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How the Brazilian Children's Charity Works
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The President supervises and mentors (one hour/week per student) the students as they attempt their newly learned techniques upon the target population (10 hours/week per student.) Students are required to meet with clients away from the office (for confidentiality reasons.) Students are encouraged to: 1) provide visceral needs to clients (assist with acquiring food/shelter, sex education and, if the client is in physical danger, take appropriate action, 2) assist with the effects caused by drug addiction, prostitution, rape, molestation, discrimination, physical violence, a life of crime, or other social ailments, and 3) attend to the mental health of said clients in safe environments. The majority of services are provided at church sites, within the abodes of certain clients (after a screening process,) onsite at schools, and at the street-level (i.e. at the beach, public parks, etc.) if deemed appropriate.
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| Hal Morris, the president of the B.C.C. |
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| Three pictures of our offices in Copacabana |
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The B.C.C. offers university students in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil paid internships (500Reals/month) for 12 months. These students come out of Psychology Doctorate programs in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Students have have full access to the psychology library in the B.C.C. office (with literature in English ranging from the 1940's to the latest books of 2009.) Also, internet access is available to students who wish to surf the web for the latest articles and resources in psychology. The decision of which student will receive an internship is done by a majority vote of the B.C.C. Board of Directors. The President provides the board with all appropriate information (i.e. resumes, University transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc.) for applying students. Students, who receive the internship, are taught (by the President) techniques in C.C.F.T. and M.H.C. (two hours/day, five days/week in the office) and the students work directly with the target populations.
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| "Saving children's lives in Brazil!" |
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"Give a person a fish, feed 'em for a day; teach a person to fish, feed 'em for life!" The B.C.C. creates a healthier and safer Brazil through a capacity building model.
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The B.C.C. mainly looks toward churches, word of mouth on the street and other non-profit organizations for a client population. The B.C.C. has no direct involvement with religion. As there is a lack of social-work programs with low-income families or homeless children on the streets of Rio de Janeiro, word of mouth, other non-profits and churches are used as the main resource for acquiring target populations. Due to the collectivistic mentality of Brazilian culture many people and non-profits refer on clients. Also, people within the churches (nuns, fathers, parishioners, etc.) are often aware of low-income families and homeless children in need of psychological services and willingly disclose this information. By listening to the recommendations of people who have already been in contact with the target populations, the physical risk to interns or therapist is diminished. Previous knowledge of a client's potential for physical violence helps to eliminate them from the list of prospective future clients.
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