The Canary Islands’ Minister for Social Affairs Candelaria Delgado visited the Ecogranja by Aldeas Infantiles on Tenerife on Thursday, 15 October. According to the Gobierno de Canarias the focus was on strengthening support services for vulnerable families and young people. The programme presented was Building the Future as well as further initiatives, some of which are funded through the 0.7 per cent of income tax allocated to social purposes. Also attending the event were Sandra Rodríguez, Director-General for Child Protection and Families, and Juan Vicente González, Regional Director of Aldeas Infantiles in the Canary Islandsattended the opening of the fourth conference.
At the heart of Construyendo Futuro are individually tailored entry routes into training and work for young people in precarious circumstances. According to the government, the programmes combine vocational training, personal development and digital skills, supporting participants through to employment and social integration. The organisation also highlights digital learning opportunities to overcome distance and connectivity barriers in the island context, as well as practical preparation for work in sustainable sectors such as organic livestock farming and ecological agriculture.
The Ecogranja in Tenerife was highlighted as a complementary element. A project there uses therapeutic interventions with horses for 55 children and young people. According to Aldeas Infantiles, these are intended to foster cognitive, motor and social skills and help address developmental delays among children with disabilities or in vulnerable social circumstances. In addition to this service, the organisation runs supported accommodation for minors in the care system in the Canary Islands, programmes to help reconcile work and family life, and day centres for children, young people and families in difficult circumstances. The total value of the supported projects was put at around €350,000.
Some of the initiatives are funded through the earmarked 0.7 per cent allocation from income tax; projects are selected through grant processes run by the Gobierno de Canarias. The government sees the projects presented as components of a more extensive support network combining educational incentives, psychosocial support and help entering the labour market.
The event documents political priorities and ongoing project work. Statements about effects on employment prospects or long-term social integration are objectives set out by the government and the organisation. The announcement presented no robust data on sustained employment or measurable developmental progress among participants. The matter primarily concerns the Canary Islands and forms part of regional policy on funding social projects.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).