- The awards emphasize people who are especially vulnerable due to the COVID-19 crisis, with severe mental disorders, Asperger syndrome, affected by breast cancer, and with functional diversity
- In this edition, which has received 79 applications from the Canary Islands, the monetary award has increased to 62,000 euros
Atelsam, Afedes, Aspercan, Funcasor, and Amate have been distinguished with the Fundación Cepsa’s 2020 Social Value Awards, awarded this morning in the capital of Tenerife. These awards are aimed at supporting projects focused on promoting the inclusion and welfare of disadvantaged groups. The programs presented by the winning entities, which were sponsored by Cepsa professionals, focus on people who are particularly vulnerable as a result of the crisis caused by COVID-19, with severe mental disorders, Asperger's syndrome, affected by breast cancers and with functional diversity.
During the jury’s meeting, the director of Cepsa in the Canary Islands and representative of the Fundación Cepsa in the Canaries, José Manuel Fernández-Sabugo, said, “It is an honor to continue these awards for another and to have increased the endowment.” He also expressed his satisfaction at being able to “attend to the needs of these groups in such a transparent manner and at a particularly difficult time as now.”
For his part, the Diputado del Común, Rafael Yanes, who chaired the jury, which highlighted the social history of its members, stressed that “these awards will allow this edition, which has increased its total, to meet the needs of the most vulnerable groups.” In this regard, he added that “their situation, aggravated by the current pandemic, will be eased during this period by initiatives like these.”
The jury of the Awards selected the winners from a total of 79 candidates, highlighting aspects such as project management, technical and economic feasibility, the initiative’s number of direct beneficiaries, innovation, and the opportunity for active participation by Cepsa employees as volunteers.
In addition to José Manuel Fernández-Sabugo and Rafael Yanes, the jury comprised the Deputy Minister of Social Rights of the Government of the Canary Islands, Gemma Martínez; the Managing Director of Citizen Participation and Diversity for the Council of Tenerife, Nauzet Gugliotta; the Minister of Social Policy and Accessibility for the Council of Gran Canaria, Isabel Mena; the Delegate Councilor for Social Action in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Rosario González; the Delegate Councilor for Social Services in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Carmen Luz Vargas; the head of Tenerife Solidario, Beatriz Sicilia; Cepsa's Canary Islands Director, José Manuel Fernández-Sabugo; and the Head of Fundación Cepsa in the Canary Islands, Belén Machado.
This edition of the Fundación Cepsa’s Social Value Awards included, among its primary changes, an increase in the monetary amount awarded to provide assistance to the people most affected by the health and social crisis caused by the COVID-19. In this way, the winning entities will share the 62,000 euros of the prize.
These 5 winning projects will join the 50 that were selected by Fundación Cepsa’s Social Value Awards since their launch in the Canary Islands, which have already received a total of 495,000 euros.
Award-winning initiatives
The “AFEDES a tu lado” (AFEDES at your side) project, of the Afedes Association, aims to provide support and care to people and groups in particularly vulnerable situations due to the crisis caused by the coronavirus, to improve their quality of life, and facilitate their social and labor inclusion with empowerment workshops and by strengthening their support networks. In addition, it aims to meet their basic needs (food, school supplies, COVID protection material, transportation passes), to bridge the digital divide with computer literacy workshops for adults and children and promote academic success with strengthening measures. It is particularly aimed at minors, young people, women with serious social problems, immigrants, people with great difficulty in meeting their basic needs, and unemployed people who are over 45 or have experienced long-term unemployment. The project supervisor is Juan Carlos Diez Martin.
The Asperger Association Canary Islands (Aspercan), with the project “ResetEA: Activismo y auto-representación autista” (ResetEA: Autistic self-representation and activism), aims to promote and encourage true inclusion in any developmental setting for people with autism spectrum disorder – Asperger’s syndrome to put an end to they ableism, high unemployment rates, bullying, and discrimination they experience. Furthermore, it aims to standardize, make visible, and demystify prejudices about people with the disorders, through direct knowledge (a guide for teachers in the Canary Islands, guide for the business network in the Archipelago, talks and training in educational centers and companies). Victoria Imelda Rodriguez is the project supervisor.
The Breast Cancer Association of Tenerife (Amate) aims to provide one of the fundamental pillars in the care and attention for people affected by breast cancer: information and education services. To that end, it has launched the project “Educasalud para personas con cáncer de mama y la sociedad en la provincia de Santa Cruz de Tenerife” (Health Education for People with Breast Cancer and Society in the Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife), which it provides them and their families with information, psychological and social guidance, and assistance. Talks and workshops on early detection of breast cancer and COVID-19 and at-risk individuals, among others, are some of the activities conducted for this end. The supervisor is Cristina Martín Carbajal.
The project “Finca Isora: Prepara y Emplea” (Isora Ranch: Prepare and Employ) of the Mental Health Association (Atelsam) stands as an agent of change in the working world of people with severe mental disorders. With organic farming and a poultry farm, it will enhance the professional capacities and skills inherent to this work, providing them with training in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly occupation, to contribute to the rehabilitation of these people and promote, with this pre-labor preparation, their socio-labor integration. Additionally, work will be done to establish and develop interpersonal relationships, using the group format, and develop the personal resources of each participant, reinforcing their internal strengths. The supervisor is Fernando Hernández Santos.
The Canary Islands Foundation for the Deaf and their Families (Funcasor) will contribute to improving the quality of life of people with speech therapy needs on the island of Gran Canaria, preferably those with hearing impairments and their families, by improving the various components of communication with its project “Intervención logopédica especializada en discapacidad auditiva” (Specialized speech therapy in hearing impairment) In addition to hearing rehabilitation, conducted by speech therapist specializing in auditory-verbal therapy, the care will focus on the family, who will be taught how to create a listening environment, use verbal language processing, and encourage speech expression. The supervisor is Luis Mariano Barrios Batista.
Employees’ Special Award
The jury also selected the initiatives presented by the La Vida Sigue en Positivo Sports and Social Association, with the project “Un día sobre ruedas” (A Day on Wheels), and by the Down's Syndrome Association of Las Palmas, with the project “Compromiso X 1 Ocio Más Inclusivo” (Commitment to More Inclusive Fun) as candidates for the Canary Islands for the Special Employee Award, an additional award given by Cepsa employees working in the countries where the Fundación operates: Spain (Canary Islands, Madrid, province of Huelva, and Campo de Gibraltar), Portugal, Colombia, and Brazil.
Cepsa staff will choose 5 of the 14 nominees (2 for each area) to share a €46,000 prize pot to get their initiatives off the ground. The results will be announced shortly.