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Fiscal Code: 97257480158
VAT number: IT04636880967
Public Charity
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Active participation for lasting change
Lasting change comes from those who want it.
Too often, social interventions are imposed from above, neglecting the needs, resources and skills already present in communities. This leads to ineffective, unsustainable solutions that do not generate real empowerment.
At the heart of every lasting change is a simple element: the desire and will of those who experience that change first-hand.
At PuntoSud, we adopt a participatory approach that starts with the needs and resources of communities, the real drivers of cultural, economic, social and environmental transformation.
This is why we support initiatives in which people and civil society organisations are not simply beneficiaries, but co-authors of change, fully involved in defining priorities and building solutions. Our proposal is called the Be.St model: a participatory, adaptable method that has already been tested in different contexts and territories.
The Be.St model: what participation really means
Be.St (Beyond Stereotypes) is a participatory working model designed to strengthen processes of cultural, educational and social transformation.
It was created to address gender stereotypes in schools, but has since been applied in other contexts, such as the PODER project for the inclusion of people with disabilities.
It is not a toolkit to be downloaded and replicated: it is an open framework, built through multi-professional working groups, structured listening sessions, and tools designed to make participation understandable, concrete and practicable.
Our approach
We encourage partnerships, collaborating with key actors such as teachers, communities and people with disabilities to define priorities, resources and objectives together.
We facilitate the creation of multi-professional working groups, spaces for discussion between experts with different visions and skills, which are essential for analysing needs and co-designing effective strategies.
We make participation truly inclusive and understandable for all actors in international and social cooperation through a rigorous but accessible, practice-oriented method.
Our applied model
PODER (El Salvador): promotes inclusion, education and rights for people with disabilities. Based on the principle of “nothing about us without us”, it offers guidance with minimum community standards for inclusion.
Be.St (Beyond Stereotypes): tackles gender stereotypes in schools, going beyond isolated interventions. It defines nine principles for creating respectful, critical and inclusive educational environments, actively involving the entire school community.
Let’s design new models of collaboration together
Would you like to activate participatory processes in your area or involve communities and institutions in shared initiatives?
Tell us about your project and find out how we can help you.