BASIC INTERNSHIP OF PRACTICES IN COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY: AN EXPERIENCE REPORT.

This article presents an experience report of the Basic Internship VI – Practices in Community Psychology discipline, carried out in a Community Psychology Service in Teresina-PI, focusing on the care of elderly people in different socioeconomic contexts. The experience started from the problematization of social isolation and the need to strengthen community bonds, recognizing aging as a stage marked by experiences and potentialities, and not only by losses. The objective was to emphasize the relevance of the practice of community psychology in the service of coexistence, highlighting its role in promoting mental health and improving quality of life. Methodologically, this is a descriptive and reflective study, with a bibliographic survey, based on the experiences of two psychology students that included group dynamics, cognitive stimulation activities, dramatization and sharing of experiences. The results indicated strengthening of belonging, expansion of social interactions, appreciation of life stories and active engagement, in addition to the development of students' professional skills, such as welcoming, qualified listening and communication. It is concluded that the experience made it possible to re-signify old age as a stage of protagonism and transmission of knowledge, reinforcing the role of Community Psychology in the promotion of mental health, in the defense of rights and in the construction of humanized practices. The report highlights the importance of community actions to transform the view of aging and points out ways for inclusive strategies in different social contexts.