The CTL Os Mesaches del Actur begins a new stage with Kairós, a social initiative cooperative that works in childhood and inclusion, creating community support networks.
The Centro de Tiempo Libre Os Mesaches del Actur, promoted by the association of the same name and with a trajectory of almost twenty years, has started this year a new stage with the help of Kairós, a recognized social initiative cooperative from Zaragoza that works in childhood and family, inclusion and intellectual disability with an innovative and committed approach with the community and with the support to the social needs of people. Therefore, this CTL, already rooted in the neighborhood, in addition to offering quality leisure time for children, with Kairós has established itself as a dynamic resource for the neighborhood, and a support to families in a variety of areas, from educational reinforcement, to parenting issues, or guidance to various resources and services.
In summer, with extended hours and about 50 children from 3 to 14 years of age attended weekly, the activity does not stop in this CTL that alternates pool days with stable activities organized by days and ages. On Mondays it is the turn of the youngest children, from 3 to 4 years old, and the groups increase in age up to the group of 9 to 14 years old on Saturdays, although joint activities are also organized in which everyone participates, such as the scheduled visit to the Aquarium of Zaragoza next week or the days of water activities, especially successful in this hot season.
This CTL is an educational project that prioritizes personalized attention for the integral development of children, and wants to be a space that compensates for inequalities and offers leisure with values and committed to full inclusion to meet the needs of all children being an accessible space in all aspects. In fact, it is one of the few centers in the ctls network in the city where attention to children with special support needs is guaranteed, thanks to a specifically trained staff and volunteers.
Children in the center and a resource for family support
Inés Aguilar, director of the children and family area of Kairós emphasizes that "we not only focus on leisure activities but also on education in values, and we are attentive to the needs we detect in order to interconnect our network of support resources and that of the neighborhood to facilitate the attention that is necessary at any given moment". For this reason, he adds, "we promote participation in the community life of the neighborhood, involving families in the processes and also being another support within their network of resources".
Another of the singularities of this leisure time center is its volunteer work, which counts on the one hand with volunteers from the entity itself and with students from the experiential workshops of training in leisure time and social and health care, but also during the course with volunteers from a collaboration agreement signed with the Maristas school, and with young people from the social rental program for foreign students of Zaragoza Vivienda.
Next September the registration period will open so that the families of the neighborhood can count on the support of CTL Os Mesaches and its commitment to quality leisure time and community social revitalization for the new course.
Kairós, more than 20 years promoting social support networks
Under the slogan "We work for, by, with people", Kairós has built, in its more than 20 years of experience, a whole network of inclusive social projects for people of any age, background or reality.
"The needs of people are at the center of all projects," stresses Goyo Centro, managing director of Kairos, who also emphasizes the commitment to innovation and quality in treatment "because the needs of each person depend on their context and current situation, and support must be personalized and involve the social environment".
With a 360º social vision, from education, social participation and inclusion, Kairós works in projects dedicated to children, youth and families, such as CaixaProinfancia, educational reinforcement, family workshops and leisure and free time activities.
In addition, it has always been committed to social and labor projects that favor and help people in their incorporation into the labor market, in collaboration with different public institutions, private initiative and collaborating companies. It also manages social rental housing and temporary housing for people or family units without resources, while helping them with individual intervention plans.
And in the area of disability and dependence, Kairós works with children, young people and adults with different degrees of intellectual disability and their families, with support in training, occupational and labor, leisure and free time. It has a Day Center and Occupational Center, Adult Classroom, Kentrikes Special Employment Center, Integration Project of Special Education School Spaces (PIEE), Autonomy Apartments and Kambalache Leisure Center.
