From problems at school to entering university: "I've achieved the same as my classmates"

BarcelonaThey were in their first year of secondary school and third year of primary school when a series of personal and emotional problems translated into difficulties at school. Jana and Àlex are two siblings from the Bon Pastor neighborhood of Barcelona who, six years ago, realized they needed daily support to focus on their studies. This help, as their mother, Sonia, explains, came in the form of therapy.

"At that time, Àlex was very young, but Jana, who was already in secondary school, was having a hard time," recalls the mother, who points out that the school's educational psychologist played an important role in identifying the need. "Before they even started secondary school, I had already spoken with them." "I saw her sometimes, but then it intensified," Jana recounts. Thus, the two siblings, also referred by social services to the Trinijove Foundation—which works in the Sant Andreu district to overcome situations of social exclusion—began therapy sessions. They were given the necessary tools that resulted in her finally pursuing the degree she was passionate about.

Álex, on the other hand, says that his therapeutic attention evolved into other types of help. He explains that if he found it a little more difficult, it was because he had ADHD and mild dyslexia, which he managed to overcome. When he was in primary school, he began participating in educational support groups. "In the classroom, there were about five or six of us; in a small group, you feel more at ease," he reflects now. ~BK_SLT_L

Looking back six years, Jana, a university student, and Àlex, a third-year secondary school student, are grateful for the opportunities that various forms of support have given them to improve their grades and, in Jana's case, to go to university. "If it weren't for that, I might not be on the same level as my classmates," she says, also appreciating that everything could be addressed through the network of local organizations. In fact, this is one of the core principles of the CaixaProinfancia program of the La Caixa Foundation, which, as with Jana and Àlex, has helped more than 123,000 Catalan children and teenagers living in poverty or social vulnerability since 2007, guaranteeing them opportunities through opportunities. "It is the local community that best understands the needs of its surroundings," explains Susanna Barreda, coordinator and family liaison at Trinijove, the organization to which the two siblings were referred.

When a referral is made to one of the coordinating organizations to access the program, each family's case is studied, their eligibility for the economic criteria and their residence or study in the area are verified, and a work plan is created to provide support. As Àlex's case demonstrates, however, the work plan "is dynamic" and not fixed from day one. "The move to educational support also made Àlex a role model for his younger classmates," notes the Trinijove coordinator, while he emphasizes that it allowed him to organize himself better and "learn how to carry out tasks independently."

Neither of the siblings remains in the program, but as Barreda and the family explain, the connection remains. In fact, Jana, who is now studying law at Pompeu Fabra University, has a La Caixa undergraduate scholarship, which was offered to her by the organization. "It was the second year that some CaixaProinfancia children were prioritized, and when she was about to finish, knowing she had good grades and knowing her family, I knew they could do well," says Barreda, who points out that "as a role model, we always try to cover as much ground as possible."

Something Jana greatly appreciates. "It was a bit of a lottery, and it's helping me a lot because, apart from the financial support, it also offers me academic guidance," the young woman explains. As she speaks, Sonia looks at her and her brother with a mother's pride and emphasizes the combination of their efforts with the support the program has offered them: "These kinds of initiatives are the future because they allow us to reach places we parents sometimes can't, and they provide a lot of security."