Class Sociocultural Animation and Local Development

This Curricular Unit (CU) presents an approach to Sociocultural Animation and Local Development based on Inclusion (Social and Educational) and, consequently, on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, highlighting Social and Cognitive Justice, as well as sustainable development. These principles, at the base of both domains and in the relationship between them, allow us to articulate, reflect and develop a critical spirit on today's the biggest problems in Western societies, such as the polarization of societies, associated with growing social tensions, which result from phenomena such as poverty and discrimination, together with the challenges caused by migration, multiculturalism and diversity and climate change. These are topics that could be addressed with regard to Sociocultural Animation projects, which can contribute to Local Development.

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1. Sociocultural Animation: a. Origin and foundations; b. Sociocultural animation projects: What are they for? How are they planned? What are the objectives? Who participates? Where are they carried out? When? With what resources? How are they evaluated? c. The role of the sociocultural animator. 2. Local Development a. Origin and foundations; b. Local development and sustainability; c. International guiding documents: UDHR, UNESCO Report (2022), Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; 3. Sociocultural Animation Projects, Local Development and Non-Formal Education.

The teaching methodologies used focus on consulting databases using keywords, discussing texts by leading authors and orally presenting topics studied in the course. Presentations will be held to introduce key concepts. Active learning methodologies will also be used, highlighting the students' life stories. The assessment will have three components: A - Class participation (50%), including: attendance and punctuality; adequate participatory participation and small individual or pair assignments, regarding the work done in class; B - (30%) - Design and presentation of a proposal for a Sociocultural Animation project that contributes to Local Development (maximum 4 pages - excluding the cover, index and bibliographical references); C - Individual written essay in person (20%), duration 90 minutes – on 06/07/2025.

Amaro, R. R. (2018). Manual de Práticas e Métodos sobre Grupos Comunitários. Leigos para o Desenvolvimento & Global Decide. Fernandes, A., Simões, C., Mateus, J. D., Estevil, J., Reis, L., Leite, M., Amaro, M. I., Teixeira, M. J., Montez, M., Lopes, N. V., Vieira, R., Amaro, R. R., & Pinho, T. (2020). Desenvolvimento Comunitário ABR’20: Vol. Volume IV (S. C. da M. de Lisboa, Ed.). Lopes, M. S. (2017). Manifesto pela Defesa da Animação Sociocultural e pela designação de Animador Sociocultural. Quaderns de Animació i Educació Social. http://quadernsanimacio.net/ANTERIORES/veinticinco/index_htm_files/Manifesto.pdf Montez, M. (2019). Animação Sociocultural e Metodologia de Projeto – Dois Casos Revisitados. Cuaderns d’animació i Educació Social, 29, 1–36. http://quadernsanimacio.net/ANTERIORES/veintinueve/index_htm_files/Metodologia%20projecto.pdf