The Tenerife Island Council has today (Wednesday, 25) approved ‘Islénior’, the inaugural Comprehensive Plan for the Care of the Elderly on the island. This announcement was made by the council president, Rosa Dávila, along with the first vice-president, Lope Afonso, during a press conference detailing the matters sanctioned by the Government Council. Rosa Dávila expressed gratitude for the efforts of the Minister of Social Action, Águeda Fumero, noting that the document “revives the spirit of Ansina and integrates it into this Plan, enabling us to support those who have contributed immensely throughout their lives, such as our elderly citizens.” In addition, Lope Afonso elaborated that “it is a document that places individuals at the heart of island policies, representing a significant milestone that the government group prioritised at the outset of this mandate, following the dissolution of the Ansina programme during the previous term.”
Afonso emphasised that “in response to this situation, this new programme gains even greater importance,” adding that “the document is a product of the collaborative efforts of numerous entities involved in the most significant participatory process in the Canary Islands. Various departments of the Cabildo de Tenerife were also engaged, leading to the formulation of this document.” “This Plan is in line with the World Health Organization’s strategy and outlines six fundamental pillars for the development of actions aimed at the elderly,” stated the vice-president, who clarified that “these six pillars focus on promoting autonomy, enhancing well-being, creating a supportive social environment, ensuring equal services in both rural and urban areas for the elderly, along with management, awareness, and information.” Lope Afonso concluded that “Islénior” signifies a transformative approach in the Cabildo’s relationship with the elderly residents of Tenerife.”
In the Education sector, the foundations regulating the nursery voucher were endorsed with an investment of €1.2 million, enabling support for 1,500 families in the education of their children under three years. This initiative, rooted in the Cabildo’s commitment to balancing work and family responsibilities, will assist eligible households in meeting early childhood education expenses, including pre-registration, registration, care, hygiene, meals, and school uniforms. Additionally, the tender for the Cabildo Educa project was approved, amounting to €64,000. This initiative, with a total investment of €1.3 million, provides extensive curricular support across 250 educational institutions in Tenerife, encompassing 34 educational programmes.
In the Youth sector, the tender for the planning, development, and evaluation of the Tenerife Joven School was sanctioned for around €134,000. The goal of this initiative is to foster training and professional skills development among young people, thereby improving their employability and integration into the job market. The free courses are designed for individuals aged 16 to 35 and will be available in three formats: in-person, hybrid, and online. Furthermore, the Merkarte project was awarded to Explorelandia for over €124,000. This crucial project is aimed at promoting young talent in Tenerife and serves as a vital platform providing exposure, networking opportunities, professional experience, as well as promotional and sales avenues.
Within the Social Action sphere, a multi-year budget adjustment for the Institute of Social and Social-Health Care (IASS) was approved for the establishment of the Abades social-health centre in Arico, with a total budget of €5,006,016.74. Of this amount, 55% is being financed by the Government of the Canary Islands, as per the agreement established for creating new social-health places. The facility will offer 76 residential spaces. Furthermore, approval was granted for the collaboration agreement between the IASS and the municipality of El Tanque, aimed at providing a multi-year nominative subsidy to finance the execution of a basic project for expanding, refurbishing, and improving the interior of the elderly residence. This initiative will increase care capacity to 44 residential places and 19 day centre places (currently, there are 26 residential spaces and 11 day centre spots). In addition, a collaboration agreement was endorsed with the University of La Laguna to organise the Pre-World Congress for the Rights of Children and Adolescents, scheduled for September 26 and 27, aimed at enhancing the protection and promotion of children’s and adolescents’ rights in Tenerife.
Concerning Museums, a multi-year expenditure of €297,388 was authorised for hiring a room controller and customer service personnel at the Customer Service Centre at the Castillo San Cristóbal Interpretation Centre. On another note, the Governing Council approved the designation of footballers Ayoze Pérez and Pedri as Illustrious Sons of the island of Tenerife following the title secured with the Spanish national football team at Euro 2024.
