SORTARAZI: Mission and claretian association

1. MISSION AND FINALITY Sortarazi, is a non-profit association that arose from the Lay Claretian Community (CES) of Bilbao, with the support of the Claretian Missionaries, to promote and contribute to the integral development of men and women at risk, or in a situation of social exclusion and for the development of the communities where they live. From a Christian and Claretian perspective, working here and now for the Kingdom of God, the purpose of Sortarazi is the social integration of persons at risk or in a situation of social exclusion, by encouraging their dignity, personal autonomy and social skills; developing and promoting an awareness of the existing realities of being marginalized. The organization works with these people because it has opted for what is the most urgent, timely and effective style of Father Claret.

2. ORIGIN AND LOCATION Sortarazi develops its projects and commitment in the neighborhoods of Lamiako-Leioa and San Francisco-Bilbao, two territories historically linked to the life of the Claretian communities of Bizkaia, in the Province of Euskal Herria. Although the association acquired it legal recognition in 1996, the activity of community and psychosocial intervention that characterize it started in the beginning of the 90’s, the Claretian Youth Communities decided to implement a pilot project and pioneer it in the neighborhood called San Francisco. At this time, in the San Francisco neighborhood of Bilbao, there weren’t any programs or activities for children in their free time. On the other hand, there were cases of elderly who were homebound without any type of attention. There were no resources such as home help programs being offered. In response, as has been said, with "the most urgent and necessary", the social initiative of the Lay Claretians began their journey in this district of Bilbao, with Kalegintza, a project of educational free time outdoor education for children and disadvantaged girls, and with Amicor, an accompaniment project which gives attention to the elderly in need of assistance. In the mid ' 90s, motivated by the experience with the boys and girls from the San Francisco district and in close proximity to the Askartza Claret School, it set in motion a project similar to that of Kalegintza, called Txikitan, in the neighborhood of Leioa.

3. THE LAY PEOPLE OF LEIOA-PARTNERS OF SORTARAZI WITH SUPPORT FROM THE CLARETIAN MISSIONARIES During its years of existence Sortarazi’s Lay Claretian communities of Leioa have been its main formative, human and economic support. Sortarazi, for its part, has provided and responded to its social and solidarity commitment, thus enabling them to become sharers in the realities of exclusion and offering them opportunities to raise awareness and volunteerism. Today, its members maintain the commitment that have characterized it during these years, by combining financial contributions from their experience. It also promotes the creation of opportunities for intern volunteers who can partner their knowledge and activity in the service of the association in a modality that allows one to work in a family dynamic. Since the origins of the Association, the Claretian Missionaries have been present. They helped propel the first actions of social initiative for children and the elderly people of the San Francisco neighborhood. Their evangelical choice for the most disadvantaged people and its fraternal links with the Claretian Lay communities makes the Claretian Missionaries in Euskal Herria an unconditional support for the development of activity and the Mission of Sortarazi.

4. PHILOSOPHY OF SORTARAZI The core values of the association come from the need to respond to the most urgent, necessary and needed in our time-frame for working with men and women at risk or socially disadvantaged. Sortarazi, in the relationship with the people focuses on closeness, empathy, respect, the demands and cultural sensitivity. The values that guide their relationship and personal life are trust, openness to ideas and innovation, team work, transparency and participation; and in relationship with other entities and their surrounding, that place a priority on the values of collaboration, proactivity and flexibility.

5. PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES The primary target audience for the programs and activities are particularly people who are unemployed or without professional assistance, immigrants, adults with legal problems or drug addiction, homeless, gypsies, people with very fragile and dysfunctional personalities, children at risk, etc. In the final analysis, it is for people with urgent needs that have not been met. The Association has diverse PROGRAMS IN OPERATION. 1) Centers of Social Integration, ITZALA, located in the San Francisco neighborhood (Bilbao) and theARGITU Center in the Lamiako neighborhood (Leioa). In these Centers they are working on improving and advancing the quality of life of people who for personal reasons, whether social and/or economic are in a situation of social exclusion especially the homeless and those with mental health problems. These "Centers" focus on the recovery and development of the individual persons; of their social relations and the social protection network through a personalized accompaniment which is the common thread of our intervention. They offer benefits related to the coverage of basic needs: food, personal hygiene, laundry, shelter, and medication administration in appropriate cases; and specialized services such as active listening, emotional support, personal encouragement, information and referrals. It also offers accompaniment in areas of social intervention, from the beginning, through follow-up for individual plans of intervention, and the implementation of occupational activities, including leisure, free time, moderating basic habits, social skills, etc. 2) The HAZIA Accompaniment Center for Socio-Labor Insertion (Lamiako - Leioa) of Sortarazi defines their commitment as: "motivate, guide, training and advice to those with difficulties in social insertion". 1. The working methodology focuses on personalized accompaniment. The Center provides: 2. Service of Coverage for Basic Needs: distribution of food, rent, water and light subsidies; including psychological support. 3. Service of Socio-Labor Orientation: setting up a personal itinerary for interviews and resumes in the labor force with the aim of improving access to employment. 4. Design, development and implementation of occupational training: through the Basque Employment Service (Home Services, Waitress, and Plant Electrical and Carpentry Assistants), and working through a basic training in social skills. 3) TXIKITAN. It is an educational program for leisure and free time directed to children at risk in the neighborhood of Lamiako, who are between 6 and 14 years old. This program is carried out entirely by young volunteers from the Christian Initiation group of Askartza School. The volunteers prepare an annual calendar with planned activities (crafts, snack, hygiene, sport and movies), which place on Saturday afternoons for approximately 4 hours.

6. PERSPECTIVE OF JUSTICE, PEACE AND EVANGELIZATION For the Lay Claretians "the transforming action of the world as a form of evangelization calls us to engage in the action for justice and human promotion" (the ideology of the Lay Claretians). We understand that this area of the Claretian mission an imperative Gospel requirement for lay people. The group also develops actions of sensitization and awareness such as the annual collaboration in the Campaign of Solidarity at the Askartza-Claret School. The volunteer group from Txikitan welcomes young people from this school as a place to start their active Christian commitment. They also receive during a week in July, students from the schools run by the Piarist Fathers like CIS Itzala with the objective of educating them in solidarity. Finally, a group of 15 mothers of students from Askartza-Claret School have begun to collaborate as volunteers at the Center in Leioa.

7. OTHER COLLABORATION OF PERSONS AND INSTITUTIONS At this time the organization has contracted 7 professionals who are more or less stable (one man and 6 women, 4 of them are Lay Claretians) and approximately 25 volunteers. The tasks that they have are different and consistent with the objectives of each of the integrated programs: accompaniment, support in terms of language, and spare time for education. We have the financial support of various public institutions, some financial institutions, and private foundations. In addition, we coordinate and collaborate on an ongoing basis with public and private entities in the field of social services, especially the Diocesan Caritas program and other social entities of the Church.

8. CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE Currently there are an increasing number of people who request our services and programs, while the sources of funding are becoming smaller. At this juncture, the promotion of volunteerism and participation of the members of the Communities of Lay People and Claretian Missionaries of Euskalherria is key to the sustainability and growth of this entity and the quality, professionalism, and personal attention. In these times, we Claretians, both Lay and Religious, are called, even more, to be a voice of the people who are excluded and to transform the values of the society in which we live.

Pilar Maroto Querol and Itxaso Urcelay González (Lay Claretians)