This article presents an extension experience developed by psychology students and professors on the Núcleos do Programa de Erradicação do Trabalho Infantil (PETI) in João Pessoa. The extension had the objective to denaturalize the child labor, contributing to the citizen’s constitution, developing the empowerment and constituting social-psychology professionals. PETI is a federal government program that aims at saving children and adolescents from seven to fifteen years and eleven months old from dangerous, painful, insalubrious or degrading labour. This research is based on the theories about child history, children and adolescents’ rights, youth empowerment and popular education. The methodology was based on collective construction, considering the different subjects’ experiences. We worked with literature workshops, writing, music, movies, photography, comic books, drawings, The Child and Adolescent Statute, conversation circles, sports and games. The experience led us to aspects that were not even among the objectives of the work. We realize that PETI’s children and adolescents don’t see themselves as citizens of rights, naturalize violence and don’t believe in changes. Still, they present sparkles of resistance, participation and collective actions.
Child labour; Children rights; Empowerment; Social psychology