‘My truth’ - A Social Education project in the context of drug addiction

Abstract

This article aims to present a social education project developed in the field of drug addiction.

As drug addiction is a plural, complex and multifactorial phenomenon, understanding and intervening in it requires a holistic and multidisciplinary approach. In this context, the social educator, as part of an interdisciplinary team, works with people whose background is marked by experiences of drug use and social exclusion, in a relationship of closeness and belief in their potential. Participatory action research, the methodology that guides this professional's practice, places people and participation at the centre of an intervention that aims to promote their autonomy, empowerment, well-being and social inclusion.

Focusing on people, their interests, knowledge and needs, the project described in this article aimed to “Promote the empowerment of individuals through the development of personal, social and professional competencies”. Centered on intervention through art, it provided participants with opportunities for expression, reflection and learning about themselves, their condition and the reality(s) around them. More empowered, the subjects have developed a broader, more valued and contextualised view of their lives and of society in general, and have shown themselves more capable of facing up to some of the challenges posed by the consumer world(s).