Fundesplai calls for everyone’s collaboration so that children in vulnerable situations can enjoy camps.
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Carles Xifra, Director of Educational, Social and Third Sector Actions and Programmes Equal opportunitiesA few days ago, the Statistical Institute of Catalonia (Idescat) provided new data on living conditions in Catalonia in 2016. In spite of evidence of a timid improvement, the at-risk-of-poverty rate is still alarming. More than 60% of Catalan households receive some type of social benefit, and 19.2% of the population remains below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold, which especially affects children under 16 years of age (24%). The difficult balances of these people’s family finances prevent, even too often, their children from participating in educational leisure activities. Camps and camps are not just a few days of vacation. They are unique experiences, which help children develop globally. They are activities of great pedagogical value that promote autonomy, participation and coexistence, self-esteem and values such as solidarity and initiative. Night games, excursions, setting the table, washing lunch boxes and making rooms, bivouac under the stars, are especially significant moments for children and their social learning. We cannot afford, as a society that aspires to be fair, that a significant proportion of children are left out of these experiences for economic reasons. Equal opportunities in education involves guaranteeing the right of all children to leisure activities. Equity is the responsibility of all citizens. We are all called upon to organize ourselves and contribute our social commitment to the right to leisure. Let’s make a summer possible for everyone! |
