No child without a summer!

More activities, more investment and more space for summer activities for the city’s children, teenagers and young people. The new extraordinary municipal summer activity plan aims to help address the socio-economic and health impact caused by Covid-19.

25/05/2020 18:16 h

Ajuntament de Barcelona

The city’s children, teenagers and young people have been in lockdown at home for three months and have accumulated educational, emotional, social and play needs. There are many families who anticipate difficulties with their work-life balance this summer, on top of the economic hardship resulting from the pandemic.

Under this context the extraordinary summer activity plan for children and teenagers is being implemented with a budget of 7,090,000 euros, an increase of 33.5% compared to 2019. This figure may increase depending on the quantity of subsidies requested as there is no budget limit on summer aid subsidies for people who meet the requisites. The application period for subsidies has been extended from 19 to 31 May. In the most vulnerable cases, users can also apply for complementary grants via the Municipal Institute for Social Services.

Of the seven million euros in the budget, two million will be used in priority action neighbourhoods under the Neighbourhood Plan. This amount will enable activities from other years to be extended, such as the Baobab summer schools, which promote educational leisure in neighbourhoods where it is limited and are supported by young people from the neighbourhoods who work as monitors. It also allows for new activities to be programmed.

More places and more space for activities

In terms of the quantity of places offered on activities which require registration, such as summer schools, camps and residential stays, 40,139 more places are available compared to last year. This brings the total number of places available to 387,756, the result of collaboration between the City Council, municipal services and 500 recreation organisations.

Barcelona will also be offering a programme of activities in different places in the city for the first time ever, with 25 libraries, 20 community centres and 20 open playgrounds all opening in August. This means services which are usually closed in August will continue to open, boosting the options available to people.

Educational and emotional support resources

Emotional support for children and teenagers plays a key role this summer. Because of this, the City Council will be facilitating recommendations, resources and training materials for the 500 recreation entities and activity organisers.

Helplines will also be available, as well as contact with municipal services offering emotional support for families, children and teenagers.

More information can be found about the extraordinary summer activity plan for children and teenagers here.

 

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