Strategies to empower socially vulnerable adolescents in Brazil

Abstract

Abstract Brazil has the highest number of adolescents murdered in the world. An alarming number of these are black boys from deprived backgrounds living in the outskirts of big cities. At schools, teachers play an important role in promoting health. Thus, the University of Brasília through its Public Health Research Group has developed the training course “Strategies to empower socially vulnerable adolescents” (JAVU in Portuguese) aimed primarily at state school teachers from municipalities where social vulnerability among teenagers is either high or very high. It is a 180-hour, 10-module distance learning course with tutor supervision which aims at contributing to the development of an inclusive and emancipating culture which is non-discriminatory, diversified and which promotes peace in school settings. Its innovative aspect is the use of the platform JAVU Topography, a catalogue of policies, programmes and services aimed at public health and education at municipal, state and federal level. By the end of the course teachers create a diagnosis that measures the extent to which these different policies or services can be applied in different educational settings to promote health. From November 2019 to March 2020, 2953 teachers underwent training. The majority were: women (83.6%); pardos (50.2%) - a mixed race/ethnicity in former Portuguese and Spanish colonies; postgraduates (50.6%); catholic (42.6%) and earning between 1 to 3 minimum salaries (49.4%). Having access to the JAVU Topography helped make this tool a platform to spread social protection in Brazil. The theoretical and practical support is one of the main contributions of this course to actions that address health problems among adolescents. The course formed teachers from 42 of the most vulnerable cities in Brazil, enabling access to a network of protection and allowing for the exchange of experiences through the educational platform, which better equipped these teachers to promote health in the educational setting. Key messages Improving the promotion of health among socially vulnerable adolescents in Brazil in their school settings. Raising awareness of networks of social protection though a social topography that aims at empowering socially vulnerable adolescents in Brazil.