Social Networks and Strengthening the Participation in Brazil: “Projeto Vidas Paralelas” Experience

“Projeto Vidas Paralelas” – PVP aims to reveal and give visibility to daily life, culture and work from different social groups, from the perspective of the subjects involved, by means of training processes in digital culture and articulation of social networks to strengthen social participation in the construction of public policies, health promotion and culture. It is a proposal for strengthening the social movements and struggle processes through audiovisual training and use of new media as tools of expression, critical thinking and social organization. The project arises from a demand of workers for expanding the visibility of conditions and work processes experienced in the contemporary context and strengthening social participation. These demands were raised by activists of social movements and delegates of the Third Brazilian Conference on Occupational Health held in 2005. Thus, “Projeto Vidas Paralelas” – PVP is articulated and built with all the Brazilian Union Centers and social movements related to occupational health. Between 2008 and 2010 the project was implemented in twenty-one (21) Brazilian states, in a partnership between “Rede Escola Continental em Saúde do Trabalhador”, University of Brasília, Brazilian Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Health. In 2010 indigenous students demanded the formation of “Projeto Vidas Paralelas Indígena” – PVPI, and in 2012, the process for the construction of “Projeto Vidas Paralelas Campo”. Currently, “Projeto Vidas Paralelas” - PVP is a social network that articulates the major social movements in Brazil, related to urban and rural workers, indigenous and “quilombola” communities. This study aims to share the experience on their theoretical and methodological proposal, as well as socialize the progress and challenges regarding the implementation of the strengthening of social participation through social networks.