Description

For a few years, the Youth Monitoring Public Policies programme, which is better known as MJPOP, has been a key element in transforming the lives of youth in several regions across Brazil. MJPOP is the contextualization of the Citizen Voice and Action (CVA) methodology in the country. By implementing this advocacy approach, practitioners aim at bringing about change through the engagement of citizens and local government through the involvement of youth.

In Fortaleza, a major city in the northern Brazilian coast, MJPOP has a strong presence and has empowered young people to participate socially and politically in their communities. Edgleison Rodrigues serves as the Adjunct-Secretary of CJVM (World Vision’s Youth Council) and as a member of the National Committee of MJPOP. Below, Edgleison tells more about the work in Fortaleza and why it has been significant.

“In 2009, the Youth Observatory of Fortaleza and your people from Area Development Programmes (ADPs) (Integrasol, Vida de Crianca, Sonho de Crianca and Pantanal) conducted an analysis of the city in order to pinpoint public policies that were directed towards young people in two specific regions of the city. They identified that in the region known as Suburban Sao Miguel, young people were not receiving benefits of public policies designed to serving the youth. For this reason, they mobilized, wrote a letter with their complaints, and gave it to public authorities during a seminar. After that, there were several meetings with the secretariats of sports and leisure, and culture and youth in order to resolve the situation.

In January 2010, the first MJPOP National Gathering took place in Lagoa Santa, Minas Gerais, and young people from the programme in Fortaleza had the opportunity to learn about the methodology of public policy monitoring, which had been reformulated so it could be used specifically by the youth. Upon returning, the young people facilitated the teaching of the phases and steps of the methodology to other members of the group. They realized that this way of monitoring had more participation of the people, and it was more organized. Thus, they decided to implement MJPOP in their activities.

After that, MJPOP Fortaleza decided to monitor services that were delivered by the Family Health Centre Pedro Sampaio in the community of Conjunto Palmeiras. This was done after the analysis of the services in the region in which ADPs act. The interface meetings held to elaborate a plan of action took place in the space provided by the coordinator of the health centre. Health workers and community members were all present at the meetings.

With the social monitoring of MJPOP, the hiring process of more health workers of the Family Health Centre Pedro Sampaio got faster, the information system of the clinic was updated, and public policies such as Adolescente Cidadao (Adolescent-Citizens) and Projovem (Proyouth) were implemented in Sao Miguel. Also, a plaza dedicated to youth activities was constructed and it is in the process of receiving its license.

The methodology of MJPOP has encouraged young people in Fortaleza to question the contexts in which they live in, which made them become passionate about participating in the political life of their communities, and has given them a new perception of their own realities. It is evident that MJPOP not only contributes to the improvement of public services, but it also contributes in a real social transformation in the lives of youth.

Nowadays, MJPOP in Fortaleza is going through a process of reformulation. The implementation of the methodology is being improved, and discussions about public policies are being facilitated by youth in the communities in Sao Miguel with the support of MJPOP working group.”