Making didactics proposals aimed at improving socioeducational programs for youngters at risk of social exclusion

Abstract

Educators at Sograndio Juvenile Detention Center in Asturias were sure that they were able to offer new alternatives to improve their socio-educational intervention. That is the reason why they got involved in an action research training process aimed at making didactic proposals which tried to optimize the development of social competence programs for youngsters with criminal behavior. In order to do this, the Short Version of the Prosocial Thinking Program for Young People (Alba et al., 2005) was applied to nine inmates, eight males between 14 and 20 years old and a female of 16 years old. Theywere the basis and reflection of ourmethodological intervention. The teamtaking part in this intervention is formed by nine inmates and three external members (two coordinators and a woman psychologist). The investigation, mainly qualitative, includes different instruments (both qualitative and quantitative), such as: observation registries, discussion groups, questionnaires and notebooks. After the implementation of the program, positive changes must be highlighted in the emotional dimension, the resolution of problems, self-control and frustration tolerance. Besides, very high levels of satisfaction have been observed among youngsters, educators and external informants. It is important to have created a climate of professional compromise towards change and this way to have abandoned a passive attitude towards training, so that we were able to start an active search for practical answers, adjusted to our necessities and professional interests. Finally, we make several observations and intervention proposals that contribute to generate didactic knowledge thought and adapted for social education.

Keywords

• Educación social
• delincuencia juvenil
• investigación-acción
• intervención didáctica
• pensamiento prosocial
• mejora de programas educativos