Fundación Picarral celebrates 30 years as it struggles to continue offering outlets for vulnerable young people

Near 3,000 professionally trained children200 people and over 200 people going through boarding programs 800 contracts guarantee the success of Fundación PicarralA social project created by the Neighborhood Association 30 years ago, celebrating its anniversary with all the people, groups and institutions that supported it in the Corona del Pignatelli room yesterday.

“The neighborhood has changed, but the needs continue. The 14-year-old boys of the eighties are not the same as today, but they are verys. And every time a child finds a job, it was a turning point for us.” Fundación Picarral’s manager, Alfonso Dolset, He cited Sofía Sanz from the Gente Rara restaurant that won a Michelin star, or Keila Blanco, Antonio Alcalá or Mmadou Alimou, who “trained with us and is now independent and contributing to society”. .

“It’s a great satisfaction and pride 80% of our children are employed“, added Mª Dolores Bescos, president of the Picarral Foundation. He is very happy with the success of this Foundation.” With very little, Topi created the hospitality school. We could not have imagined that we would have 148 employees today. and our kitchen would be in the hands of the cooks and waiters we trained all over the world”.

Dolset is one of the mottos the Foundation has always had.a large part of the placement goes through a job and we create different projects depending on whether men can be placed or not and from there another hospitality program for people with limited mental capacity has emerged. Relocating these people (we found 180 people from functionally diverse and vulnerable sectors) has always been our goal,” he said. “To achieve autonomy and independence through employment.”

That’s why yesterday30th anniversary kicks off with recognition of the Picarral-Salvador Allende Neighborhood AssociationFoundation Board of Trustees and Teresa Soro, key person at the start of a project According to Dolset, “he was born with will rather than certainty, and his gaze was always focused on the needs of those children who formed the foundation and continue to build it today.”

In addition, with the institutional support received Thanks to the Ministry of Citizenship and Social Rights on behalf of Mª Victoria Broto and the Ministry of Social Action of the Zaragoza City Council, handed over to Ángel Lorén. They also received an award Ibercaja Foundation and companies Saica and Tereos For their participation and commitment to this social project.

Regarding the future of the Picarral Foundation, its director said, “the aim is to reach higher levels in regulated education because the placement also involves obtaining a formal qualification.” Therefore, he added, “the fact that we are improving our facilities and providing more skills to our teachers will enable boys to achieve higher qualifications and better empower their futures.”

Many of these young people’s families talked about this 30th anniversary yesterday. framing the “success of collective work,” according to consultant María Victoria Broto. ” Before Fundación Picarral became a director,” he admitted, “he was sort of a legend. for people like me community activism and working for people seemed very important to us” and concerts for young immigrants attended by the Picarral Foundation”.

In the counselor’s opinion, they deserve to be congratulated for the work they can do in the neighborhood by 30 years of work and dedication and always adapting to the circumstances. When the entity was established, he recalls, “starting with the neighborhood association, what they wanted was to improve the lives of the people who came there.”Just look at the zoning plan of that neighborhood, they have kept up with the conditions of every moment for 30 years, they have raised these young people, and as the manager said, “it is very important that we give them titles and guarantees for their future” because young people from the Picarral Foundation “have certain characteristics and values: we see this in their work”. .

Finally, Ángel Loren, Minister of Social Action and Family of the Zaragoza City Council, thanked the Foundation for its appreciation. “They’re 30 years of success,” he said, “and they continue to keep the neighborhood’s vengeful character and create jobs, and we must continue to rely on them.” According to that, “the third sector is one that will likely create a more important employment area in the future as a lever for change. He expressed confidence that they are “they are” and will grow and soon reach 15% of GDP.