The Citizen Participation area of the councilchaired by counselor Nauzet Gugliotta, reactivates the reform of the Insular Volunteer Center, located in the Peru neighborhood of Santa Cruz, to make it the benchmark for solidarity groups on the Island. It does so through a contest to provide it with equipment worth 233,173 euros. The property has been closed for the most part due to rehabilitation works since January 31, 2017. The contracting for the reopening was tendered in December of last year but five of the six lots in which the offer was divided were left deserted. Located at number 28 on Calle Juan Rumeu García, it will be key in the new design planned to channel citizen solidarity together with four other spaces, two of them in the North and as many in the South of Tenerife.
Gugliotta proposes these five centers of volunteering with the threshold for its commissioning at the end of the year 2023. He values: «The only lot awarded for the Insular Office for 132,000 euros will serve to furnish the premises of the volunteer entities. It is a satisfaction because the activity does not stop ». The counselor recalls that “the Tenerife Solidarity Island program was made up of 460 groups three years ago and now totals more than 600. And the budget has gone from 430,000 euros to 1,257,000.”
Gugliotta highlights “comprehensive help for people, always with respect for their rights as a premise.” Neighborhood groups, the elderly, LGTBIQ+, disability, rare diseases… With a different idea that took hold during the pandemic and includes «something more than organizing parties and specific claims. We seek to give full meaning to the concept of citizen participation. He summarizes: “An attempt to channel all that solidarity that we cannot stop.”
It repeats the concepts of diversity and inclusion: «In all its fields, ethical, social, spiritual, philosophical…». It highlights “the union of different people with a common goal.” underline: “Entities that distribute food, for example, adhere and a specific subsidy of three million euros is allocated to them.”
“The pandemic awakens an enormous flow of solidarity that we must channel”
networking
The Santa Cruz office will be “a meeting point where space can be shared and networking can be encouraged,” explains Gugliotta. He recalls «a complex reform process because we want an innovative and sustainable building with custom furniture. If we didn’t have the structure finished, we couldn’t put it out to tender.” To this we must add factors such as “Covid, which stopped everything, and now the rise in material prices.” Despite everything, the Tenerife Isla Solidaria program office remains open in the centre.
The future goes through the reopening and also includes four more reference centers, two in the North and two in the South. The open space will also be maintained and promoted during the pandemic in Añaza, southwest of Santa Cruz, as an appendix to the Central Office. Located on the neighborhood’s Rambla and provided by the Canarian Housing Institute, the data demonstrates its importance as a point of solidarity while the main office has been closed. During 2021, it received 104 visitors, was occupied for 382 hours and the designated room hosted 88 meetings. Currently, the counselor points out “we have two offices in Puerto de la Cruz and in San Isidro (Granadilla)”. In both, the service dedicated to migrants stands out. Gugliotta explains: «We are going to start up a space in La Orotava for revitalization and another in Guía de Isora». In the South, one more node in Adeje may join in the medium term. The intention is “to have one in each region that also includes the Low Island.”
In this regard, Gugliotta considers the current moment as one of “associative emergence on the Island, especially in the South, and we are obliged to respond from the institution.”
Five of the six lots intended for the equipment of the Volunteer Office located in the neighborhood of Peru were declared deserted. They go back to tender for 233.00 euros
The counselor summarizes: «There are many things pending, I am self-critical, but also realities. We have dedicated all our efforts to supporting the people of Tenerife and the entities that they form». He concludes: “Anyone can set up an association, it is lawful, but it is difficult to keep up with the Cabildo because in subsidies our rigor is absolute.”
volunteer’s house
The works in the structure of the Island Volunteer Office ended in July of last year. Equipment remains. When all the works are finished, the center will be located on the ground floor. The property has 1,200 square meters distributed over five floors. It will offer entities a space for meetings, assemblies, workshops, training sessions, etc. It will also be open to any citizen who is interested in starting out in the world of volunteering.
Modern and functional building with a maximum capacity of 266 people. The insular councilor for Citizen Participation considers its total openness “fundamental”. Now another step is taken to make the house of volunteering and volunteering a reality. Next opening.
