"education is the best prevention"

A Learning and Leisure Center for Development

Context

Portuguese society is facing serious social issues, such as poverty, lack of education infrastructures, violence and addictions. Dianova bases its actions upon the belief that, with the appropriate aid, all individuals may find within themselves the resources that will facilitate their personal development and ease their paths towards social integration. Dianova’s philosophy is based upon the values of Commitment, Solidarity, Tolerance and Internationality.

The project “Education is the Best Prevention” hopes to provide answers and solutions to issues such as: crises of values, escalating risk behaviours, which may or may not be related to substance abuse and which include teenage pregnancy, transmission of STDs, traffic deaths, the increase of juvenile delinquency and lack of quality time spent with families (due partially to parents focusing more and more on their careers), among others.

Project

Solid family ties and a close involvement of parents in their children’s educations are two factors that significantly reduce a child’s risk of becoming involved with drugs. The creation of a space which allows for educational activities for both parents and children impacts the very roots of the issue of substance abuse.

The Learning and Entertainment Centre for Development has been conceived as a space for personal development and integration, where parents and children are allowed to exchange ideas and share experiences in a constructive manner, as well as to develop individual and personal skills, occupy their free time in a healthy way, participate in sports and engage in other learning activities, especially on weekends and holiday periods. Throughout the year, this Centre will work in the following areas:

1. Social Responsibility and Citizenship
2. Sustainability and Ecology
3. Promotion of healthy lifestyles
4. Development of skills and social interaction between generations.

This project also entails the establishment of institutional protocols with Consultancy firms, Schools and Universities, Scouting and Rotary Clubs, Parent-Teacher Associations, the Inova Agency (a Portuguese cultural organization), as well as Community Councils and Government bodies.

Goals

1. To create a learning platform for both teenagers and adults
2. To create a space where families can undergo training and educational programmes
3. To provide an investigation facility which will study the development of teenagers, through their engagement in educational and recreational activities
4. To encourage civil values through reflection
5. To promote culture and the arts by sharing works and projects by teenagers and adults, while encouraging multiculturalism
6. To raise awareness of the necessity of environmental protection and preservation.

Activities

1. The refurbishing of the current facilities, so as to enable the development of new activities
2. The equipping of the facilities accordingly
3. The building of a team responsible for the program’s development
4. Informing the target-group as soon as activities commence.

Contact

Rui Martins
Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Director and Board Member
Associação Dianova Portugal´
Tel.: 00 351 261 324 900
Mobile: 00 351 919 923 752
Email: rui.martins@dianova.pt
Website: www.dianova.pt