Abstract:

This work represents a synthesis of research on the educational dimension of the Social Service practice connected with the State training programs for social assistance counsellor managers in Paraná, Brazil.

The research sought to understand the phenomenon of social emancipation as a modern value that has been historically determined, and to articulate a theoretical-methodological conception of social emancipation, in Gramscian terms. To shed light on this we analyzed the practice of training conducted by the Social Services along with the training programs referred to above, through interviews with professionals and trained counsellors, and documental and bibliographical research. Essentially, the discussion systematically documents the basics of social emancipation, with support from Gramsci's thought, and suggests some indicators for an emancipatory type of training.

We aim to contribute to discussions on ethics and politics and on practical training for counsellor managers from different areas, as one of the strategies to advance the prospects for democratic and emancipatory social management in Brazil. We focus in this work on Paraná, since it is our point of reference and study.

Initially we make the assumption that the institution of public policy counsellor managers represents an improvement on the old patterns of public management, because unlike the latter, the former advocate equality, social control, publicity, and the determination of issues of collective interest from the perspective of participatory democracy.

On the other hand, we believe that the democratic management of public issues is a very recent development in Brazilian political culture and consequently there are challenges to be faced by the protagonists of this scenario in Brazil.

We refer to the socio-historical movement of advances and challenges posed to enforce emancipatory perspectives of citizenship and social management as a counter-hegemonic movement. For the construction of counter-hegemony, one important factor is the development of values that shape a critical and collective world view to overcome the limits of "petty politics" and to come up with an ethical and political moment capable of raising subaltern social groups and segments in a cultural and political manner so that they can contribute to building an emancipatory path in the management of public policies.

Keywords:

Social emancipation, counsellor manager.