"Keys to social progress": "la Caixa" Foundation presents its transformational model for tackling the chronification of inequality
To build a better and fairer society that gives opportunities to those who need them most. With this aim in mind, the "la Caixa" Foundation promotes social progress through various programmes that have a transforming power and a lasting impact. All of this so that people in vulnerable situations can develop their potential, abilities and talents. Through a proven methodology, it has extended its programmes to all Spanish provinces, weaving networks with a thousand social entities and institutions.
This was highlighted by the Deputy Director General of the "la Caixa" Foundation, Elisa Durán, and the Deputy Director General of the "la Caixa" Foundation, Marc Simón, at the event "Keys to social progress", where they analysed, together with testimonies and organisations, the most significant challenges in the current social panorama.
The data make a pressing reality visible: in Spain, 2.4 million children currently live in households below the poverty line, a figure that is equivalent to 29% of children under the age of 18. In addition, 28% of young people are unemployed. On the other hand, the elderly are expected to represent 36% of the Spanish population by 2050. Today, almost 3 million elderly people are living alone and around 116,000 people require psychosocial care at the end of life.
The President of the Economic and Social Council of Spain, Antón Costas, introduced the conference, which offered data from an unpublished study carried out by the Social Observatory of the "la Caixa" Foundation: Dynamics of multidimensional poverty in Spain and other European countries. After analysing more than 20 European countries between 2016 and 2020, it can be seen that, unlike other European countries, Spain did not experience a reduction in the incidence of poverty during this period. The study concludes that poor people in Spain are more likely to face new deprivations (such as overcrowding, low pay, low work intensity or poor health) and less likely to stop suffering from the deprivations they already have, compared to people who are not poor. The research also finds that well-coordinated policy programmes can play a key role in helping to overcome the interlinkages between deprivations.
"Since our beginnings, almost 120 years ago, we have promoted collaborative philanthropy with all the actors in the territory in order to anticipate social needs. Aware of the responsibility we have, we work with efficiency and rigour so that this shared work has a real and transforming impact on people's lives", stressed the Deputy Director General of the "la Caixa" Foundation, Elisa Durán.
Along these lines, the Deputy Director General of the "la Caixa" Foundation, Marc Simón, explained the methodology with which the organisation works. "In order to be able to carry out lasting social action in all the provinces of Spain, it is important to measure the impact of the interventions. First we identify the need, then we apply proven scientific methodologies and qualified teams. And finally, we evaluate the results of each programme in order to reach as many people as possible through a solid network of organisations and institutions in the territory".
For his part, Antón Costas explained that "Shared social progress is the glue that a society needs to function harmoniously and provide opportunities for everyone, especially those who need it most. This glue has dried up. We need to rebuild it. There is a new epiphany in economics: today we know that shared progress does not harm competitiveness but, on the contrary, is the foundation of a more dynamic and innovative economy. Progress that has to be based on good companies and good jobs".
Also taking part in the meeting were some of the protagonists of the documentary project Vidas contadas: 14 historias de superación, which gives a voice to people at risk of exclusion who share their positive learnings after going through different complex situations. Each one, their own. Each one, from their own particular point of view and unique experience. This project, aimed at raising public awareness, shows that it is possible to develop capacity and empowerment to get out of situations of vulnerability through network interventions, together with entities and institutions. The 14 stories will make up a calendar (one story per month, including December 2023 and January 2025) - created by the photographer Xavier Menós, who received a grant from the "la Caixa" Foundation Scholarship programme - which will reach more than one million Spanish households.
This is how the testimonials at the event put it: "Now I feel part of something after feeling that I was not part of anything. Life is about discovering what your power is and using it to never give up", emphasised Bárbara Jota, a participant in the CaixaProinfancia programme who arrived in Galicia leaving her country, Venezuela, behind and who has managed to go to university. "Sailing makes you forget what you have lost, what you are missing, and still reach port", explained Diego Saavedra, who has been involved in the María José Jove Foundation since he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
Rosa Morillas lived through the death of her mother, who was cared for by the programme for the Comprehensive Care of People with Advanced Illnesses, and today she can talk about the process and say that the psychological support of the programme has been key: "I have learned to manage my emotions and to look fear in the face. I feel comforted". Mari Pepa Subires also experienced a situation of adversity when she was made redundant from her job at the age of 61, with little prospect of finding another job. It was then that she decided to collaborate with the project Mi cachito de huerto, of the Imagina Association, and her life took a turn: "Thanks to volunteering I was able to help others, to feel useful, and I have returned to work; this time, accompanying people with functional diversity... I feel fortunate".
The "la Caixa" Foundation, a pioneering and differential action
The "la Caixa" Foundation, the leading foundation in Spain and one of the largest foundations in the world, carries out a pioneering and differential social action, in a network with entities and institutions, to accompany people in a comprehensive way during different life processes: from the earliest ages - with upbringing and school reinforcement - to the adult stage - with training and job search - as well as in old age - through activities and projects to fill it with meaning - and with psychosocial and spiritual support at the end of life, both for patients and their families.
