A few months ago (specifically in March of this year), the Tías City Council presented the Municipal Community Development Strategy "Conecta Tías". It is proposed as a methodological proposal that aims to affect the traditional work model that is still installed in public administrations, especially in the Primary Care of Social Services, preventing social polarization, aspiring to achieve social cohesion and healthy intercultural coexistence through active involvement in the community and coordination in common objectives.
From the Strategy, it is initially intended to achieve greater operability, optimize resources and avoid duplication by organizing the activity and services that various groups and associations develop in the municipality. But this requires a greater openness of social services (really opening up to the entire population, without losing its relevance and eagerness in addressing, caring for and intervening in social needs), promoting its guidance work, accompanying in the processes of autonomy/citizen empowerment, promoting social inclusion by encouraging citizen initiative and participation, etc.
Obviously, without neighborhood responsibility or social education, the possibility of precipitating improvements in the life of the municipality is severely curtailed. In Tías we find associations and resources of various kinds that need a structure that provides an organized approach to work, consolidates multiple synergies and promotes the integration of all to improve their capabilities and social aspirations.
Currently, the relevance of networks in the well-being and health of people is not disputed: having a stable social network has a positive impact on the quality of life. But to integrate and work in the construction of support systems we have to change the community vision that is had of the Social Services. Basically, paternalistic, stigmatizing and with repressive overtones. We have to fight against those prejudices, tensions, fears and uncertainties rooted in the citizen consciousness, planning and proposing actions, services and activities from plurality and normalization. We cannot aspire to inclusion when we program from overprotection, situations of precariousness and vulnerability. We must invite generic participation, fracture our prejudices and insecurities in the intervention.
Conecta Tías requires, mainly, a firm proposal, technical conviction and a determined political commitment to be able to move forward. Initially, its great challenge is to gain the legitimacy of the different local actors involved, trying to extend connections, conceive and strengthen new meeting spaces. A plan of action detached from final benefits and projects must be put on the table, focused on procuring productive environments of listening, dialogue, consensus and immutable cooperation.
If we want the Strategy to embrace its purposes without hesitation, we need to strengthen the perspective of a continuous and sustainable process over time, abide by its evolutionary rhythms (typical of a community development process, unrelated to a final project), provide it with stable resources, discard undue political appropriation, as well as the temptation of permanent tutelage from technical areas (it is necessary to facilitate, guide and promote the interaction and synergies of work without forgetting that the community development of the municipality must be promoted and consolidated from civil society).
"In life there is something worse than failure: not having tried anything" (Franklin D. Roosevelt). Well that... let's try to connect!
Agustín Enrique García Acosta - Social Worker