The FC Barcelona Foundation continues its commitment to a project that has already helped more than 600 unaccompanied young migrants
Since 2019, the FC Barcelona Foundation has been working with the Tot Raval Foundation, Barcelona City Council and various social, local and neighbourhood entities to support and respond to the difficulties of the growing number of young migrants arriving in Catalonia without family support, who are living in extremely vulnerable situations. Barcelona has seen a marked increase in the numbers of young people such as these living the city in recent years, particularly in the Raval district. These are youngsters who travel here alone and, in addition to not having their basic needs met, are exposed to serious social risks.
The coordinated actions of a variety of agents within the neighbourhood and various local institutions has made it possible to provide help and assistance to more than 600 young participants through three key actions: the Drassanes Mechanism, the Xamfrà Youth Centre and the Sant Pau Community Garden.
The Drassanes Mechanism has become an essential resource, both within the local neighbourhood and throughout the city of Barcelona, for promoting the integration of young migrants who are either homeless or in vulnerable situations, providing access to basic services, sports spaces and socio-educational support
This mechanism aims to help young migrants aged from 13 to 21 through the application of the SportNet socio-educational methodology developed by the FC Barcelona Foundation, among other tools. This methodology uses sport to engage young people and create a safe space in which they are able to interact with professionals - who guide them – as well as other young people who are in a similar situation and, thereby, expand their interpersonal network. Participation in these recreational-sports sessions also addresses some of their basic food and hygiene needs.
The Xamfrà Youth Centre is an activity focused on using music to generate bonds between young unaccompanied migrants and other local young people from the Raval district. Finally, the Sant Pau Community Garden is a vocational project centred around horticultural and urban gardening, emotional support and community activities. It is a key resource for young people who are homeless and in precarious situations, providing them with a safe space, working to reduce prejudices and forge links with the community.
These actions are used as intervention and social empowerment tools and the working methodology applied, with varying levels of exigency, facilitates more personalised, non-stigmatizing care for the young participants.
One of this project’s key differentiators is the fact that it is driven by a multi-stakeholder community foundation. This benefits from the experience of a diverse range of agents rooted within a very specific area working together in pursuit of the same goal: to improve the integration and prospects of unaccompanied young migrants who find themselves living alone in the city of Barcelona.