Every year, around this time, we talk about wishes, hope, and the future. From Lanzarote, and from the daily work in the social field, my request to the Three Wise Men is simple to state, although complex to accept: that public administrations begin to look at the third sector with more realism, less rhetoric, and greater responsibility.
On this island, there are organizations that work daily with people and families who do not appear in the spotlight or in major institutional announcements. Organizations that know firsthand the real needs of the territory and that, nevertheless, remain on the sidelines of many decisions made in offices. There is talk of inclusion, social care, and community well-being, but too often these words do not translate into effective support or policies that have a real impact
One of the big problems is the gap between what is announced and what is finally executed. Calls for proposals are published, projects are submitted, and expectations are generated, but not all of that process always materializes into real resources. In some cases, grants are delayed for months; in others, they simply don't arrive, leaving organizations in a difficult-to-sustain situation of uncertainty. This lack of continuity and clarity not only affects organizations but also the people they aim to serve.
In the social sphere, administrative timelines cannot outpace human needs. Projects do not halt without consequences, families cannot "wait for the next fiscal year," and organizations do not operate with infinite funds. When institutional support does not arrive, it is the organizations themselves that bear the cost, often with personal resources, to ensure no one is left behind.To this reality is added an excess of bureaucracy and protocols that, far from facilitating work, hinder it. Rigid procedures, poorly adapted to the island reality, which end up becoming another obstacle for those who try to respond quickly to complex situations. Fewer forms and more trust; fewer words and more actions
It is also essential that working with people be kept separate from political affiliations. On an island like Lanzarote, where we all know each other, it makes no sense for social collaboration to depend on partisan affinities. People belong to no one, and rights should not be conditioned by who governs at any given time
Finally, it is necessary to reflect on where public investment is focused. Lanzarote cannot sustain a model in which the visible and the immediate are prioritized while the essential is left in the background. Investment in social programs, stable projects, and long-term organizations is a commitment to cohesion, prevention, and the real well-being of the island
This year, from Lanzarote, the wish is not symbolic. It is concrete and urgent: that administrations fulfill their obligations, that resources arrive when they are needed, and that the third sector be treated as what it is, an indispensable ally in building a more just and humane society.