Ciência no dia-a-dia numa comunidade terapêutica

Abstract

Addiction affects an increasingly diverse group of individuals that are usually discriminated and impeached by society. This marginalization dictates many aspects of their lives, such as the professional paths and the building of interpersonal relationships. The present work, held at an institution in the context of adult non-formal education, was developed together with STOL – Science Through Our Lives, a science communication project from University of Minho. The target population was a group undergoing a therapeutic process due to addiction (alcoholism, smoke and illicit drugs) and/or behavior disorders. Our actions aimed the promotion and the social/personal development of the persons involved and focused on daily life transformations in order to improve their welfare. As main guidelines the following goals were defined: promote share and reflection, foster autonomy and participation, and finally, make people aware of the importance of science in understanding the world. Science communication activities were grouped under the definition “A Ciência da Nossa Vida” (The Science of Our Lives) and implemented by deeply involving the target group, the community members under treatment. Some of the topics addressed were: raise awareness about licit drugs such as alcohol (alcoholic content quantification of many different drinks and an alcoholic fermentation development) and tobacco (construction of a “giant cigarette”, representing its chemical composition and the display of images allusive to its risks) and illicit drugs like cannabis, cocaine and heroin (production countries, plants of origin and health consequences of the consumption), promotion of a healthy lifestyle (creation of a biological garden and adaptation to proper eating habits) and finally, observation of the world around us on a larger scale (identification of stars and constellations). In order to assess the outcomes of these activities we relied on a standard survey, that measured participants’ reactions, and the researcher’s analytical insights, based upon direct observations and field notes. This whole process allowed the development of critical thinking and arose the awareness on the topics addressed by the community under treatment, serving as a reminder for the importance of similar interventions on these kind of target-publics. It is also crucial to know the setting and each person very well, so that the intervention can be effective, and simultaneously valued by the people for which it is intended.