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Summer School 2013

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The councilor of Social Welfare, Youth and Equality of the Formentera Island Council, Dolores Fernández, presented today via press conference the opening of registration for the Formentera Summer School programme. The programme is a socioeducational resource that exists during summer months to provide children between 3 and 12 with a wide array of recreational activities.

A total of 200 spaces are available and activities will be held at the Mestre Lluís Andreu (Sant Francesc), Sant Ferran and El Pilar de la Mola public primary schools. During the months of July and August, alternatives for free-time activities will be offered to those children who participate, all with the goal of fostering creative development and imagination.

This time around the Summer School's guiding theme will be “Som artistes” (“We're artists”), the objective being to focus on arts and crafts, music, dance, etc. using the summer's activities as a starting-off point.

The different activities will include arts and crafts workshops (to stimulate imagination, creativity, psychomotricity, etc.); workshops – like gymkhanas – to promote physical fitness; game workshops (both traditional and from all over the world, outdoor, water games, etc.); music workshops (dances, songs, instrument building, etc.); theatre and physical expression workshops (in preparation for different end-of-the-month festivals); storytelling workshop; trips to the beach and other field trips.

These activities give children the possibility of an extremely diversified education through games and physical activity, not to mention imparting values like solidarity, friendship, responsibility, trust and mutual respect.

Like in years past, the school's objective is to offer an educational and recreational space for children during the summer months, to foment different educational leisure activities and assist in the solution of work-family conflicts (bearing in mind that the summer season is the period of time when employment is highest and children are not in school).

The Summer School activities programme will extend from 1 July to 30 August from 9 am to 2 pm Monday through Friday, with the option of 8 am start-time. Swimming will also be possible as a complementary activity.

The professional staff will include 22 day counsellors, 1 director and 1 certified Special Education staff member to tend to children with special learning needs.

It is important to remember that the Summer School, although a recreational activity, is still educational, and as such full importance is given to the use of games as learning tools. Games form an integral part of the culture in which children live, fundamental to the physical, intellectual and social growth of a child.

Finally, we remind readers that registration will be open starting today, 12 June, and will continue through 19 June, in the Citizen's Information Office (OAC) of the Formentera Island Council.

8 March: International Day of the Working Woman

igualtat7With time the month of March has come to be recognised for its celebration of the women of Formentera, dovetailing with the International Working Women's Day, 8 March. The women of Formentera come out strong in their celebration of this important day, the one moment dedicated every year to social mobilisation and ending the discrimination that continues to effect an unequal access to resources.

Once again, the Espai Dones Association, with the collaboration of Formentera's Office of Equality, has prepared activities for the entire month of March. These activities have taken a reflective turn. From a photo exhibition reinforcing feminine expression to traditional storytelling, which, this latter, for the second year running and due to the great success received by the first edition, will also be directed at younger residents. Additional activities will include the V homage to adult women – extremely important to the adult population – which celebrates the history of the woman in Formentera.

The remaining cultural acts, all of which place the woman at the forefront, vary from informational talks to a theatrical production and a make-up workshop, without forgetting the traditional sisterhood supper. New to the panorama this year is the 8 March events schedule, the product of a contest organised by Espai Dones aimed at increasing the participation of younger residents. The winner was Júlia Tur Mayans.

The events programme was made possible by the Espai Dones Association, which devotes efforts year after year to the celebration of the International Working Women's Day and the International Day against Domestic Violence. These days mark relevant moments in women's fight for effective equality and empowerment. Mainly, the celebration organised around this day represents an important thrust of momentum for the defence and awareness of women's rights.

Formentera's Espai Dones Association
Espai Dones Formentera is a not-for-profit women's association. It was founded 5 March 2007 by a group of women who for many years had organised events for 8 March, International Working Women's Day.

The association's purpose is to promote gender equality and provide women with counsel, as well as organise workshops and educational and recreational events. It is a space for encounters, dialogue, development of social well-being, fun and collaboration with local entities for the official commemoration of days significant to the struggle for equality.

The association works actively with the Spanish Association against Cancer in its numerous campaigns, takes part in Formentera's Intercultural Day, an event organised by the Office of Social Welfare, and also participates in the sale of second-hand books for the Day of Sant Jordi.

