Santa Úrsula is not a municipality with serious problems of childhood and adolescence, although the situation can be improved. This is the main conclusion that emerges from the diagnosis commissioned by the City Council to know the main needs and demands of this sector and their vision of the municipality in which they live.
This was certified yesterday by the mayor, Juan Acosta, who announced the results of this study with a view to the preparation of the First Municipal Plan aimed at these sectors of the population, in addition to being a prerequisite to obtain recognition by Unicef as a Child Friendly City.
He did so accompanied by the president of the Unicef Canary Islands Committee, Rosa Gloria Suárez; and on behalf of Crowplan, the company that wrote the diagnosis, Dulce Xerach.
It was the latter who detailed the methodology, the type of sampling, the percentage of the population and the aspects that were addressed. In total, 300 surveys were carried out randomly divided into two groups: one of them included boys and girls between 7 and 14 years old and in some cases relatives, and the other, adolescents between 15 and 18 years old, obtaining a 2.7% representation. The current population is over 15,000 inhabitants, of which 3,944, 26%, are minors.
The questions asked were the same for both groups. Thus, they were asked what things they would like to change in education, if they used social networks and video games, if the municipality respected the environment, if it was safe, if they considered that there was equality and what things would change.
The report shows that it is necessary to have more green areas, more public parks adapted to children and specific spaces and facilities for adolescents, such as a skatepark.
Another issue that draws attention is that the respondents consider that Santa Úrsula is a safe municipality but at the same time they believe that it is necessary to increase the number of local police officers.
This initiative prioritizes the rights of minors and one of them is participation. “That is why it is important that from now on a child participation body is created that allows them to be heard,” declared Rosa Gloria Suárez.
