Annex 2

THE ECOLOGIC AND SYSTEMIC CONCEPT OF THE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

The approach described below is taken from the document "Preventive Work Model with Underprivileged Families" corresponding to the investigation made in coordination with the Santo Tomas University and the YMCA of Bogotá.33

The Ecological and Systemic Vision of development is pointed out. From this perspective multiple variables are considered interacting permanently in the production of a phenomena going beyond proposal that try to identify the final causes from the lineal relationships by coincidence which allow to have only fragmentary comprehension voiding the processes complexity.

The Development Contexts are involved within this concept emphasizing in the relationship between the family and school as specific types of contexts. They will defin in the child evolution.

The Development Contexts are seen as a Set of Interlinked Structures placing the developing person in its ineer must part being affected by its next context which could be his school or family. These are at the same time, linked to a third level structure affecting the individual. E.g. a child being affected by his parents' work and all of this would be in a four level structure corresponding to the community context.

The ecological vision of the Human Development is referred as the scientific study of the mutual and progressive adjusting between an active and growing human being and the changeable properties of the immediate contexts where they live. Bearing in mind that this process is affected by the relationship within those contexts and broader ones the individuals are in.

To show that the Human Development has happened, it is necessary to establish that a productive change in the conceptions and/or activities are transferred to other contexts in other moments. Such demonstration corresponds to a indicator of success of the human development.

These ideas have got important implications for the development processes with high risk children and families. It is assumed that neither the child nor parent come from unusual structures, but their difficulties are the result of the complex interaction in the contexts they are in and the slowldown or stop of their growth process.

Secondly, every action with children and their families is focused to mobilize their resources and potential taking into account the different contexts involved which constitutes specific levels of intervention. That is to say the children, their families, the school, their community and the city are some development contexts where children are immersed, and from an ecological and strategic perspective each one of them needs to be evaluated in order to provide a solution to the problems found.

The development also aims to increase people's capacity to transform their environment positively. The work can not be focused to short term goals or indicators of success established from the outside but taking into account participants' expectations even if they do not show interest for changing. We have to keep in mind that the deficiencies in people's quality of life produce major problems are some times impossible to solve them in the course of life. Therefore, it is necessary to work with two or three generations in their different contexts to see positive effects in their Human and Social Development Process.