Travessia, o percurso de professores na vivência de círculos de construção de paz para a promoção de saúde mental : a justiça restaurativa como política pública.

Abstract

In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its most comprehensive global review of mental health since the turn of the century. Alarming data revealed that, in 2019, nearly one billion people were living with some form of mental disorder, making it the leading cause of disability worldwide. The report urged all countries to accelerate the implementation of the Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2030. In Brazil, in March 2023, the proposal to establish the National Policy for Psychosocial Care in School Communities was approved, with one of its main objectives being to guarantee mental health care for school communities— teachers,staff,students, and families. Thatsame year was also designated asthe Year of Restorative Justice in Education. Given this context, it is necessary to devise strategies to promote teachers’ mental health, and Restorative Justice (RJ), through Peacebuilding Circles (PBCs), emerges as a viable alternative. PBCs provide a safe and welcoming environment capable of meeting fundamental human needs— meaning and belonging—and their potential contributes to healing processes. This study presents the results of an intervention aimed at investigating whether PBCs contribute to strategies for promoting teachers’ mental health. The research group consisted of thirty-two teachers from two municipal schools in the Porto Alegre metropolitan region, who participated in three stages: awareness-raising, participation in Peacebuilding Circles, and evaluation. The intervention consisted of five meetings, each organized around a mobilizing theme with the keywords: strength, affection, achievements, opportunities, and light, forming the acronym FAROL (“Lighthouse”), which gave its name to the program developed for implementing the circles. Data were collected through teachers’ narratives and analyzed using the principles and assumptions of Peacebuilding Circles, as well as Bardin’s (2016) content analysis. The intervention resulted in a technical product: the development of a Guide for RJ PBC Facilitators within the FAROL Program, designed to support facilitators in implementing circles to promote mental health in other contexts. There is consistent evidence of the positive impact of PBCs in reducing anxiety and stress, while enhancing self-awareness and well-being. The experience with the circles had a significant impact on teachers and proved effective in promoting mental health. Due to their comprehensiveness and replicability, Peacebuilding Circles can become a powerful tool for public policy in fostering healthier communities, offering a new paradigm for their application.This study is linked to the Professional Master’s Program in Psychology at the University of Santa Cruz do Sul (UNISC), within the research line Social Practices, Organizations, and Culture, with a concentration in Mental Health and Social Practices.