On 27 June 2017, the Ministry of Social Affairs in Panama, through its Office of Safe Social Development, launched the ENFOCA – Training For Character Development manual, a document that aims to support educators using arts and sports as a tool to nurture ethical values in youth in a comprehensive and systematic manner.
ENFOCA is a social intervention strategy designed to foster personal development in youth. It utilizes sports and culture to create safe spaces and to nurture peaceful coexistence in youth in at risk areas, and their families.
The Learning to Live Together (LTLT) Ethics Education Framework and its pedagogical approach are central to the development of ENFOCA, specifically when it comes to building up character development in youth. Arigatou International Geneva has been collaborating with the Ministry of Social Affairs to train social workers so they can integrate LTLT in their work with youth and their families, partaking in the process of strengthening ENFOCA’s conceptual and pedagogic approach.
Mrs. Maria Lucia Uribe, Director, Arigatou International Geneva, shared a video message at the opening ceremony pointing to the main elements of the Ethics Education Framework that strengthen ENFOCA, that is, child centered pedagogy, participatory and collaborative learning, critical thinking and conscientization, fostering diversity, and nurture their spirituality.
We thank the Office of Safe Social Development for placing their trust in us and for letting us be part of this project.
You can see the ENFOCA – Training For Character Development manual HERE.
To watch Mrs. Uribe’s message (in Spanish only), please go HERE.