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JUCONI
Meet the foundation
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History and awards
JUCONI was founded Mexico in 1989, as the result of an initiative proposed by
a UK charity, the International Children’s Trust (“ICT”) who offered to pay the salary of a
field director to start a new organization in Mexico for street-involved children. Sarah Thomas,
a desk officer at the British Embassy quickly responded and left the embassy to start working on
the new project. Shortly after, she met Gabriel Benitez, a Mexican educator and social worker with
considerable experience working with street involved children, who encouraged her to set up the
organization in Puebla. Together the two, led JUCONI as Director General and Director of Education
for the next 5 years.
The organization quickly built up an excellent and dedicated team (many of whom have remained with
JUCONI ever since) and established an extensive program and methodologies to provide long term holistic
solutions, the core elements of which remain in place today. It also quickly established itself as a
pioneer of best practice, gaining widespread private and public support.
JUCONI's work, in developing, implementing and disseminating best practice methodologies over the
last 20 years has been recognized and supported by many of the world’s leading individuals and organizations
in the field. These include the following:
- In 2008 UNICEF awarded JUCONI first prize for “Best Practice” for its “rigorous and innovative
methodology” with families and for its clear commitment to protecting the human rights of children.
- The European Commission: JUCONI has received support from the European Commission including four
major projects one of which is initiating in 2008 and pertains to JUCONI spearheading the creation of
national and international communities of practice that will disseminate effective practice and promote
trauma and violence as an endemic public health issue that must be considered in national and international
public policy.
- In 2008, the jury for “Pantalla de Cristal”, Mexico’s premier film festival, nominated JUCONI’s
institutional video, “For a World Without Violence” for best script.
- The Consortium for Street Children: In 2007, The Consortium for Street Children published State of the
World’s Street Children: Violence which included a substantial section illustrating JUCONI’s practice and
methodology.
- The Sanctuary Institute: in 2005, JUCONI became the first organization outside the United States to
be recognized by the Sanctuary Institute as meeting the requirements for The Sanctuary Model, a comprehensive
“trauma informed method for creating or changing an organizational culture in order to more effectively provide
a cohesive context within which healing from psychological and social traumatic experience can be addressed”.
- Big Lottery Fund (UK): The Big Lottery Fund funded a two year project undertaken by both JUCONI Mexico
and JUCONI Ecuador from 2004 to 2006 entitled “Building Bridges” which sought to developing collaborative
strategies for state primary schools and NGOs to secure educational access and success for highly disadvantaged
children.
- The World Bank Institute: in 2002, the World Bank Institute published Street Children Promising Practices and
Approaches which included a chapter dedicated to JUCONI’s approach and methodology.
- The International Youth Foundation: in 2001, the International Youth Foundation published What Works in Street
Children Programming: The JUCONI Model in 2001. “IYF is one of the world's largest public foundations supporting
programs that improve the conditions and prospects for young people where they live, learn, work, and play. IYF's
"What Works" series examines cutting edge issues in youth development and aims to provide practitioners, policymakers,
donors, and others supporting youth initiatives with insights into effective practices and innovative approaches
impacting young people around the world”.
- The Merced Foundation (Mexico): in 2000, JUCONI received the Razón de Ser Prize of the Fundación Merced (Mexico) for
its professionalism.
- UNESCO: in 1993 JUCONI was recognized as an “Innovator in Education” by the UNESCO Basic Education Program;
UNESCO also sponsored the 1999 META publication "Creando Soluciones para Niños en Situación de Calle"; JUCONI also featured
in the March 1997 edition of UNESCO Sources.
- Terre des Hommes (Germany) and the Volkswagen Works Council: TDH has supported JUCONI in numerous projects over the
years, principally the program for street-living boys and their families.
- The British Government: since its foundation in 1989, JUCONI has received significant recognition and support from the
British government. JUCONI representatives have spoken on [two occasions (in 2003 and 2005) to members of the British Government
and to parliamentary groups concerned with street children in the British Parliament. JUCONI regularly receives visits from senior
diplomats and VIP'S visiting the British embassy in Mexico, including HRH Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne in 2002.
JUCONI staff have, on three occasions (twice for JUCONI Mexico and once for JUCONI Ecuador), been awarded Orders of the British
Empire (a highly prestigious award by the British monarch on the advice of the Government) in recognition of their dedication to
underserved populations.
... and many others: In addition to those listed above, major supporters worldwide include: Ford Foundation; Kellog Foundation,
International Children’s Trust; Global Fund; Four Acre Trust; Laing Trust; Stok Foundation; The Souter Charitable Trust;
The Isle of Man Government, Cordillera Foundation, the JP Morgan Foundation, and others.
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