Description
“Project Crece: Citizenship, robotics and effective communication” consists of a program designed to improve the viability of the lifetime plans of minors in the national foster care system (SENAME), using a virtual reality-based teaching model. The foster children use the technology to simulate and deal with adverse situations that they will face when they leave the care system, situations that are often barriers to their social and work reintegration.
Proyecto Crece was born under the auspices of UC EduLab’s Education 2020 Challenges program, to tackle the challenge proposed by the Chilean Chamber of Construction’s Corporación Cimientos. Team members include researchers Laura Valledor (Education UC), Claudia Reyes (Social Work UC), Rubén Fernández (Innovaxis), Carolina Castillo (Innovaxis) and Karen Sáez (Master’s student in Education UC).
Corporación Cimientos and the project team working at the Provisional Internment Center (CIP) successfully implemented the widely accepted program in November and December. Using this technology with young people for job-related issues had a positive impact, spurring motivational changes in the youngsters who were able to complete the RIE+ project and the job-related plan designed by the Crece team.
Problem addressed
The challenge consisted of developing an ICT-based teaching proposition designed to develop general job skills among young offenders for inclusion in the job market. The proposal had to include teaching material and a program of activities scheduled for implementation during the second half of 2020.
Proposed solution
Following this challenge, the Crece team held several meetings with the Cimientos Corporation, mediated by UC EduLab with the sole objective of adjusting the proposal to meet the needs of the Corporation since the ultimate goal of the Crece team was to help develop a job-related plan for youth offenders at the San Joaquin Provisional Internment Center (CIP) run by the National Service for Minors.
Research team
- Laura Valledor. Project Coordinator. Faculty member of the UC School of Education
- Claudia Reyes. Faculty member of the UC School of Social Work
- Ruben Fernandez. Innovaxis Company
- Carolina Castillo. Innovaxis Company
- Karen Sáez. Master’s student in Education, UC
