Comunidad Activa
Comunidad Activa is a project of the ABD Group (Asociación Bienestar y Desarrollo) aimed at people in vulnerable situations, especially those who face significant difficulties in finding employment. It offers a socio-labor guidance service and support for families, combining assistance for job placement as a central element to promote social inclusion, with social support resources to ensure the sustainability of personal pathways and dignified living conditions, as well as community-based social action measures.
The Comunidad Activa project was launched in La Torrassa (L’Hospitalet de Llobregat) in 2011 by a group of local women actively involved in the neighborhood, with the aim of responding comprehensively to the needs of vulnerable people. Since then, more than 1,400 people have been supported, and over 1,000 job placements have been achieved.
About Comunidad Activa:
In a context where the labor market tends toward precariousness, part-time work, and temporary employment—where the polarization of job opportunities and overqualification are dominant trends, and where certain segments of the population are consequently excluded; at Comunidad Activa:
- We are committed to a model that believes in people, in their potential, and in their value to society and businesses.
- We design personalized pathways with alternatives adapted to the structural, personal, and competency-related factors that shape the process of job placement.
- We provide tools and resources to individuals and families to help them overcome situations of vulnerability, with the support of neighbors and local organizations, thus promoting strategies for social transformation.
We believe in a comprehensive approach because, among many reasons, we understand that a person cannot find a job and/or follow a job placement pathway (on equal terms) without having minimum conditions that guarantee their capacity for “resilience.” Furthermore, we believe that to speak of inclusion, an inclusive context is necessary. Therefore, we are committed to models of community development, active citizenship, and the promotion of shared responsibility.
We currently have two Comunidad Activa locations: one in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, in the Collblanc–La Torrassa district, and another in Barcelona, in the Sants-Montjuïc district.
What do we do?
At Comunidad Activa, we understand job placement as the central axis of our project. We recognize that economic exclusion leads to exclusion in other social spheres. The individual job placement pathway is structured into three distinct phases:
- Exploratory Phase: This includes initial contact, adaptation of the individual to the program, an intake interview, and an employability assessment. We establish a work plan tailored to specific situations and characteristics.
- Follow-up: We provide intervention, guidance, and supervision. We offer structured support so that individuals can identify and strengthen their skills, develop autonomy in their job search, and make decisions regarding their future.
- Closure: We focus on access to and retention in employment. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that individuals not only find a “suitable job,” but are also able to maintain it over the long term.
We work closely with the business sector to improve employment opportunities for the people we serve. At Comunidad Activa, we are committed to providing high-quality services at no additional cost to companies. Our services include:
- Recruitment Service: We offer a wide range of professional profiles and educational levels.
- Professionalized Support: We provide assistance throughout all stages of the selection process and after hiring.
- Advisory on Incentives: We offer guidance on various hiring incentives and benefits.
- Corporate Volunteering and CSR: We facilitate corporate volunteering initiatives and specific corporate social responsibility (CSR) actions.
We address both long-term strategies and immediate needs simultaneously to ensure that basic economic needs are met. We work to ease pressures in areas such as housing, transportation, and health, allowing individuals to focus on their personal and professional development plans.
We integrate community participation into our methodology, both at the organizational level and in our work with individuals. Active involvement from the neighborhood makes our project more sustainable and coherent. We highlight the “Time Bank” (“Caja del Tiempo”), a project that structures the return of social support through shared responsibility and voluntary participation.
We highlight some of our projects, such as addressing problematic drug use, job placement for women in particularly vulnerable situations, dual training programs, and self-employment through the “Energía Activa” project.
This comprehensive approach has enabled us to positively impact the lives of many people, with tangible results in terms of job placements and improvements in quality of life.
More Information:
The main objectives of the project are to provide support in the social, employment, educational, and psychological areas to people who may be in vulnerable situations or at risk of social exclusion. Alongside employment support, basic needs such as food, training, housing, utilities, or others that may arise can also be addressed for individuals engaged in a personalized action plan.
The primary access route for participants is direct referral from Municipal Social Services and other ABD services, although individuals referred through the Incorpora network of “la Caixa” Social Foundation—of which Comunidad Activa is a part—may also participate.
The process begins with an intake session conducted by a counselor, who carries out an initial assessment. This is followed by a support process in which individuals are offered guidance in training (internal or external) and support for basic needs if identified, always with the goal of securing employment and maintaining it. At that point, the intervention is concluded.
Services and activities offered:
- Career guidance
- Job intermediation with companies
- Specific training and transversal skills development
- Digital literacy
- Social support: food, housing, utilities, school materials
- Energy advice
- Community participation
Comunidad Activa Sants:
Address:
Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 204, Sants-Montjuïc, 08004 Barcelona
Contact:
Phone: +34 610 703 645
Comunidad Activa Hospitalet:
Address:
Carrer Mare de Déu dels Desemparats, 57, 08903 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona
Contact:
Phone: 93 546 02 95
It is a job intermediation program that takes into account the needs of both individuals and companies. Its objective is to bring the labor market closer to people seeking employment, while also helping companies meet their needs through socially responsible actions. A project carried out in collaboration with the “la Caixa” Foundation.
The objective of the program is to offer job placement itineraries to 60 people receiving Guaranteed Citizenship Income (30 per service), in order to improve their level of employability. The program offers guidance, counseling and training, as well as non-work internships to gain access to reincorporation from the world of work. Funded by the Department of Work, Social Affairs and Families of the Generalitat de Catalunya and co funded by the FSE.
For the second consecutive year, ABD, through its socio-labor integration project “Comunidad Activa,” is implementing the Orienta Program (SOC – ORIENTA), a “Guidance and Support for Job Placement Program.”
This project, aimed at unemployed individuals or those seeking to improve their employment situation, will be carried out in collaboration with the Employment Offices of the Catalan Employment Service, with funding provided by the Spanish Public Employment Service (SEPE).
A literacy project for women who, for various reasons, do not know how to read and/or write or have language difficulties. The aim is to provide 25 women with the tools to different everyday situations and, above all, job searching and labor market integration.
Participants learn Catalan and Spanish using specific materials adapted to the sessions, guided by a professional who leads 1.5-hour training sessions each week. In addition, community activities are organized to promote bonding and social relationships.
Women who need it are also referred to individualized guidance within the Comunidad Activa service as a complement to the training activity.
This project is funded by the Department of Equality and Feminism of the Government of Catalonia and the City Council of L’Hospitalet.
From Comunidad Activa, with funding from the Linguistic Normalization program, a course is offered specifically designed for people in highly vulnerable situations and facing difficulties in accessing employment, with the aim of obtaining the official A1 level certificate in Catalan.
It is organized in small groups of 7 participants to ensure individualized follow-up and learning adapted to each person’s needs. The training includes close coordination with the counselors of ABD’s socio-labor integration program, ensuring continuous monitoring of commitment, attendance, and each participant’s progress.
Adapted pedagogical strategies are incorporated, such as peer learning, individualized support, and flexible scheduling, with the goal of maximizing inclusion and the successful completion of the training for all participants.
Funded by Linguistic Normalization.
With the support of:
Comunidad Activa
Community project of social inclusion that combines labor insertion, social support and community participation.
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