Alejandro Marichal: “Employment integration is key to breaking the cycle of dependence on social assistance and enabling people to regain their economic autonomy and social participation.”
Dimas Sarmiento: “Our goal is that no one going through a vulnerable situation is left out of the opportunities offered by employment and training.”
In 2025, the Social Services Department of the San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council promoted the employment of 65 vulnerable individuals through socio-labor support programs developed in collaboration with social organizations and local businesses. Among these initiatives, the LaboraRed Tejiendo Futuro (Weaving the Future) Project stands out. Launched in July 2025, its objective is to work with social service users to enhance their skills and facilitate their entry into the job market.
The council launched this project as part of its social intervention strategy and also collaborates with organizations such as the Red Cross to expand job placement and training opportunities in the municipality. The Foresta Foundation also participates in the LaboraRed Tejiendo Futuro (LaboraRed Weaving the Future) Project, contributing to the program's development and connecting participants with job opportunities through its experience in employment programs and its relationships with local businesses.
Social and professional integration has become a priority for municipal social action, recognizing employment as a fundamental tool for improving people's quality of life. Access to employment not only provides economic stability but also strengthens self-esteem and a sense of belonging to the community. In this context, the LaboraRed Tejiendo Futuro Project is designed as a comprehensive intervention aimed at reducing social inequality, preventing exclusion, and strengthening social cohesion within the municipality.
The project employs an intervention approach that combines individual support with community work. At a personal level, each participant begins their process with an employment assessment that reveals their social, educational, and professional background. Through interviews and specific questionnaires, each person's needs, skills, and the barriers hindering their access to employment are identified. This information allows for the design of personalized pathways that include training, career guidance, and support in the search for professional opportunities.
First Deputy Mayor Alejandro Marichal highlighted the importance of these types of initiatives within the municipality's social policies, noting that "employment integration is a key tool for people to regain their independence and actively participate in the social and economic life of the municipality." Marichal also emphasized that these programs transform situations of vulnerability into real opportunities for many people.
For his part, the Councillor for Social Services, Dimas Sarmiento, explained that “our goal is that no person experiencing a vulnerable situation is left out of the opportunities offered by employment and training” and highlighted the work being done by the department to support people in their integration process and strengthen their employability through training and career guidance.
The work carried out through the LaboraRed Weaving the Future Project has enabled 40 people referred by municipal social services to find employment. Of these, 4 have successfully entered the job market through full-time contracts: 3 from the Social Work Unit in Castillo del Romeral and 1 from San Fernando. This project also benefits from the collaboration of the Foresta Foundation, which contributes its experience in employment programs and its network of companies in the sector, thanks to collaboration agreements with the City Council.
In parallel, the collaboration with the Red Cross has expanded employment opportunities in the municipality. During 2024, 116 people were assisted through job placement programs, largely referred by municipal social services. Of these, 85 completed a training program that included workshops, talks, and professional development courses related to sectors such as retail, logistics, hospitality, and community services. As a result of this work, 34 people successfully entered the job market that year.
In 2025, the program continued its activities with the participation of 97 people, 55 of whom developed their employment integration pathway through various training initiatives linked to sectors with high job demand. During this period, diverse training courses were offered to improve the employability of the participants, and the project concluded with the job placement of 27 people.
Taken together, these initiatives have enabled a total of 65 vulnerable individuals to access the job market thanks to the support and opportunities provided by the Department of Social Services in collaboration with local social organizations and businesses. The Department reaffirms its commitment to continue promoting public policies that foster the social and professional inclusion of citizens, strengthening the social fabric of the municipality and creating real opportunities for those who need them most.
