The new social emergency centre covers the needs of refugees arriving from Ukraine, acting as a one-stop-shop for all social support being provided to this community. It is located in Passatge del Dos de Maig and is open around the clock, seven days a week.
The new facility assists refugees who are staying with friends or relatives or who have moved to the city. It also provides accommodation for people arriving in the city from 7 pm and who have nowhere to stay until they are redirected to the state reception circuit and the unit operating at Fira de Barcelona.
With the Barcelona Social Emergency and Urgent Care Centre (CUESB) previously providing this type of support, the opening of the new centre frees up the CUESB to handle any other emergency which might occur in the city.
The facility is fully adapted for people with reduced mobility, offers accommodation for 80 people along with a meal service providing breakfast, lunch and supper. It is managed by professionals from the CUESB and can also cover the basic needs of families staying in private homes, through pre-paid cards to purchase food and cover pharmaceutical and clothing needs, while refugees wait for specific state benefit payments to be activated. The centre also has a locker service, a play library and a translation service.
Municipal support in nearly 4,300 instances
Services operated by the Barcelona Social Emergency and Urgent Care Centre (CUESB) and the Care Service for Immigrants, Emigrants and Refugees (SAIER) have been providing support for Ukrainians since the start of the war. During that time, they have helped people in 4,300 cases (2,062 from the CUESB and 1,667 from the SAIER).
The SAIER also provides daily reception sessions to provide information for people arriving, explaining the services available to them and resolving doubts. These services include sanitary services, plus the right to register as residents and send minors to school here. In addition to these services, there have been 720 specific groups sessions with legal information relating to the administrative steps to apply for international protection.
Finally, the Migrant Support and Orientation Service (SOAPI) has started organising specific reception sessions in city neighbourhoods to help newly arrived people get familiar with the area where they are living.
Open and welcoming city
Besides the municipal efforts to support people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine, nearly 900 local people in Barcelona have volunteered to help provide shelter for people arriving in the city, offering their support via the website ciutatrefugi.barcelona. Those who sign up take part in training sessions to learn about the situation of people arriving from Ukraine, as well as to provide general information on migration to Barcelona and the rights and duties they have as volunteers.