UC’s Diploma course launches its third version
More than 100 professionals from various disciplines positively impact their environment and communities, thanks to their training in this successful program started in 2021, which provides tools to lead, contribute and motivate the construction of a culture of care, the promotion of healthy environments, good treatment, empathy and prevention of abuse.
“The diploma course helped me improve professionally. As a psychologist, cases of abuse come to me and now I see them from a different perspective. I connect with boys and girls from another perspective. What remains of my working life I am going to dedicate to the prevention of sexual abuse. I have all the tools to achieve this goal , ”says Marcela Rojas, a psychologist from the School Integration Program (PIE), of the Illustrious Municipality of Cerrillos .
He adds that it helped him understand that abusive logic is embedded in social structures and that all people are exposed or vulnerable to suffering the consequences of staying in toxic environments. “ I learned how abuse is established in a relationship dynamic. The hierarchical ecclesial structures of the curia, family, school, among others. Structures prevent you from seeing the abuse. It’s made up. With the diploma I learned to see it and to clean that makeup” .
Precisely, one of the central objectives of the Diploma in Prevention of abuses and promotion of healthy environments in ecclesial contexts , organized by the UC Faculty of Theology , through its Continuing Education area, is that its participants have a positive impact on their environment through of the application of strategies that help detect signs for early intervention of abuses and design prevention plans and that contribute to renewing their school, work and/or community ecosystem.
Ángela Pérez, head of the program and academic at the UC Faculty of Theology, points out that this is a pioneering diploma course with a strong interdisciplinary focus, along with aiming at the prevention of abuse of power, conscience and sexual abuse, it seeks to contribute purposefully to the construction of a culture of care, the creation of healthy environments, good treatment and empathy. It has excellent teachers and is endorsed by the UC seal. “The complexity of the abuse crisis in ecclesial contexts requires rigorous, systematic, and interdisciplinary training, and we rely on the best professionals for this. We are realizing, due to the impact that this training has on our students, that this proposal is a success. Much of the richness of the diploma course has to do with the conversations that take place in the course itself and in which the students are participants.
“The complexity of the crisis of abuse in ecclesial contexts requires rigorous, systematic and interdisciplinary training, and for this we have the best professionals” – Ángela Pérez, head of the program and academic at the Faculty of Theology UC
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The program, which is in tune with the Delegation for Truth and Peace of the Archdiocese of Santiago, has the participation of prominent academics from various UC faculties: Theology, Spirituality, Human Sciences, Law, among others. In addition, invited professionals and teams from other institutions such as CEPROME, the Archbishopric of Santiago , through the episcopal delegation for Truth and Peace and the National Council for the Prevention of Abuses of the Episcopal Conference of Chile participate.
The course is aimed at professional members of training teams, religion teachers, members of ecclesial communities, pastoral agents and people linked to these themes; that seek to carry out early intervention and generate prevention policies to renew their school, work and/or community ecosystem.
Mauricio Larrosa, president of the Organization of Seminars of Argentina OSAR, appreciates the international nature of the diploma, thanks to the fact that the online class format makes it easier for people from different parts of the world to access it. In addition, he highlights the richness of the variety of perspectives, the interdisciplinary and a contribution in providing the fundamental tools to build a culture of care and good treatment.. “It helps to forge a culture of care. As Christians we have to rediscover, apply, correct and convert to the gospel and this is precisely about generating good treatment and enhancing the respect and dignity of people”. Another of the elements that he highlighted was the dynamics of participation, in the forums, the readings and a very enriching sharing with colleagues, “because sharing is part of generating a healthy and nutritious culture.”
Doris Pons, secretary of the Council for the Prevention of Abuses and Accompaniment for Victims of the Diocese of Copiapó, highlighted the rigorous environment and the concern to achieve excellence as one of the main characteristics; also the enriching dialogue that occurs during training with people from various disciplines. “The exercises that we did every week kept us in a grounded rhythm and we established a link between what one learns and what one lives. It is done in a rigorous environment that has the support and prestige of the Catholic University. It is very important to feel that support, because you know that you are participating in something that is well done, well thought out, well directed. It is enriching to be talking about this issue with people from different perspectives and with whom we share the commitment to address this issue with the seriousness it deserves.”