Meeting with Jordi Alos – Dianova Uruguay

Training of addiction counselors and other professionals

“An organization like ours must be attentive to the needs that may arise in an ever-changing social and economic environment”

How long have you been part of Dianova and what was your itinerary in the organization?

I’ve been working with Dianova since 1983. During this period of time I used to work in the various countries where Dianova operates, mainly in Italy, Spain and Latin America, in addition, I have served during 8 years as member of the Assembly Council of Dianova International.

Since 1998 I work for the Dianova Uruguay Foundation, currently chairing the Board of Directors and together with the other board members we strive to make Dianova in Uruguay a viable and sustainable professional institution.

Who is part of your management team?

Dianova Uruguay is a foundation regulated by law 17,163 of September 1, 1999 and is registered in the Register of Legal Persons of the Ministry of Education and Culture with the number 8332, Folio 5, Book 17.

Our Board of Directors is composed of four members including Ms. Montserrat Rafel Herrero, Mr. Davide Brundu, Mr. FabrizioGlisenti and myself.

Could you describe your fields of intervention?

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In compliance with our bylaws we maintain educational and therapeutic programs on a permanent basis, that benefit people with psychosocial problems in need for residential treatment and assistance. We also develop training and education programs for addiction counselors and other professionals.

In addition we have developed school-based prevention programs and at the workplace. Our most recent initiative has been the development of a program called« Mucho ruido y muchas nueces » funded by the National Board on Drugs. Our proposal was grounded on social communication interventions so as to develop a more accurate risk perception of the use of marijuana and alcohol. The project was implemented in 2014 in the Departments of the Eastern area of the country, Maldonado, Rocha, Treinta y Tres and Lavalleja.

As regards treatment modalities, Dianova Uruguay maintains a variety of services, including outpatient and daycare facilities and residential treatment centers; we also utilize mixed strategies. We also manage a public center, in Chanaes, specializing in the treatment of follow up of male drug abusers with a dual diagnosis of psychiatric troubles and addiction.

Since 1992, our institution has provided direct services to about 4,500 youth and/or adults of both genders who have undergone our social or educational programs. We’ve also provided indirect support to their family members or social facilitators.

What would be your greatest achievements since the last five years? Which of these are you most proud of, personally?

In Dianova Uruguay, we have been truly dedicated to our mission, and personally, I am quite pleased with the degree of confidence that has been built throughout the years not only with our clients and their families but also with the professional and public sector. This confidence now translates in our running public centers on behalf of the National Network for Drug Treatment and Assistance (RENADRO)

In recent years we have also developed two EU-funded projects, through Europe’s cooperation lines “Non-State Actors and Local Authorities for the Development” and the “European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights”. The first project had a national scope and was oriented to strengthening national and local stakeholders chosen by the Departmental Boards on Drugs. The second project consisted in training teachers to the utilization of an array of tools designed to prevent conflicts at school. The latter project was developed in partnership with Dianova Spain.

What difficulties did you encounter since 2010?

An organization like ours must be very attentive to the needs that may arise in an ever-changing social and economic environment and also in terms of public and social policies. We’ve gone through many difficulties, all of which have been resolved by generating dedicated work teams focusing on every task and bringing them to their successful conclusion.

Our objective is to make the Organization a proactive and sustainable partner. Dianova Uruguay directly employs 63 workers dedicated in programs and institutional projects.

Do you have any future project?

Our future projects are closely linked with our environment. The development of initiatives which depend on private funding is complex and subject to many uncertainties, this is the reason why our future projects will probably be associated to the public sector and/or multilateral sectors, in search of complementarity and mutual interests. 

Profile of Dianova Uruguay

Opening year: 1992
Number of employees: 67
Programs: 5

Number of places:
50 with agreement from INAU
18 with agreement from RENADRO
40 outpatient treatment

EU project: training of 60 education professionals. Direct beneficiaries: 1300 young people and adolescents and 3,500 indirect beneficiaries

Target population: adolescents, adults, addiction counselors and other professionals