Support for young people from vulnerable communities in Brazil

In June, an emergency pedagogical seminar series started for educators, psychologists and social workers who work with young people from vulnerable communities. They are particularly affected by the aftermaths of the Covid-19 pandemic.

After the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, the consequences, especially for vulnerable groups becomes increasingly clear in Brazil. The Brazilian Help hotline 100, which provides legal support and information to vulnerable groups and helps with reporting of human rights violations, reported that sexual violence against children and youth has more than doubled, compared to the beginning of the pandemic. Girls are particularly vulnerable according to the Hotline. Excessive screen time (more than 8 hours per day) has led to illnesses such as anxiety and depression in many children. A study conducted by UNICEF in 2022 with 7,700 people shows that many young people need support but do not know where to find it.

For many children and adolescents, the pandemic brought a high level of uncertainty for the future. It is estimated that more than 113,000 Brazilian minors lost one or both parents between March 2020 and April 2021. If we consider children and adolescents who had their grandparents as primary caregivers, the number of half-orphans and orphans rises to 130,000 in Brazil.

The Associação da Pedagogia de Emergência no Brasil (Emergency Pedagogy Project Partner of the Friends of Waldorf Education) was founded in 2016 with the aim of strengthening the resilience of children, adolescents and young people who have been victims and survivors of natural disasters, physical and emotional violence or are marked by particular social vulnerability. This target group is supported through emergency pedagogical and therapeutic approaches.

Now the association is launching a project with a series of trainings and seminars for local educators, therapists, social workers and other medical-therapeutic professionals. In the training sessions, they will be introduced to the theory of psychotraumatology and, in workshops, to practical educational activities of emergency pedagogy. The workshops include storytelling, movement, rhythm, music and art.

The current particularly tense security situation and the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic require good preparation meetings for the seminars. In April and May, the seminar facilities were visited and the project was presented to the local community. Here, a great interest in the training was already evident and good contacts were established. Using these previously made contacts the Associação da Pedagogia de Emergência no Brasil can now continue to work in order to successfully implement the seminars in the coming months.