A total of seventy families of the capital are benefiting during this course from the ‘Family Meetings’ promoted by the Huelva City Council. A family support program that takes place in municipal areas of the city such as the ‘drop of milk’ and the La Orden social center, as well as in different schools near the Marismas del Odiel neighborhood, such as the Manuel Siurot, Príncipe de España, Virgen de Belén and Ciudad de los Niños schools.
The Councilor for Social Policies and Equality, María José Pulido, wanted to value “the importance of a resource that is available to all Huelva fathers and mothers, through which we want to offer them a space to exchange experiences and opinions, to reflect and learn how they can improve the dynamics of cohesiveness and dialogue”.
In this way, the mayor points out, “our priority is that the families of Huelva have the most effective tools to educate, motivate and support their sons and daughters, so that they grow up confident in themselves and with a strong and positive self-esteem ”.
These meetings, which take place over several sessions during the months of April and May, are favoring the creation of a climate of communication, learning and respect that contributes to establishing a healthy family life.
This initiative, which has been widely accepted in the city, has been open to participation with dependent minors of any age. The contents that are addressed are adapted to the needs of the participants and are based on fundamental sections such as emotional education, norms, healthy leisure and self-esteem, as well as the acquisition of the most appropriate strategies to prevent conflicts.
Guided by professionals, attendees discuss in these sessions topics of interest such as affective-sexual education, the establishment of limits, the prevention of tobacco consumption, hookahs, vapers, energy drinks and alcohol, and the proper use of mobile phones and the Internet, counting on the advice of the Diagrama Foundation.
For the Consistory, it is essential that, closely and in small groups, concerns and experiences can be shared for another year with effective learning tools and techniques, as well as educational videos designed to make this initiative more attractive among families.
Free toy library for families
In addition, thanks to the collaboration of the Red Cross, parents who attend these ‘Meetings at any of its venues have at their disposal the free ‘Learn by playing’ toy library, which facilitates family reconciliation during these sessions, dealing with the boys and girls in a playful and fun way the same contents that are addressed with adults. Likewise, every afternoon the minors enjoy children’s storytelling about values, by the hand of Irene Reina.
