The reality of homeless people in Barcelona
According to the annual count of the Homeless Care Network, it is estimated that there are nearly 5,000 homeless people in the city of Barcelona, of which 1,284 sleep on the streets every day. These figures highlight the chronicity of poverty in Catalonia, as evidenced by several studies.
Of these people served, 6% are under 25 years old and almost 90% are of foreign nationality. This reflects the diversity of profiles and origins of those people who find themselves in this situation.
Attention to the homeless
Despite the alarming figures, it should be borne in mind that there is a significant proportion of homeless people who are difficult to detect and do not have access to public social protection resources. Entities such as the parish of Santa Anna in Barcelona have expanded their activity to attend to these needs, offering meals, psychological care and clothing to the homeless.
In addition, the Faculty of Social Education and Social Work Pere Tarrés-Universitat Ramon Llull collaborates with the Associació Missatgers de la Pau Catalunya to add the perspective of research to this social aid program. Through an agreement signed between the two entities, researchers from the Faculty will prepare reports that will assess the reality of the more than 2,500 homeless people treated annually at the Hospital de Campanya Santa Anna. These reports will make it possible to better understand the profiles, life and migration trajectories of these people, with the aim of detecting the risk and protection factors that influence their situation.
A research task with social impact
The purpose of this collaboration between the university and the association is to give rigor to the interventions carried out in Santa Anna through research. The reports generated will be a privileged observatory to better understand the reality of homelessness and the contradictions in today’s world. In addition, it is intended to develop more specific work that focuses on the needs and potential of the young people served in Santa Anna.
Therefore, this initiative not only seeks to provide knowledge and understanding, but also to improve interventions and care for homeless people. With this collaboration, the aim is to generate a positive social impact and contribute to the fight against homelessness in Barcelona.
