Construction of emancipatory practices with health councilors through educational workshops and concept maps

The aim of the study was to find out how community participation occurs within the scope of professional training of municipal health councilors through educational workshops and concept maps. This is a research-action, qualitative study, developed in three municipalities belonging to the Health Region of Cuesta Pole, São Paulo, Brazil, with 28 councilors. Educational workshops and concept maps were carried out and data were analyzed according to the dialogic thematic analysis and semiotic image analysis. The discussion was supported by the Significant Learning Theory. The results showed the importance of the Primary Health Care regarding qualified listening and health promotion and prevention actions. For the participants, exercising the role of councilor means being present at meetings and representing their segment to the population. They feel important as collaborators in the creation of public policies and assistance to other governing bodies related to budgetary and fiscal control. Educational workshops and concept maps were shown to be pedagogical strategies to be worked with health councilors, as they allowed moments of learning, exchanges of experiences, interaction and creation of bonds.