To mark the recent World Mental Health Day, the Health and Community Foundation (FSC) took part in a day-long event organised by Alicante City Council’s Department of Social Welfare to raise public awareness and highlight the care services available. The programme was attended by people with lived experience of mental health problems, as well as by organisations and professionals from various services specialising in improving the quality of life of people with a mental health diagnosis. The initiative focused on children and young people and on the importance of looking after emotional and psychosocial wellbeing from an early age.
Various activities took place throughout the day, with the Alicante office of FSC’s Social and Labour Inclusion and Harm Reduction Area taking part through an information stand staffed by professionals and participants from the different programmes and centres it manages. The services represented included the Kento housing and the projects CONTIGO_ DEPENDENCIA, CONTIGO_ ITINERARIOS DE VIDA INDEPENDIENTE, CONTIGO_PSH and VINCÚLATE.
The stand made it possible to answer questions about access to the services available and to provide information on support programmes. It also helped to raise the profile of the work of social organisations and to put mental health back at the centre of community debate.
The event was also attended by pupils from various schools in Alicante, in keeping with the slogan chosen for 2026 by Confederación Salud Mental España: “Haz match con tu salud mental” (“Make a match with your mental health”). The programme featured a range of activities, including a theatre showcase, a radio stand and a zumba class, which helped to encourage public participation and raise awareness of the importance of looking after mental health.
The joint participation of the different services in the network also encouraged professionals and organisations to share experiences, creating a meeting point that strengthened communication, fostered collaboration and generated potential synergies between the various care services.
The commemorations will continue throughout October, regarded as “Mental Health Month”, with further activities promoted by Alicante City Council’s Department of Social Welfare in collaboration with centres and services in the network. The planned programme includes audiovisual activities and multi-family gatherings.
Once again this year, the commemoration has highlighted the importance of continuing to promote community mental health and of strengthening support networks that stand by people at every stage of life, encouraging sustainable models of care and continuity of care that are embedded in the community and centred on people’s wellbeing.
By taking part in this event, FSC reaffirms its commitment to promoting mental health, social inclusion and care for people. Through its various programmes and services, the organisation works to foster personal autonomy, improve quality of life and make it easier to access the support people need, helping to build a community that is more inclusive, more aware and more committed to everyone’s emotional and social wellbeing.