Program and more information here

Registration here (deadline March 30)

Family support is a broad and extensive task that can be carried out in different ways and in different areas: schools, family clubs, psycho-pedagogical or mediation offices, medical clinics, parishes and other locations where families gather.

From these settings, it is possible to support families, especially the youngest ones, by helping to strengthen family ties.

Current experiences of the situation of families indicates that there is an increasing need to promote diverse initiatives in the area of family support, from the perspective of prevention.

Supportive action is based on trust and is carried out naturally, as a non-directive mode of aid, while offering tools to address the everyday problems encountered by all families.

In the context of the Year of Amoris Laetitite Family proclaimed by Pope Francis, the Institute for Advanced Family Studies has organised the First International Workshop on Family Support, in order to assist in training people who are already engaged in or wish to engage in this much-needed task.

The Workshop will be a face-to-face event because it provides a space for dialogue with speakers and experts, networking, and an exchange of best practices, as well as direct access to training resources in this area.

OBJECTIVES

• To reflect on the task of family support, understood as support given to individuals and families so that they are able to take an active role in preventing and overcoming any difficulties in their relationships.
• Understanding the characteristics of the action of providing support and the qualities of those who wish to dedicate themselves to support, and how to train people who wish to carry out family support.
• To share initiatives and actions for family support/guidance and consultations that are being carried out in various fields at an international level.
• To create and encourage cooperation to set up new family support initiatives.

THEMES

• General Family Support.
• Tailored and mediation-based support.
• Academic support.
• Pastoral-ecclesiastical support.
• Support provided through the media and new technologies.

AIMED AT

The target audience is people who wish to improve their education and start working in family support.

• Experts in family guidance and consulting.
• Teachers and educators.
• NGOs and organisations that work with families.
• Family pastoral agents.
• Social workers, health care workers, and professionals working with families, etc.
• People who want to become involved in this field at a professional level.