SEAFAS: Support Servicefor Families in Social Rental Housing (Provinces of Barcelona, Lleida and Girona, Balearic Islands, Province of Alicante and Region of Murcia)

SEAFAS is a social and employment support service for families in the province of Alicante, the Region of Murcia, Catalonia and the Balearic Islands who, as a result of the socio-economic crisis that began in the previous decade and worsened with the 2020 health pandemic, agreed with the entity managing their mortgage to have it written off and to remain in their homes under social rent, for the period established by law for large housing holders (currently 7 years).

Bearing in mind the difficult situation that led these families to take this decision and its emotional consequences, SEAFAS offers individualised and stable professional support tailored to the particular situation of each family. Its ultimate goal is to help them regain the personal resources and skills they had before the crisis that will enable them once again to have decent and secure housing, beyond protected rental housing.

To achieve these objectives, SEAFAS is structured around two key professional roles:

• A social manager for each family, who together with the family defines the existing need for professional support and the shared action plan to turn existing weaknesses into strengths through:
  • Links with the community and the various services (social services, housing, health, mental health, legal services…).
  • Developing skills to improve household budget management.
  • Mediation between the family and the entity that owns the homes.
• A job placement manager for the jobseekers in each family unit, with the following services:
  • Personalised career guidance.
  • Training in digital skills for job seeking.
  • Referral to job offers.
  • Referral to training offers.
  • Tailored business prospecting.
  • Business intermediation.

Since SEAFAS was launched in June 2016 we have supported around 3,087 families, 416 of which remained active in 2022, with an average of 11.6 support sessions for each family or household unit, both in person and online.

SEAFAS is a service funded by SOGEVISO (SERVICIOS GESTIÓN VIVIENDA INNOVACIÓN SOCIAL, S.L.)