SOGAMOSO:
For twenty years now the “ICDP flame has been kept alive” in the Municipality of Sogamoso, in the Department of Boyacá. It is used to promote mental health, protection of children and integral development of minors.
ICDP started to develop in Sogamoso in 2005, in context of working on the prevention of violence against children and articulating actions on different fronts ranging from planning, action execution and evaluation of actions that promote the protection of children. These activities are developed as part of public policies, included in the municipal development plan and the territorial health plan.
The ICDP programme (called “I am a person”), is contemplated in specific actions to promote mental health in environments such as the family and the school community. The work is currently carried out by facilitators who use ICDP material (financed with their own resources and with support from the ICDP Colombia Foundation).
Mayor Mauricio Barón Granados and the Municipal Health Secretary Lucy Esperanza Rodríguez Pérez, are actively promoting ICDP. They have championed the work with children and adolescents in the municipality, with the understanding that the best way to help children is by providing tools to parents and caregivers who are directly related to parenting – the key being good communication, empathy and expression of feelings and emotions in safe environments.
CORRALES:
During 2025, Corrales, in the Department of Boyacá, became a model municipality because it has been implementing actions for the protection of children and adolescents. Despite limited resources they managed to articulate different actions to enhance protection of the rights of children and to promote good treatment by applying the ICDP programme “I am a person”. The ICDP programme is included in the Municipal Development Plan, the Municipal Public Policy for early childhood, childhood and adolescence; Territorial Health Plan – Mental Health Dimension; Good Treatment Programme.
Institutions involved: Municipal Administration; Municipal Council of Social Policy; Secretariat of Public Works, Development and Planning; General and Legal Secretariat; Secretariat of Culture; Family Commissioner; Local Health Directorate; State Social Enterprise Corrales Health Post; Juan José Samaniego Educational Institution, Children’s Homes of the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare.
This work is carried out through training actions aimed at family and community groups in which children, adolescent, caregivers and families in various areas of life are involved. To prevent neglect or any form of abuse, good treatment is promoted using the fundamental elements of ICDP, to promote harmonious coexistence and dialogue, through group meetings.
The main aim is to raise awareness and guide those responsible for children under 8 years of age in their care, enriching their relationship of empathy and promoting emotionally sensitive and expressive communication with them. Adults are made aware of the importance of recognizing and respecting the individuality of children. Positive, empathetic, and caring interaction is promoted, including communication, meaningful dialogue, and mutual support.
By improving family dynamics and strengthening emotional bonds, the program indirectly seeks to reduce the levels of intra-family and social violence.
Participants become multipliers of the methodology, sharing the learnings in their communities and families, and expanding the reach of the ICDP programme.
VÉLEZ
Vélez, in the Department of Santander has been using ICDP in their projects for early childhood, childhood and adolescence and their families. Their focus is on the prevention of psychosocial risk and the promotion of mental health.
The link to different recorded video testimonies in Spanish:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1I5lRCntlWn7d4vj37l3DaORkPrk1Bkwe?usp=drive_link