Over the last eight years, more than 4,200 people have been helped by Sant Joan de Déu Serveis Socials to gain access to training and job opportunities, as well as improve their network of relationships.

For the eighth consecutive year, the transport companies TRAM and Moventia are renewing their commitment to the homeless with a donation of €60,000. This contribution makes it possible for the people supported by Sant Joan de Déu Serveis Socials to use public transport.

Access to public transport is an essential factor in helping people access public services, such as healthcare and education, as well as work, maintain relationships (with family and friends) or access leisure and cultural activities. Access to public transport in major cities like Barcelona or its metropolitan areas is essential for moving about freely and finding new opportunities.

Under the “Access to mobility for the homeless” project funded by Moventia and TRAM, close on 650 people supported by Sant Joan de Déu Serveis Socials were able to access public transport in 2023. That figure rises to a total of 4,200 since the project began in 2017.

Socially responsible companies

Moventia and TRAM have been supporting the project for eight years as part of their activities as socially responsible companies. This partnership enables almost the entire annual cost of the project to be funded, thereby providing access to public transport for the people supported under the various social programmes run by Sant Joan de Déu. Through their foundation, both Moventia and TRAM have demonstrated a firm commitment to people; not only their employees but also the users of their services and the general public. In line with UN SDG 17 ‘Partnerships for the Goals’, the two companies develop in-house programmes and, as is the case here, partner with non-profit entities and foundations to promote a better society and contribute towards improving quality of life for the most vulnerable groups in society.

A partnership that transforms lives

The event to renew the partnership agreement between Moventia, TRAM and Sant Joan de Déu was attended by the Corporate Vice-President for Internal and Institutional Communication at Moventia, Sílvia Martí; the general manager of TRAM, Humberto López Vilalta; the director of Sant Joan de Déu Serveis Socials – Barcelona, Salvador Mandáis; and the Director of Obra Social Sant Joan de Déu – UTI, Juanjo Ortega.

During the conversation, an emphasis was placed on how access to public transport is a transformative factor in people’s lives. It improves the chance to find work and training or build a social network, essential ingredients in anyone’s process to achieve their own life goals. For the homeless, access to public transport is fundamental to reversing their situation and being able to build a decent life for themselves. According to data from the last year, 87% of the people leaving support programmes have done so with a source of income and 44.5% with a job.

Innovation in guidance and support for the homeless

At the meeting between Moventia and TRAM to renew this agreement, they were able to visit the work under way on Hort de la Vila 2.0, an innovative project that will be launched in the first half of 2025 and that represents a huge step forward in the guidance and support being provided to the homeless. It involves the transformation of individual rooms into apartments that encourage autonomy. The support recipient keeps their individualised professional guidance and support while cohabitation with neighbours in their building is encouraged, something that has a direct impact on undesired loneliness and the development of support networks. The first stage of Hort de la Vila 2.0 consists of 27 mini-apartments that will provide a recovery space to 27 homeless people. When future stages are complete, a total of 100 apartments will have been built. The people served by Hort de la Vila 2.0 will be beneficiaries of the public transport access project funded by Moventia and TRAM.