Family Action Plan

About PAF

The Family Action Plan (PAF) is an innovative social and multidisciplinary methodology created by Instituto Dara in partnership with the families served over more than three decades of operations. The Plan is based on the understanding that poverty is multidimensional, and that the social transformation of vulnerable families is only possible when social determinants of health are addressed in an integrated manner.

The PAF consists of the establishment of joint goals and integrated actions in the areas of Health, Housing, Revenue Generation, Citizenship and Education, aiming at autonomy and human development.

Our methodology is nationally and internationally recognized for its innovative and intersectoral approach to fighting poverty. In 2003, he achieved the Social Technology certification from the Banco do Brasil Foundation.

HEALTH

Divided into three work sectors – Medicine, Nutrition and Psychology – it offers guidance to the families served to promote whole health, well-being, and quality of life. It is also engaged in preventing diseases, encouraging preventive exams, physical activity, and healthy eating. Additionally, the Program works for families to understand and navigate the Unified Health System (SUS).
Medical advice

Upon arrival at Dara, families go through an initial anamnesis to map their problems and needs and plan actions. After explanations about their clinical conditions, they are guided and directed to places in the SUS network or partner institutions, so that they have access to medicines, products and procedures.

Nutritional guidance

The Nutrition center works so that families can have access to information about healthy eating, improving eating habits and promoting food and nutritional security for all.

Psychological care

For individuals with mental health issues, Dara offers, to those who wish, a team of professionals, volunteers and partners able to provide psychological care.

Task forces

To meet the needs of the public social assistance network, Dara, with the help of partner organizations and professionals, carries out health task forces aimed at meeting the needs of the families, such as opthalmology, dental and preventive care, among others.

REVENUE

Professionals in the area identify the existing work skills in adults in families and promote actions that provide the development of new skills to enable the emergence of new job opportunities, increased employability or investment in entrepreneurship with a focus on creative economy.
Professional development courses

Professional development courses related to creative economy are given with a focus on culinary, beauty and handicrafts. The activities are structured in modules to allow participants to develop their skills according to the time available and their abilities.

Entrepreneurship

The purpose of this area is to develop skills and competencies of heads of households, in order to promote revenue generation, new job opportunities and entrepreneurship.

Identity strengthening

It promotes actions for the empowerment and strengthening of the cultural identity of black and brown women, so that they can become protagonists of their own history and change agents in their territories.

HOUSING

The work is conducted on two fronts: consulting and intervention. On the consulting front, Dara advises on good domestic hygiene and health practices, and provides technical support on civil construction issues. On the intervention front, renovations related to sanitary, hydraulic or electrical installations are carried out based on pre-established criteria.
Healthy home

The actions promoted for improvement works include the transfer of appliances, furniture and construction materials donated by our partners, including water tanks and filters, ensuring that families have access to basic health conditions.

Renovations

Renovations seek to ensure basic health conditions to families’ homes through guidance, donations of water tanks and filters, and improvement works – including adaptations for people with disabilities.

CITIZENSHIP

It proposes to encourage families to continuously adopt an attitude of civil participation, autonomy and protagonism in the context in which they live by promoting access to justice and providing guidance on their rights and duties.
Citizenship documents

Families are guided to obtain civil documents, such as birth certificate, identity card, CPF (Individual Taxpayer Registration), employment record card, voter’s card, and school transcript, among others.

Territory reconnaissance

By visiting families and their territories, the professionals of Instituto Dara can learn aspects of daily life that have not been noticed in previous interactions

‘Aconchego Família’ (Family Coziness) Project

The Project promotes meetings and discussions between the people responsible for the families served. It occurs mainly in conversation circles and lectures on topics such as feeding, breastfeeding, STIs, among others. In addition to disseminating knowledge, these moments also seek to strengthen self-esteem and emotional strength.

Legal task force

Twice a month, legal task forces are generally held at the headquarters of Instituto Dara to provide their beneficiaries with guidance and directions to resolve their legal issues. Legal services are provided with the support of professionals and partner institutions.

EDUCATION

The aim is to ensure access to education for school-age children and adolescents and to encourage the family’s direct participation in the academic life of their children, in addition to arousing the interest of adults at multiple formal and non-formal education spaces and promoting cultural activities.
Pedagogic supervision

It aims to verify the academic progress of school-age children, adolescents and young people by guiding students and families to the best use and full exercise of the right to education.

Targeted playful activities

Playful activities aimed at children and young people up to 12 years of age, with a view to observe and guide on psychopedagogical issues that require special supervision.

HOW PAF WORKS

The PAF seeks to provide the families served with information and knowledge related to Health, Housing, Revenue Generation, Citizenship and Education, so that they can fight the vulnerability they are facing by promoting their autonomy, preparing them for self-sustenance and fostering their protagonism in the conduct of their life.

Public hospitals, Social Assistance Reference Centers (Cras), public schools and daycare centers are the gateways to Instituto Dara.

Families in social vulnerability are referred to Dara by professionals from the partner unit.

Each family undergoes an initial assessment with the Service team, made up of professionals from areas such as Social Work, Revenue Generation, Medicine, Psychology, Nutrition, Architecture, Law, Pedagogy, and many others.

A plan with goals and actions is created in a participatory way according to the needs of each family. Families are also nurtured by volunteers on all working days.

The goals are reviewed once a month and each family is monitored for progress from time to time, based on indicators organized in an integrated information system.

On average, it takes a family two years to complete the program and move from a situation of social vulnerability to a condition of autonomy and dignity.

‘ACOLHIMENTO FAMILIAR’ (WELCOME MOMENT)
When families come to Dara at their monthly check-in, there is an affectionate, active listening moment in which a group of experienced volunteers greets each family before they begin their rounds with the multidisciplinary team of professionals. This moment is called the Welcome. At the Welcome moment, volunteers greet the families, listen carefully to their moment, and seek to create a human bond, which greatly contributes to their adherence and involvement in the Family Action Plan.