If it is bad to be disillusioned, it must be good to be Illusioned, right?  Logical in Spanish, but not in English.  The name is by intention a kind of provocation.  It involves a commitment to “working with rather than “working for.”  It’s starting point focuses on opportunities rather than problems, appreciating gifts and abilities rather than identifying weaknesses and needs.  It is akin to a spectrum of more familiar methodologies: Appreciative Inquiry, Asset Based Community Development, Outcome Mapping, etc.

 

Our team in Cuernavaca, include Erik and Howard, have published a book in Spanish profiling not only the concept of Social Ilusionism, but offering narrative on Karitas-in-Mexico’s application of it.  Among English titles we have tried is: Visioneering (putting vision into action).  Our goal is to get onto the desks of social work faculty, students and practitioners; NGO’s and faith-based community development agencies.