The Federation of the "Pinardi" of Salesian Social Platforms will offer socio-educational assistance to unaccompanied foreign minors. An apartment donated by the Carmelite nuns at Parla, in Madrid, has been set up to accommodate five children, although the number of beneficiaries of this intervention is likely to increase later. The project responds to the appeal addressed a few weeks ago by the Community of Madrid, through the Family and Minors General Management, to meet the needs of these children and adolescents.
"We are aware that everything has gone very fast and what normally takes months has been a matter of days. There are many urgencies of all kinds for these children to be assisted by the conditions they deserve, in the most dignified way and by safeguarding their rights as minors," say the Pinardi Federation.
The Salesian Social Platforms have extensive experience in this type of service. For several years the "Juan Soñador" Foundation has been working with children and adolescents who need protection through the projects "Tragaluz" (León), "Desván" (Valladolid) and "Don Bosco" (Villamuriel, Palencia). In the same way, the "Ángel Tomás" Foundation manages the "Don Bosco House" shelters for children in Valencia and Burriana (Castellón). And these are just a few examples of how Salesians work for the most vulnerable children.
The apartment destined to the reception of the MSNA at Parla is part of the "Casa Garelli" project, an initiative with which the Pinardi Federation offers apartments for emancipation to young people between the ages of 18 and 21 at risk of social exclusion. This initiative was reached in February as follow up to the Integral Reception Program for vulnerable young refugees.
In Madrid, the Pinardi Federation began to manage two apartments donated by the Daughters of Charity to accommodate ten young refugees. In Seville, four more young people were welcomed into a Don Bosco Foundation apartment. The program, which is currently booming, includes Spanish local customs and language teaching, financial support and administrative procedures, work orientation ...
The Salesians face and deal with these challenges because it is inherent in their charism: to be where the most needy young are.
