Policies for the homeless population in a region of São Paulo city from the perspective of workers and beneficiaries: an analysis based on social occupational therapy

• Grant number: 24/09735-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Ana Paula Serrata Malfitano
• Grantee: Ana Carolina da Silva Almeida Prado
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The increase of homeless population has contributed to the implementation of social policies aimed at addressing their needs in the Brazilian context. Social occupational therapy is characterized by a theoretical-methodological approach that articulates the micro and macrosocial dimensions of reality for technical work in social policies, developing tools for dealing with this scenario. In this context, the objective is to understand the perceptions of the workers and beneficiaries of policies for the homeless population (HP) in a specific region of São Paulo regarding these policies and their effects on their lives. Therefore, the following question arises: What do the workers and beneficiaries of HP policies in a specific region of São Paulo city report about their implementation and effectiveness in practice? The methodology is based on the participatory methodologies of social occupational therapy grounded in dialectical historical materialism. To this end, the following methods will be used for data collection and systematization: selection of participants (people experiencing homelessness and users of a Shelter Center located in the East Zone of São Paulo/SP, and workers from the assistance network who are part of the "Rede Pop Rua"); field observation; conducting workshops; categorization and content analysis. Moreover, it seeks to build knowledge and methodologies for the work of social occupational therapy with people experiencing homelessness.