Cáritas presents the project of the new multipurpose social center of Lanzarote

It will be developed in 7,000 square meters built on a 3,000 square meter plot of land owned by the Bishopric of the Canary Islands, in the Altavista neighborhood, in Arrecife

February 16 2023 (17:16 WET)
Updated in February 16 2023 (17:28 WET)
Presentation of the Cáritas social project
Presentation of the Cáritas social project

The bishop of the Diocese of the Canary Islands, José Mazuelos, together with the director of Cáritas Diocesana de Canarias, Gonzalo Marrero, presented this Thursday the social project that the institution wants to promote on the island of Lanzarote to adequately respond to the reality of residential exclusion, employment and the elderly, which the institution has been attending to on the island. The presentation ceremony was also attended by the Minister of Social Rights of the Government of the Canary Islands, Noemí Santana, the president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Dolores Corujo, and the mayor of the Arrecife City Council, Astrid Pérez.

The presented project will be developed in 7,000 square meters built on a 3,000 square meter plot of land owned by the Bishopric of the Canary Islands, in the Altavista neighborhood, in Arrecife, and will be used for reception, guidance and advice services in the area of employment and socio-education, a day center, a residence for the elderly and a 20-bed center for homeless people with dining room, showers and laundry. The Cáritas Diocesana de Canarias project also includes emergency flats for families in situations of residential exclusion and transit, and for people in situations of deprivation of liberty and/or family members.

In his speech, the Bishop of the Diocese of the Canary Islands explained the need to have a center that meets the needs of the most disadvantaged and expressed his joy at seeing that the project is already taking shape. He also expressed his gratitude to the Minister, the President of the Cabildo and the Mayor for welcoming this project and their willingness to help make it a reality as soon as possible. He highlighted the importance of all institutions working together for the common good and that the Church will always have a hand extended to everyone to work for the good of the weak and most disadvantaged.

Gonzalo Marrero, director of Cáritas Diocesana de Canarias, stressed that the project presented this Thursday aims to improve the coverage of Cáritas' action in Lanzarote and in the municipality of Arrecife in particular, providing adequate facilities for the services we currently provide on the island.

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For her part, Caya Suárez, general secretary of Cáritas Diocesana de Canarias, presented an analysis of the reality with which the institution works on the Island, which is specified in three areas: residential exclusion, which is a phenomenon present throughout the Canary Islands, and the most extreme evidence is that of people who are homeless.

Access to employment, which does not reach the population in the greatest situation of social exclusion and poverty, to which are added the difficulties of training and education. In this sense, Caya Suárez recalled that 64.1% of the people who requested shelter in Cáritas during 2021 did not complete primary education, making it difficult for them to integrate socially and professionally due to their low qualifications.

Finally, the general secretary of Cáritas Diocesana de Canarias stated that 14% of the people residing in Lanzarote are over 65 years of age, with 41% of these being over 75 years of age, and that the social and health care of the elderly in Lanzarote is insufficient given the reduced number of residential places and day centers.

The architect in charge of the project, Martín Martín, pointed out that the building is based on simplicity, functionality and accessibility, and gave a description of the planned spaces. The center will have a basement with parking spaces, laundry for all facilities, clothing collection and recycling area, and waste storage and recycling.

The first floor is designed to house the reception, dining room, showers and laundry for homeless people, reception, guidance and advice services in the area of employment and socio-education, meeting and videoconference rooms, Day Center for the elderly and residence.

On the second floor there will be a low-demand accommodation center for homeless people, pre-labor and labor training rooms prepared for obtaining the professional certificate of the Canarian Employment Service, emergency flats for families in situations of residential exclusion and transit flats for people in situations of deprivation of liberty and family members.

 

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