Espai Dones encourages all the women of Formentera to join in the use of this space. The contact number is 697.941.016, or they can also be reached by email at: espaidonesformentera@hotmail.com.

Promoting healthy alternatives for Formentera nightlife

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The Formentera Council, as member of Balearic Islands Nightlife Platform and as the organisational body responsible for the prevention of addictive behaviour and the promotion of its healthy alternatives, has promoted the implementation of a series of directives aimed at the commissions charged with local holiday organisation, the goal being to avoid the problems associated with recreational nightlife from the medical, community and safety standpoints.

The initiative is a response to the large number of popular celebrations organised in Formentera, especially in summer, including concerts and parties that imply the sale of alcoholic beverages.

Bars constitute a space which is central in these popular celebrations, not only with regard to fundraising but also with respect to attracting people from the public. In volunteer efforts, neighbours participate in the organisation of different events and take charge of all necessary elements of the festivities. This in turn impacts the functioning of the bars during such events, which, not based on formal professional activity, tend to undergo a loosening of limits with regard to minors of age, operating hours and consumption of alcohol.

The celebration of these traditional festivities and holidays brings – as an intrinsic effect – a massive affluence of visitors and residents, influencing the general tone of the parties (the consumption of alcohol and the disinhibition of eventgoers, in detriment to the cultural and historical backdrop of the events) and affecting an inherent increase in vehicle traffic and in the consumption of other substances.

Add this to the conclusions drawn from a study conducted by the prevention team of the Projecte Jove Balears (Balearic Youth Project) in April 2011 on the consumption of alcohol and other substances by the resident population in general and minors in particular. The study concluded that occasional alcohol consumption among youth in Formentera is higher than in the rest of the Balearic Islands.
 
A heightened consumption among youth of Formentera
According to a study carried out in 2011, on Formentera the consumption of alcohol at some point in time between the ages of 14 and 18 is 90%, a figure higher than both national and Balearic totals. Seventy-nine point four percent of 14 year olds have consumed alcohol at some point in their life and this figure, by 16, grows to 94.4%.

Among teenagers ages 14 and 15, more than half had consumed alcohol within the thirty previous days (52.8%), while 30% of youth between 16 and 18 consume alcohol exclusively at the weekend.

At this age (16 to 18 years old), weekly alcohol consumption (three or more days) reaches 22.6%, clearly higher than the national average (15.6%).

In Formentera, drug consumption begins at earlier agers (14.6) than the rest of Spain (15.2) and the Balearic community (15).

For these reasons, the local administration is recommending the adoption of a series of directives regarding authorisation permits for the sale of alcohol such bars. The objective is to make explicit the prohibition of alcoholic beverages to minors and to those individuals demonstrating symptoms of abuse, reinforcing this with signed commitments by bar representatives, all those in collaboration and all volunteers that serve alcohol as well.

In consonance with these objectives, and through the proposal of viable alternatives, the Council wishes to favour the raising of funds not dependent on the sale of alcohol. Likewise, it intends to inform residents of the risks associated with the consumption of alcohol and other drugs and of healthy activity, using informational stands to this end.

Nightlife Platform
The Council of Formentera is one of the institutions forming the Nightlife Platform, founded in 2011 by the Balearic Government's Department of Health, Family and Social Well-Being, across the General Direction of Health and Consumption and the Balearic Islands Addiction and Dependency Plan (PADIB), with the support of IREFREA (European Institute of Preventative Studies) as the scientific and technical secretary.

The platform considers its first goal “the elaboration of an analytical document, with the consensus of the industry, public administrations and organisations based in civic society, which allows a treatment of problems related to recreational nightlife activity from health, community and safety – and quality and image – perspectives”. This consensus consisted in commitments by all involved sectors.

Accord for the promotion of equality and prevention of domestic violence

espaidones webToday, the president of the Formentera Island Council, Jaume Ferrer, together with Maria Antònia Ferragut, the president of the association Espai Dones, signed a collaborative accord between the two entities. The accord will serve to strengthen and formalise the close collaboration that has come to exist between the two entities on the issue of equality.

