Taking Care: A GloCal Service-Learning Experience with Teacher and Parent Education in Northeast Brazil

This article analyses a GloCal Service-Learning experience conducted by a student from the University of Padova, during a 5-month mobility period in Brazil. The experience involved conducting educational meetings for in-service teachers and parents of children in conditions of high social vulnerability in the city of Juazeiro, Bahia. The meetings aimed to raise awareness of the importance of fostering healthy, psychologically stimulating environments during early infancy. As part of a case study, the research focuses on teachers’ and parents’ evaluations of the meetings and on the student's learning outcomes. Qualitative data were analyzed using descriptive coding. Data analysis revealed, on the one hand, that both teachers and parents evaluated the meetings very positively and, on the other hand, the need to give the community a greater voice. With respect to student learning, the research highlighted that contextual immersion, language, and contextualized education dimensions of the GloCal framework emerged as interconnected and indispensable to translating care into practice. Despite its limitations, this experience offers valuable insights into how International Service-Learning can evolve into a truly intercultural and ethical practice, bringing care and GloCal responsibility to the heart of education.