Paint your heart with love: social work and art project (Pinta tu corazón con amor: Proyecto Trabajo Social y Arte)

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this article I present how the development and implementation of the Social Work and Art Project, Paint Your Heart with Love, which was carried out during the period from 2018 to 2021 in the Puerto Rican context, as an innovative strategy for working with groups. Its main purpose is aimed at strengthening the socio-emotional learning of childhood in the school stage, through the integration of the group method and art as a medium, based on five competencies: self-knowledge, self-regulation, social awareness, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making. In addition to this, during all phases of the project it has had the participation of social work students at the undergraduate level, which contributes to the innovation of the project. Topics presented include everything from the idea phase to the training and publication of the activity guide. This project offers its workshops from an experiential approach to professionals who are trained to facilitate the eventual implementation of the project, which makes it more relevant. As part of this trajectory, in 2019 it was recognized by International Association for Social Work with Groups as a SPARC project.