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Emotional stability

During their stay at CIMA, children acquire emotional stability that allows them to develop their self-confidence and self-esteem. This process of personal development is of utmost importance to give them the ability to face the challenges of life and manage conflict situations in a positive way.

  • They acquire maturity and desire to improve and get ahead.
  • Also at CIMA, children develop discipline, hygiene of life and restructure their lifestyle.
  • They learn the values of work, effort, respect for others and the rules of coexistence and a sense of responsibility.
  • They also develop the social skills necessary to achieve a successful reintegration into society.

Finally, CIMA prepares them for the future, providing them with support to resume and finish their schooling and also technical training that allows them to acquire the basic knowledge to develop autonomously in their adult lives.

Throughout its 30 years of work, CIMA has welcomed around 2,700 children, of which it is estimated that 70% have come out ahead, successfully achieving their family and social reintegration, and 30% have relapsed after discharge. , often due to an early exit against the team’s will.

Learnings and Reflections

  • Children find in CIMA a space of affection and love that covers the emotional void that sometimes exists in their home. The team tries to develop parent-child relationships with the children so that little by little they feel confident and consider CIMA as a home and not as an institution. At CIMA they are listened to, they receive attention and advice, they feel that they are important. This affectionate relationship is a key element in the rehabilitation process, since for some children it is the first time they see adults making an effort and worrying about them.
  • This love is unconditional. Children are accepted and loved just as they are. They cannot be expelled from the group home for having misbehaved. However, this does not imply in any way weakness, lack of demand on the part of educators or lack of discipline. On the contrary, understanding the child’s needs well means offering him a framework of security, limits and discipline that he needs so much to find himself again.
  • The workshops greatly contribute to the process of personal development , allowing children to value their skills, develop their talents, realize that they are capable of doing positive things. The variety of workshops constitutes one of the originalities of the CIMA methodology that is found in few other homes.
  • This long process of psychological strengthening aims to transform the child into an agent of his own change . It is necessary for the child to realize that he must be able to find in himself the necessary resources to get ahead and to face a family and social environment that will continue to be dysfunctional.
  • In the interviews with the children, the families and the volunteers , the semi-open regimen of the home repeatedly comes out as an important factor that has attracted them. The absence of a gate and a wall at the entrance contributes to creating a family atmosphere.
  • Group functioning and companionship are important elements of the CIMA model that favor rehabilitation. The child is integrated into a group and actively participates in its proper functioning. Become aware of the possibilities for change you have, seeing others moving forward and getting ahead. Children exert a positive influence on each other. Group cohesion is important and several children maintain contact with each other when they graduate from CIMA.
  • Without the commitment and vocation of the professionals that make up the CIMA team, nothing would be possible. With few resources and a lot of desire, a lot can be done. It should be noted that several former CIMA residents now work at CIMA as teachers, tutors, or help out as volunteers. They explain it as a thank you for what CIMA has given them and the desire to return the help they received to children who have the same path as them.
  • From the beginning and thanks to the will of its founder , CIMA has built an international support network made up of individuals, associations and foundations. Following are some examples of the creation of associations by ex-volunteers and volunteers of CIMA. This ability of CIMA to generate a sustainable commitment over time from volunteers and the creation of support initiatives constitutes a strength that allows it to continue developing despite the worrying lack of financial resources.
  • Strengthening the relationship with the family is of greater importance. CIMA does not replace the family. The ultimate goal is the reintegration of the child in his family environment. Visits to families are very important because they allow children to maintain contact. The CIMA team also always seeks to establish links with mothers and fathers or other family members so that they are not released from their parental responsibilities.
  • Strengthen social monitoring work for families and simultaneously develop awareness and training work to achieve changes in education patterns.
  • Strengthen individual therapeutic work . Some children suffer from severe psychological trauma and need proper care. The risk of relapse after CIMA is much stronger for children who have not managed to overcome their traumas.
  • Strengthen preparation for graduation and life outside of CIMA. In fact, the institutionalization of young people generates a loss of independence. Living in a shelter for several months or years, they tend to lose their autonomy. For example, they have difficulties managing money or are not used to making decisions on their own. There are few complementary programs to CIMA that offer social accompaniment to recently graduated young people. For young people who do not benefit from this type of program, becoming independent can sometimes be difficult and puts the rehabilitation process at risk.