Guadalupe Acoge Foundation

Every action, actor, and stage was meticulously unpacked to reveal the unique essence that defines its commitment to children and adolescents. Beyond systematization and packaging, our approach aimed not only to visualize the current service model but also to uncover latent opportunities for future improvements and innovations, allowing the foundation to embed continuous improvement and strengthen its position as a national benchmark in residential care models.

The essence of Guadalupe Acoge lies in its distinctive approach, backed by a top-tier professional team and an innovative vision that places the well-being of children and their families at the heart of every decision. However, this valuable way of doing things existed only in the minds of the dedicated workers and directors of the organization.

To capture the experience of the children living in the residence, we conducted qualitative research that combined the perspectives and experiences of directors, staff, and families. We carried out in-depth semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders of the foundation, family members, and experts from the child welfare ecosystem in Chile. We also conducted active observation to analyze the day-to-day operations and procedures within the residence. Finally, we held participatory workshops with staff from diverse roles and backgrounds, allowing us to understand and co-design the final model.

Contributing to the systematization and visualization of the residential model involved distilling the foundation’s core principles, pillars, areas of action, roles, and vision that guide every step and intervention. This initiative not only enhances internal communication and improves onboarding processes for new staff, but also creates a clear narrative of the foundation’s excellence. It paves the way for model expansion and the opening of new residences that embrace this philosophy and way of working. Moreover, the documentation of the model not only benefits the foundation itself but also becomes a beacon of best practices—sharing knowledge with other organizations and serving as an inspiration for new approaches to supporting the well-being of children and adolescents living in residential care.