos e desigualdades sociais. Neste artigo, discutimos as lutas por reconhecimento de direitos territoriais e pelo manejo de princípios ativos (água, gás natural, pedras preciosas, entre outros) pelas populações tradicionais da Amazônia (indígenas, ribeirinhos, quilombolas), sob a perspectiva do racismo ambiental. Defendemos que a noção de racismo ambiental fornece uma linguagem compatível para compreender os conflitos socioambientais em curso na região, ao mesmo tempo em que se configura como um instrumento de advocacy capaz de influenciar na formulação de políticas públicas que efetivem e garantam os direitos dos povos que vivem na floresta. 

 

Racism is an ideology, a form of oppression and violence. The analytical category race-ethnicity has been an effective indicator in the human sciences to evaluate access to natural resources by populations, the direction of public policies and the allocation of waste. In the Amazon, natural resources and the negative externalities produced in the environment have been distributed over time according to the race-ethnicity of people living in the region, establishing an inexorable link between access to environmental heritage, ecological problems and social inequalities. In this article, we discuss the struggles for recognition of territorial rights and the management of active ingredients (water, natural gas, precious stones, among others) by traditional Amazonian populations (indigenous, riveraine, maroon), from the perspective of environmental racism. We argue that the notion of environmental racism provides a consistent language to understand the socio-environmental conflicts underway in the region, while it is configured as an advocacy instrument capable of influencing the formulation of public policies that enforce and guarantee the rights of people living in the forest.

Melissa Strompolis, Megan Branham, Whitney Tucker, Heidi Aakjer

Influencing Prevention Policy Through Effective Communication with Advocates and Legislators

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Despite being largely preventable, unintentional injuries are the leading cause of pediatric mortality in the state of South Carolina, USA. Deliberate policy is needed to encourage transformative change in preventing childhood injuries. However, injury prevention advocates across the state have yet to formalize a collective message to effectively engage policymakers regarding injury prevention issues. To address this concern, this study surveyed Safe Kids South Carolina child injury prevention advocates as well as state legislators and legislative staff with the goal of assessing and growing current knowledge of injury prevention and capacity to engage in legislative advocacy. One hundred seventy-four advocates and fifteen state legislators and legislative staff completed a survey of knowledge of injury prevention, perceptions on the importance of various injury prevention issues, organizational capacity to engage in advocacy activities, the impact of advocacy efforts, and legislative action taken as a result of injury prevention advocacy. In addition to the survey, structured interviews of legislators and staff were also conducted, and findings were compiled to inform advocacy and capacity-building activities for Safe Kids coalition members. Activities included a training session on effective advocacy techniques, child passenger safety laws, and legislative talking points for advocates to use during a structured advocacy event at the South Carolina statehouse.  From those activities, Safe Kids coalition members received pledges from policymakers to introduce or co-sponsor child passenger safety guidelines. 

Ana Cristina Rocha, Cidália Duarte

Impacto das Políticas Públicas na Promoção da Educação Sexual: o Caso Português

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A Europa é, provavelmente, o continente com a mais longa experiência no domínio da educação sexual. Contudo, são as experiências desenvolvidas em território norte-americano que dominam os estudos de avaliação do impacto da educação sexual. Segundo o gabinete europeu da OMS, esta dominância deve-se, sobretudo, à ausência, na Europa, de um processo de publicação sistemática das experiências e resultados nacionais no contexto internacional.

É neste âmbito que nos propomos a partilhar o caso de Portugal relativamente às políticas de promoção da educação sexual, com base numa perspetiva (bio)ecológica. Portugal tem um percurso longo e algo errático neste domínio, tendo-se verificado, nas últimas três décadas, no plano crono- e macrossistémico, notáveis mudanças ao nível das medidas políticas e legislativas, que culminaram na conceção da mesma como um projeto comunitário. No plano do exo-, meso- e microssistema, estas mudanças refletem-se nas práticas.

A percentagem de escolas portuguesas a implementar a educação sexual tem vindo a aumentar e, não obstante alguma variabilidade, há práticas em comum nas escolas, sobretudo no que respeita os papéis/funções desempenhados e os procedimentos de planeamento, implementação e avaliação. Há também dificuldades comuns como: envolver a comunidade escolar, implementar a transversalidade, abordar a sexualidade de forma holística e avaliar adequadamente a educação sexual. Estas dificuldades são potenciadas também por medidas politico-legislativas no domínio da educação, como corroboram as perceções da comunidade escolar e científica. Ambas receiam, atualmente, que a sustentabilidade da educação sexual nas escolas enquanto projeto comunitário esteja em causa, devido às últimas políticas educativas. Neste sentido, e com base em referências teóricas da intervenção comunitária, finalizamos este artigo apresentando uma reflexão sobre os desafios atuais no domínio, bem como um conjunto de propostas para ultrapassar os mesmos.

 

Europe has probably the greatest experience in sexuality education. However, in the most recent research on its impact evaluation, the majority of studies focused on experiences in US territory. According to the European Office of WHO, this dominance happens due to the absence in Europe of a systematic publishing process of national experiences and results on the international context.

Therefore, we propose to share the case of Portuguese policies in promoting sexuality education, based on a (bio) ecological approach. Implementation of sexuality education in Portugal has been long and somewhat erratic. At chrono- and macrosystem levels, the last three decades have been marked by changes in policies and laws, and sexuality education has been view as a community project. These changes impact on practices, at meso and microsystem levels.

The percentage of Portuguese schools implementing sexuality education has been increasing and, despite some variation, there are common practices in schools, especially those related to roles/functions played by stakeholders, and planning, implementation and evaluation procedures. There are also common difficulties such as: low school community participation, cross-curricular teaching, too heavy a focus on health-related issues, and poor-quality evaluation. These difficulties are also maximized by the educational policies and legislation, and validate the perceptions of academic and scientific community. Both fear that today the sustainability of school-based sexuality education as a community project is endangered because of the latest educational policies. So, in the end of this paper, we present an analysis of the current challenges in sexuality education, based on theoretical references of community intervention, as well as a set of proposals to overcome them.