Suara Cooperativa, through the Specialized Accompaniment Services for Young People (SAEJ), has launched the NEXE Project (Navigating Experiences towards Emancipation), funded by the Government of Catalonia as part of the CONVO’ 25-26 projects.
Context of Vulnerability
The Youth Report in Spain 2024 highlights that care leavers face a much more difficult and precarious emancipation process. These young people, who often have to leave the protection system at the age of 18, are forced to become independent without the family or financial support that other young people have.
In a demographic and labour context marked by precariousness, the average age of emancipation in Spain is 30.4 years, with additional difficulties in accessing housing and a labour market that does not match their qualifications. This situation often forces them to depend on public resources or social programs, within an environment not designed to meet their autonomy needs.
Objectives of the NEXE Project
The NEXE Project will run for one year and will provide personalized support to 15 young people in care and care leavers aged between 17 and 25 at the time of leaving the protection system. This period is one of the most complex and vulnerable, as they no longer have continuous professional support.
The main objective is to facilitate the transition of young people towards an autonomous and independent adult life, reducing the risk situations associated with this process.
The unique character of the project lies in the voluntary participation of the young person, who chooses to be accompanied based on their own needs. The focus of the support is placed on the young person–professional relationship. The approach is based on the person-centred care model and community intervention, establishing an emotional bond between the young person and the educator, and prioritizing the emotional well-being of young people so that they can consolidate an autonomous life in all areas.
Within the framework of the program, the accompaniment takes place in informal environments, in a non-institutional context and within the community space, in order to promote integration and social inclusion, always with the goal of encouraging the young person’s full emancipation.
Through the NEXE Project, we aim to ensure the well-being and autonomy of participating youth, working towards a more promising and sustainable future for those who have been in care.
