News - May 2003
Zippy's Friends to launch in Brazil!
Zippy's Friends , a programme that teaches young children how to cope with difficulties, is to be launched in Brazil early next year.
Partnership for Children has signed a Statement of Intent with an agency called Centro de Valorização da Vida (CVV) and, if funding can be secured in time, the programme will start in Brazilian schools in March 2004.
CVV is a suicide prevention service, with 53 centres and more than 2,300 volunteers all over Brazil, and sees Zippy's Friends as a natural extension of its work.
Co-ordinator Tania Paris said: 'We are concerned to educate society on the basic principles that allow people to live happier lives. Together with other programmes that we have developed for adults, "Amigos do Zippy" fits the challenge perfectly.'
'It is great to have a programme for this age group that addresses the situations so well and uses the language that six and seven year olds understand. We think that by giving them this type of experience at this age, their lives will be very positively impacted.'
Initially, the programme will be offered to schools in São Paulo and neighbouring cities, and Tania reports that principals and teachers are keen to try it.
'Their first reaction is always positive,' she said. 'As with most new ideas, people's second reaction can be somewhat defensive, because they are facing the unknown, but we believe they will be enthusiastic when we start a pilot and they can see the results.'
Pilot programmes in Denmark and Lithuania have been very successful and Zippy's Friends is now being made available internationally. Agreements with at least two more countries are likely to be concluded shortly.
Paul Rubenstein, Chair of Partnership for Children, is excited by the prospect of launching the programme in Brazil.
'CVV is a well-established and well-respected agency and I'm sure it will be able to promote the programme successfully,' he said. 'Initially, the classes will be restricted to the São Paulo area, but CVV is a nationwide organisation and so we hope that the programme will eventually be able to reach children all over Brazil.'