On March 29th, representatives from UPS and the General Secretariat of Security and Governance in Quito signed an interinstitutional agreement that will strengthen intervention processes for victims of family violence, gender violence, child abuse and sexual violence. 

The agreement was signed by Jose Juncosa, vicepresident of the university's branch campus in Quito; Juan Zapata, general secretary of safety and governance in the municipality of Cuenca; Cristina Calderon, general director of Equity and Justice Centers. The event was also attended by professors, staff and students from these educational centers.

Thanks to the agreement, senior year students will carry out practicums to strengthen prevention areas and conduct projects with people who are treated in the six Equity and Justice Centers located in Quito. The director of the Centers said they seek to create a culture of peace and citizen participation through two areas: prevention through training and attention in the fields of social work, legal advice and management in the psychology.

Jose Juncosa spoke about UPS's commitment with the demands of society and public institutions. Juan Zapata welcomed the new volunteers and said "you are part of a team that seeks to dignify people, provide them a new lifestyle through entrepreneurship projects and the development of skills".

Psychology students spoke about the diagnosis conducted to 400 people from the six centers in order to measure people's believes about violence, they also presented the projects they are currently working on, such as:

-    Awareness of parenting styles for volunteer parents in the Children International Foundation

-    Systematization of awareness processes about gender violence through theater and dance techniques for the elderly

-    Implement cognitive behavioral strategies to search for alternatives to physical punishment. 

-    Systematization of conceptions of femininity and masculinities and family structures. 

UPS professor Maria José Boada, said the agreement allows students to get closer to people who experience these problems and at the same time strengthen aspects of their academic training from experience