As part of the accord the Council will grant 2,500€ for actions promoting equality and working toward domestic violence prevention. Likewise, Espai Dones commits to programming awareness-raising activities and actions around women's rights and domestic abuse issues. To reach this objective, educational activities and talks are held on subjects of equality and increasing sensibility toward the rights of the woman.

The association was created in 2007 to implicate native Formentera women in the struggle for equality. The Formentera Council's Office of Equality works in close concert with the feminist association, mainly for the events related to the Day of the Woman Worker (8 March) and the International Day against Domestic Violence (25 November), both relevant milestones in the path toward effective equality, but also on women's empowerment issues and violence prevention/rejection. Acts of violence are too present in our societies, and although anyone can be affected, there is nevertheless a greater incidence among women and children.

The Council as a collective is of the opinion that training on equality issues is fundamental to reducing domestic abuse. It is on these issues that the Office of Equality works in conjunction with the Office of Culture, programming events that generate change and promote the advancement of gender equality, fomenting a culture of female empowerment. We consider that every woman must attain a certain empowerment in order to defend herself and prevent domestic violence, especially on an island as pluralistic and diverse as ours.

The Office of Social Welfare carries out two fundamental services for the women of Formentera, the first being immediate support for victims of domestic violence and the second – complementary and of unqualified importance – equal rights training and domestic violence prevention.

The support service for domestic abuse victims comprises immediate attention, mentoring and on-going support for the victims during periods of vulnerability. This service uses tools like the emergency social telephone line (24 hours/day), which relies on a close coordination with the Guardia Civil. The service is also complemented with home-visits when an immediate separation of the victim and her aggressor is necessary. This is realized in collaboration with the Eivissa Women's Office.

It is the duty of the Formentera Island Council – as established by article 31 of the regulatory Organic Law 1/2002 (22 March) on the right of association – to promote and facilitate the development of associations that work in the general public interest while still respecting a fundamental liberty and autonomy with respect to public authority. The law also states that these associations be accorded economic aid and assistance in the undertaking of their activity. To this effect, articles 70.20 of Organic Law 2/1983 (25 February) of the Balearic Islands' Statue of Autonomy, later modified by Organic Law 1/2007 (28 February), state that polices that deal with gender and work-family life balance are to be the remit of the different island councils.

Diverespai is back and ready for participation of approximately 700 children

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Once again the Office of Social Welfare and Youth Services have brought DIVERESPAI to Formentera, kicking off the Christmas holiday season with a very special set of activities for boys and girls from 3 to 12 years old.

The Formentera Diverespai will begin its 2013 run next Saturday and will remain open until 19 December, with hours of operation from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm and 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The mornings of the 17th, 18th and 19th use will be reserved for island schools, who have all scheduled visits.

The idea is for each of Formentera's educational centres to be able to take advantage of Diverespai during classtime hours, thus ensuring that the island's population of children is, in its near entirety, able to enjoy the installation. Every year roughly 700 boys and girls visit Diverespai.

The installation consists of an ensemble of activities and inflatable toys located in the gymnasium portion of IES Marc Ferrer, and play is supervised by different day counsellors.

At Diverespai children will find inflatable castles, animals and an assortment of stairs, nets and other obstacles to overcome. They will also have the possibility to take part in different themed-workshops and craft activities led by counsellors. If we take play as a tool in integration, one that promotes healthy socialization and teamwork, Diverespai serves as an excellent way to kick off the Christmas holiday.

Entertainment and safety at the play space will be overseen by a team of 12 counsellors, coordinated by the S'Espurna after-school play centre. Counsellors are on hand to accompany participating children in a space where they can learn to play, have fun, and develop their imagination and creativity with games. The event had a budget of 26 thousand euros, a sum that included bus service; set-up, take-down and  maintenance of facilities and hiring of personnel.

The inflatable toys at Diverespai include:
Koala Play Zone
Panama Canal
The Great Slide
Basketball Court
Happy Whale
Rubber Beds
Sumo Circuit
Mighty Mouse

Workshops offered:
Face-painting
Fischer Tips (play material made from Potato Starch and coloured with food dye that sticks to surfaces with a little bit of water)
Christmas (Christmas cards, decorations, etc.)
Videogames

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