Intervention
We have an intervention model that we have developed from our work in the field, and which today serves as a basis for guiding any direct intervention effort in a community.
- Children and young people aged 7 to 24 who live in situations of social exclusion in the municipality of Malinalco.
- The Families of these children and young people who want to work with us to improve their upbringing and relationships within the community.
- Schools, authorities, local leaders and civil society organizations with whom we partner to combine efforts and positively impact the lives of children and young people in Malinalco.
The rights-based approach involves understanding and empowering children and adolescents as people with rights and as actors in their own development. From this perspective, we promote the participation of children and adolescents in building alternatives that allow for their integral development and the exercise of their rights, and we understand poverty as the social, economic, and political exclusion of people resulting from violated rights and unjust structures.
Highlighting gender as a cross-cutting perspective allows us to recognize, make visible, and address the existence of hierarchies and social roles between men and women, which manifest as inequality, oppression, subordination, and violence. From this perspective, we can consider and address these differences when designing our programs and activities, and discuss them with the participants.
We align with Amartya Sen's capabilities approach, which involves considering both people's internal resources (their skills, experiences, and knowledge) and the external resources (opportunities, networks, and relationships) necessary for them to be free to do and be what they value. Working from this perspective, we understand that intervention must be carried out simultaneously with individuals and within their environments (families and communities).
For us, working from a youth perspective means taking into account the characteristics and needs of people aged 15 to 24 in relation to the life cycles they go through, according to their age and the social and historical context in which they live. It also means recognizing the differences in how young people navigate the decision-making process, observing their experiences and actions within this process, and the opportunities available to them. We believe in the capacity of young people to develop healthily and holistically when they are in a supportive environment and within a nurturing ecosystem that fosters their growth, and to be positive agents of social change in their communities.
Working under this approach at Imaginalco means that the design of the intervention model, the protocols for the work team, the design of the programs and projects, the spaces, the activities, and the daily interaction with our participants puts at the center the guarantee and protection of the dignity and physical, social, emotional and psychological integrity of children.
Imaginalco’s foundation is grounded in an ecological analysis of violence, which helps us understand violence as a multicausal—and therefore predictable—phenomenon. It arises from interactions across different levels of a system: individual, family, community, and social/structural. According to this theory, proposed by the World Health Organization (2002), violence is shaped by multiple risk factors that increase the likelihood of a person becoming involved in violent situations or relationships (or other critical conditions that affect their development).
We aim to empower people to take meaningful, sustainable control of their lives—in other words, to foster autonomy. This involves building relationships rooted in trust, promoting empowerment, working collaboratively toward shared goals, activating sources of motivation and hope, and creating sustainable change through continuous learning.
A culture of respectful treatment is a re-education approach focused on building solutions and strengthening the conditions, attitudes, skills, and values that foster more peaceful and equitable relationships. This concept emphasizes how to treat one another well by developing the skills and mindsets needed for equitable, harmonious, and non-violent coexistence.
This is a theoretical and methodological proposal for psychosocial intervention, based on a model of the mind that considers three dimensions: context, emotions, attachment, and theory of mind. It integrates different elements of clinical, social, and community psychology and is a broad-spectrum model, allowing us to apply the same principles at different levels. The objective of this methodology is to provide tools so that we can promote the autonomy of participants without compromising their safety.
This is a theoretical and methodological proposal for psychosocial intervention, based on a model of the mind that considers three dimensions: context, emotions, attachment, and theory of mind. It integrates different elements of clinical, social, and community psychology and is a broad-spectrum model, allowing us to apply the same principles at different levels. The objective of this methodology is to provide tools so that we can promote the autonomy of participants without compromising their safety.
Learning through reflection grounded in action and lived experience. It involves the ability to reflect, critically analyze situations, and synthesize what has been learned. To foster this process, we create opportunities that encourage participants to take initiative, make decisions, and assume responsibility for their outcomes—learning from both successes and mistakes.
We seek to strengthen the skills, confidence, relationships, and connections that enable young people to build healthy, fulfilling lives and contribute positively to their communities. This approach emphasizes developing competencies and resources, fostering supportive relationships, strengthening environments, and transforming systems.
We understand child and youth participation as “the exercise of power that children and young people have so that their opinions are taken seriously and so that, according to their level of maturity, they can responsibly share in decisions that affect their lives and those of their community” (Nomura and Solaris, 2005).
- Sense of belonging
- Positive connections
- Healthy habits and study habits
- Knowledge about rights, sexuality, consumption, and violence
- Psychosocial skills
- Parenting skills
- Self-employment skills
- Critical reflection on the environment
- Abilities to detect, prevent, and address child sexual abuse
- Respectful and equitable relationships
- Healthy lifestyles
- Sense of agency
- Positive parenting environments
- Reduction in violence and sexual abuse
We have three physical community spaces located in different parts of Malinalco. They are safe spaces physically, socially, and emotionally. They are dignified, attractive, and accessible to the population we work with.
We have three physical spaces located at different points in the municipal capital. They are safe spaces on a physical, social and emotional level. They are dignified, attractive and accessible to the population with whom we work.
We operate artistic, sports, educational, and recreational activities that respond to the needs and interests of the participants. All our programs and activities share these three key elements:
1) They must be safe, with clear boundaries and rules; they must be planned, structured, and carried out consistently.
2) They must prioritize the emotional and affective safety of participants, contribute to the creation of emotional bonds among them, and foster the identification, management, and expression of emotions.
3) They must be playful, fun, and educational, stimulating the ability to reflect on and analyze one's own experience to learn from it.
Play for development: Children and adolescents develop their psychosocial skills and agency through sports, play, and art.
Formal education: Children and adolescents gain access to better education through school support, psychosocial support, and educational advice.
Healthy Families: Families develop positive parenting styles that enhance the development and health of their members.
ASINoJugamos: We work with educators, children, and caretakers to detect, prevent, and address child sexual abuse.
Recorrido al Mictlán: We strengthen the social fabric and leadership of children and young people through an annual community celebration for Day of the Dead.
Xoloplastics: We promote the employment of young people and the creation of a circular economy by recycling plastic and transforming it into art.
Seis Garritas: We receive and sell clothing, accessories, and items in good condition to provide employment for young women and generate income for our programs.
Research and Development
We want learn from our work to continue improving and share our experiences with other organizations and institutions.
That is why we are committed to generate relevant and accessible knowledge. This involves designing our intervention models based on theoretical and methodological knowledge generated by others and the identification of best practices, as well as systematizing our projects and the information they generate, and making it available to our team and partners.
Advocacy
The experience is shared
We provide training, consulting, and support to related projects on topics concerning the holistic development of children and young people and the social prevention of violence. We work to influence public policy.
We recognize the value of sharing the lessons learned over several years of work.
We collaborate with you
We offer support and consulting services to groups, organizations, and companies interested in promoting projects with objectives similar to ours, with a focus on participation, the holistic development of children and young people, and strengthening the social fabric.