The Projeto Democracia Participativa (PRODEP – Participatory Democracy Project), which is located in the Political Sciences Departament of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), emerged from a partnership between Núcleo de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento da Política de Assistência Social (NUPASS – a Support Nucleous for the Development of the Social Assistance Policies), public administrations and civil society. Under coordination of Professor Leonardo Avritzer, the PRODEP team has mainly specialized in the study of the civil society participation on matters of public policy. In this sense, PRODEP has been focusing in the following spheres of actions:

Research

The researches developed in PRODEP concentrate on the refinement of the empirical knowledge over questions that surround the thematic of participation, as well as on the development of analytical tools (both methodologically and theoretically speaking) that help clarifying studied phenomena. From the researches we have done, stand out those which are concerned with the study of: associativism; Participatory Budgets and Public Policies Councils; distributive system and participatory institutions; and other researches linked to specific thematics related to the participation theme (Brazilian health movement, regionalization, gender/race demands inclusion in formulating public policies). Several supporters have endorsed those projects, including Ford Foundation, FAPEMIG (Minas Gerais´s Research-support Foundation), FINEP (Projects and Studies Financier), CNPq (Technological and Scientifical Development Council) and CAPES (Coordination to promote development of qualified persons, linked to the Educational Ministery).

Advising, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluating Public Policies

That´s an area PRODEP has been lately expanding in its activities . In 2006, responding to, as well as departing from, a demand made by SEDESE/MG (Social Development and Sports Secretary of Minas Gerais State), we elaborated a multi-criterion index which has pointed out state´s regions where should be installed consortium or regional CREAS (Specialized Reference Center of Social Assistance) in answer to demands for social assistance services of special attention. The work's aim was to determine which Minas Gerais' regions demanded specialized services for children and teenagers, handicapped, elderly people, migrants, and homeless. Today, giving continuity to the demands that have emerged from this first job, we are following social assistance policies in Minas Gerais, while helping to construct a monitoring system for these policies in the State.

Long-Distance Courses

Following the growing tendencies on the diversification of ways knowledge is supposed to be publicized and shared, PRODEP has been specializing in offering of long-distance courses, which have as a common characteristic not losing focus on popular participation. The courses are offered through EAD (Ensino à Distância – Distance Teaching) using a collaborative learning virtual platform. This platform allows use of some resources, such as: videos, chats, email exchanging, texts, guided studies, forums, etc. Throughout this methodology, we are now offering the following courses: “ E-agora - A Academia da Democracia Eletrônica” ( E-agora – Eletronic Democracy Academy), “Curso de Especialização em Organizações Populares e Democracia Participativa” (Course of specialization in popular organizations and participatory democracy) and “Participação Política e Direitos Humanos” (Political Participation and Human Rights). The partners which make these courses possible are: Europe Union, Brazilian Cáritas and UNESCO.