The "Ser Cuida(I)doso" project won this year's Uniservitate Prize. This prestigious distinction aims to recognise the best Service Learning initiatives in Catholic Higher Education, highlighting projects that combine academic excellence with community action in response to real social problems.

The Uniservitate Prize 2024 received 311 applications from service-learning projects from all over the world. There are seven regions competing for the prize with projects from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Oceania, the United States and Canada, Central and Eastern Europe and the Middle East, Northern Europe and Southern Europe competing for the award.

The evaluation process took place in two stages, with the projects being carefully analysed by a panel of experts. The "Ser Cuida(I)doso" project was announced as the winner of the 2024 Uniservitate Prize in the Southern Europe region, which includes universities in Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom and Portugal.

Developed as part of the Social Work degree programme at the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences in Braga, the "Ser Cuida(I)doso" project stands out for its transformative impact on the community and on students' training. In partnership with the Irmandade de S. Torcato Social Centre (IPSS), the initiative focuses on intervention with the elderly, providing students with a valuable understanding of the challenges faced by this demographic group.

Led by Catarina Vieira da Silva, a professor at the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences, this project is an example of the transformative potential of service-learning. In one of the European Union countries with the oldest age pyramid, programmes like "Ser Cuida(I)doso" are crucial. The phenomenon of population ageing has significant social and health implications, such as the high prevalence of cases of dementia and the increase in the number of elderly people living alone and isolated, and this project offers practical training to final-year Social Work students, preparing them to face the multiple challenges associated with supporting vulnerable elderly people.

The victory of the "Ser Cuida(I)doso" project also recognises the positive impact it has on both the community and the students' academic training. In addition to the prestige, the winners of the award, represented by the Professor and a student, will have the opportunity to take part in the 5th Global Symposium, which will be held from 7 to 8 November in Rome, Italy. This award not only celebrates the excellence of the project, but also inspires other institutions to follow suit and integrate academic learning with community service in a meaningful way.

"The Cuida(I)doso Project is an inspiring example of how academia can contribute to the positive transformation of society. Congratulations to everyone involved!", said Isabel Vasconcelos, Vice-Rector of Universidade Católica Portuguesa.

UCP is proud to have been part of this global network of social responsibility and commitment to the community, Uniservitate, from the very beginning.

To find out more about this methodology, take part in the Service-Learning Days in Porto and Lisbon.