COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PSYCHO-SOCIAL INTERVENTION

Abstract

International and university cooperation is based, among others, on developing a psycho-social intervention referred to some methodological and epistemological approaches and to some ethical principles driving the community development.

The themes here proposed, therefore, are related to cooperation projects aimed at community development.

We are interested to present a reflection moving from cooperation projects aimed to the improvement of mental health, to the stimulation of citizens’ participation aimed at improving the quality of life, defending human rights and strengthening the resilience at an individual, group and community level.

Experiences carried out will be here documented with the aim to develop reflections on theoretical approaches and methodologies that guide the cooperation in this field, as well as on the ways each project has established the relationship between universities from different countries and between universities and governments, institutions, public and private organizations, NGOs, communities, local and international networks. Particular attention has been paid to the study of the forms of participatory action research, implemented within the framework of cooperation initiatives aimed at enhancing the role of local cultures and knowledge. The focus of the communications here presented is to highlight the impact of these forms of cooperation both on contexts of the global South and on developed countries affected by the consequences of economic crisis.

According to the picture that emerged it is possible to highlight both the different approaches between the cooperation projects in the field of psycho-social intervention and to show the presence of many common aspects; specifically, these experiences emphasize the importance of these forms of cooperation and the amplitude of the effects they may have both on the contexts in which they are carried out, as well on scientific research.