In 2023, the "la Caixa" Foundation has the largest budget in its history -almost 540 million euros- and 60% of this (320 million) is earmarked for the development, expansion and consolidation of its social projects: CaixaProinfancia (which supports more than 62,000 children in vulnerable situations and more than 38,000 families), Incorpora (which every year hires more than 45,000 people at risk of exclusion), and the programme for the Comprehensive Care of People with Advanced Illnesses (which cares for more than 38,000 patients and 40,000 family members).
It also develops the programme for the Elderly, in whose activities, promoted in the 629 centres that make up the network of its own centres and in agreement with the administrations, nearly 300,000 elderly people participate each year; and the Calls for Social Projects, with which it promotes nearly 1,500 territorial initiatives through the entities.
Through these lines of action, which are constantly evolving and growing, the entity, together with social organisations, is analysing vulnerable environments in order to respond to the greatest challenges facing society: new forms of poverty, the feeling of isolation and loneliness, the ageing population, unequal employment and training opportunities, mental health problems and the end-of-life and bereavement process, among others.
ANNEXO: SOCIAL ACTION CRYSTALLISED IN ITS PROGRAMMES
Older People: ageing actively and with purpose
The Elderly People programme of the "la Caixa" Foundation, with more than 100 years of experience promoting active ageing, currently aims to tackle the new challenges that arise in old age, taking into account its heterogeneity. In this way, it accompanies the elderly to maximise their possibilities of personal development and facilitate the construction of supportive relationships that offer opportunities for the development of a full and committed life in their community. Last year, 295,235 elderly people took part in more than 14,000 activities at the 629 centres that make up the network of its own centres and those under agreement with regional administrations.
In 2014, the programme launched Siempre Acompañados, a project that addresses the loneliness of the elderly through prevention and intervention with the aim of empowering them, in collaboration with public administrations and with a community approach, and which serves more than 2,000 elderly people thanks to the involvement of 425 organisations, more than 500 professionals and more than 300 volunteers.
Integral Care: psychosocial and spiritual accompaniment for patients at the end of life and their families.
As part of the National Health System's Palliative Care Strategy, the programme for the Comprehensive Care of People with Advanced Illnesses offers quality care to patients at the end of life and works to humanise care in situations of advanced chronicity and social vulnerability in order to make psychosocial care a right for everyone. Its mission is to complement the current health care model in order to cover the emotional, social and spiritual sphere of the patient and their family, as well as bereavement care and support for palliative care professionals in hospitals, homes and residences, and support for non-professional carers through the Caregivers' School.
Since its launch in 2008, in Spain as a whole, the programme has cared for more than 650,000 people, 290,181 patients and 372,630 relatives, intervening in healthcare centres, home teams and residences. In 2022 it cared for 38,560 patients and 44,115 family members.
CaixaProinfancia: education to break the cycle of poverty
CaixaProinfancia seeks to break the line of transmission of poverty from parents to children and promote equal opportunities. The programme is aimed at children and adolescents in situations of economic poverty and social vulnerability in order to promote and support their comprehensive development, favouring and supporting policies to improve equity and social cohesion. Each year it accompanies more than 62,000 children and adolescents in vulnerable situations and more than 38,000 families. Since its beginnings it has accompanied 360,000 children.
One of the fundamental objectives of CaixaProinfancia is to guarantee the socio-educational promotion of children, on the understanding that their future wellbeing will depend to a large extent on this. This is achieved through the development of five main lines of work: educational reinforcement, leisure and free time activities, family educational support, personal and family psychotherapeutic care, and aid for the promotion of health.
Incorpora: getting a job as a first step towards social inclusion
The Incorpora programme accompanies people with disabilities, young people at risk of exclusion, women victims of gender violence, unemployed people over 45, people deprived of liberty and people with mental health problems, among other groups, with personalised itineraries in which they feel protagonists of their progress and process of change to improve their employability and achieve their social and occupational integration. All this through a network of 489 social entities in Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Hungary and Poland.
Since its launch in 2006, 85,829 companies have joined the programme and more than 400,000 people have been hired; in 2022, there were 46,158.
Calls for Social Projects: building bridges with entities to go further
Through the Calls for Social Projects, the "la Caixa" Foundation collaborates with non-profit organisations to promote initiatives aimed at people in vulnerable situations. In Spain as a whole, between 1999 and 2022, the calls for projects have supported 20,605 projects, through which more than 9 million people have been helped, with a global budget of more than 421 million euros. In 2022, 1,445 projects were promoted.
International Cooperation: aid that crosses borders
The International Cooperation programme contributes to generating opportunities and combating inequalities among the most vulnerable groups in countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America through programmes to promote employment, improve global health, provide humanitarian and emergency assistance, train professionals and support cooperation projects of other entities.
The Social Observatory, analysing the current context
Since 2016, the Social Observatory has become a space for analysis and reflection that promotes social research and disseminates science-based knowledge in Spain and Portugal. In total, 163 projects have received support and 215 publications (dossiers, articles and reports) have been disseminated.
The Fundación de la Esperanza, social action of proximity in Barcelona
The Fundación de la Esperanza, set up in 2013 by the "la Caixa" Foundation, is a direct social action organisation that fights poverty and social exclusion in the Ciutat Vella district (Barcelona). In 2022 it cared for 2,057 people.