A multiplied commitment: the essential work of ASISPA's Social Inclusion Department
Since 2020, ASISPA's Social Inclusion Department has established itself as an essential pillar of support for social services in Spain. Its management focuses on providing care, accompaniment, and professional support to individuals and families in situations of vulnerability and social exclusion, continuously operating under a rigorous, rights-based, and gender-based approach.
The results of this commitment are tangible: in 2024, ASISPA's Social Inclusion Department assisted 20,468 people. This figure not only reflects the intensity of ASISPA’s work, but also a significant 360% increase over the previous year, demonstrating the growing confidence placed in its management capacity by public administrations.
A comprehensive approach to social exclusion
The diversity of profiles served by the ASISPA team underscores the complexity of social exclusion today. The team responds to critical needs, paying special attention to:
• Young people between the ages of 18 and 25 who are homeless.
• Families and individuals who require emergency accommodation due to severe exclusion.
• Migrants in situations of vulnerability or exclusion, or applicants for international protection.
• Homeless people seeking to improve their skills for effective reintegration into the labour market and increased autonomy.
• Families facing socio-residential vulnerability.
This wide range of groups assisted calls for constant reflection and adjustment of programmes. In 2024, the team focused on addressing challenges such as barriers to housing access, the need for education and training for individuals with long histories of exclusion, and the obstacles to administrative regularisation for the migrant population, ensuring that interventions align with the reality experienced by the assisted individuals.
Key projects
The effectiveness of the intervention is based on solid public-private collaboration with the City Council and the Community of Madrid. The year 2024 was particularly productive with the award and management of a significant number of high-impact projects.
For instance, ASISPA is currently carrying out the following projects with the Madrid City Council:
• Management of the Mejía Lequerica Temporary Shelter (CAT), with 128 places, focused on single women or families with minors and applicants for international protection.
• Management of crucial temporary accommodation projects such as Alternative Accommodation for Families (Temporary, Supervised and Shared Housing, with 20 flats) and the CET ‘Caracolas’ (Temporary Emergency Service with 300 places).
• A Tiempo programme for the accommodation and social support of young homeless people, and the Socio-Educational Activities programme at the San Isidro Shelter for Homeless People.
• Elimu workshops for social integration and individualised employment support for people housed in the Homeless People network.
ASISPA is also involved in the Management of Immigrant Participation and Integration Centres (CEPI) that offer information, employment, legal and psychological support for social integration and improved employability together with the Community of Madrid.
The team's efforts in 2024 have not only succeeded in increasing and consolidating the trust of municipal and regional officials but have also more than tripled the number of individuals reached and supported, reaffirming ASISPA's irreplaceable role in building a more just and inclusive society.