Association for the Support and Guidance of Young People in Portugal
PROGRESSO is a non-profit Portuguese association, founded in July 2006 by a multidisciplinary and multicultural team with the aim of providing individually customised support programmes for challenging young people in Portugal.
PROGRESSO stands not only for "moving forward" but also for a "step back towards simplicity" – with the goal of learning to appreciate the simple things in life again. Away from the negative influences of their previous environment and consumer-driven behaviors, young people are given the opportunity to reorient themselves in a safe and supportive setting.
Our pedagogical approach adapts to the individual conditions, developmental stages, and challenges of young people, with adults guiding and supporting them toward their goals. Through a holistic and relationship-based pedagogy, we create a safe space where they can grow, develop social skills, and take responsibility for themselves and their actions.
Through relationship-building, clear structures, and respectful guidance, we enable young people to experience self-efficacy, develop new perspectives, and gradually grow into independent personalities. We want them to become capable of critical reflection and able to take responsibility for themselves and their actions, finding a healthy balance between self-realization and adaptation to society.
Our educational goal is to guide young people towards becoming independent individuals who think critically and take responsibility for themselves and their actions, in a balance of individuality and adaptation.