The virtual intervention program ‘Hero’ was widely covered in the media from July 26 to 29. It featured 11 times (4 in the radio and 7 in online media outlets) and reached an audience of over 1,8 million readers and listeners.

The notes and interviews described the positive impact of ‘Hero’ on the promotion of psychological welfare of teenagers between 12 and 15 years of age, who have already gone through more than 130 days of mandatory home quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thanks to the support of the Templeton World Charity Foundation Universidad Austral granted schools and families free access to the program to during the time of confinement.

On Sunday July 26 Clarín, one of the most widely read newspapers in the country, published a note entitled Adolescentes en cuarentena: un “sensei” online los ayuda a superar el desafío del aislamiento. The note included an interview to Dr. Belén Mesurado, principal investigator of the project, together with testimonies from teenagers who participated in the program, and from their parents.

Clarín’s note was echoed in other media outlet. in English: Web24 News, and in Spanish: ADN Diario, Estar Informado, MSN Noticias, buenavibra.es, Head Topics Argentina.

In addition to Clarín’s note, Radio X Pilar (web) published a column on Monday, July 27: “Comprueban 93% de resultados positivos de un programa de promoción de bienestar psicológico en adolescentes en situación de aislamiento”.

Several radio programs contacted Dr. Mesurado as well, showing their interest in ‘Hero’.

On Monday 27 journalist Natalia López of the radio program “Volviendo a Casa – Extra Muro de Noticias”(Radio Mitre AM 790) highlighted that ‘Hero’ was applied in 2019 in four Latin American countries: Argentina, Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay. She also informed that throughout the home quarantine the University granted families access to ‘Hero’. So far, more than 200 families from Argentina and Uruguay have profited from the program. “This virtual assistant is great!”, journalists praised ‘Hero’.

On Tuesday 28 journalist Guillermo Hagelstrom from Radio X Pilar (FM 100.3) interviewed Dr. Mesurado at length. She explained that the program was developed at the Philosophy Institute of Austral University, as an interdisciplinary project involving psychologists, engineers and philosophers. Hagelstrom then emphasized the importance of the program to educate young people in values and to help them overcome their egoism. “It’s a fantastic idea!”, he added. The podcast is available.

The same day Andrés Ferrero interviewed Belén in his broadcast “Andres Ferraro de noche”. He invited all his audience to join the ‘Hero’ experience over the web and the program’s social media.

Finally, on Wednesday 29 Belén was interviewed by Eduard Feinmann, who hosts the broadcast “Alguien tiene que decirlo” on Radio Rivadavia (AM 630).

This dissemination of ‘Hero’ resulted in 40 new families and 4 schools of different parts of the country contacting the research team and manifesting their wish to participate in the program.