La Foixarda: mental healthcare in the field of education
La Foixarda, founded in 2017, is a pioneering social project specialized in mental healthcare. It was founded in 2020 at the Drissa Foundation as a complement to labor insertion of people living with mental health issues (one of the priority lines of work of the entity, together with housing, in order to improve their quality of life, which is the social objective of the organization) and which is part of the community-based model of mental health care in the Girona area, which has become a model of national and international reference.
Why do we do it?
- To guarantee the right to education for people living with mental health issues (difficulties associated with mental health issues that are greater than that of the general population and that place them in an adverse situation) that, if not addressed with accompaniment and support, become barriers for their learning and participation in the sphere of education on an equal footing with the rest of the students, given that adaptations as students with barriers to learning and participation (special educational needs) are necessary but insufficient on their own.
- To promote success and prevent educational failure and dropout, because mental health issues are considered predictors and, moreover, usually begin in adolescence and early adulthood and, therefore, in educational stages.
- To improve their employability and favor their employment since people living with mental health issues have a lower level of education than the general population (43% of people with disabilities seeking employment have only primary education; 32% have only secondary education; only 13.26% have professional training; and only 4.73% have higher education) and face labor exclusion (labor activity rate of 29.1% in 2018 in Spain according to INE, the lowest rate of employment among all the people affected by disabilities).
- To support recovery because maintaining one’s life through education, training, and employment is considered a basic and key psychosocial factor that can help recovery, moreover being a fundamental means of empowerment and fight against social stigma.
- To promote mental health and prevent mental health issues through early detection and proper referral for early care, given the fact that mental health issues usually begin during adolescence and early adulthood, that is, during educational stages. Consequently, educational environment is the most adequate and strategic means for the promotion and prevention of mental health issues.
How do we do it?
- Pupil/student support
- Psychological and pedagogical support service in the process of learning
- Psychoeducational group support service
- Peer support service (mutual help group for students with mental health issues)
- Training service (teaching staff, administrative staff, etc.)
- Research in education and mental health
Partners
- Education Territorial Services in Girona from the Education Department of the Generalitat of Catalonia
- University of Girona, UNED Girona Associated Center, Pompeu Fabra University,
Recognitions
- Innovative project in the field of mental health in the 7th edition of 10×10 – Social Innovation Capsules (Barcelona, CaixaForum, 2020) edition, from the public company Serveis Públics d’Acció Social de Catalunya i Up Social (Social Action Public Services of Catalonia and Up Social).
Contact us at:
lafoixarda@fundaciodrissa.com
Tel. 972 249 344
Follow!
