Laura Roig, speech therapist at Audivers 360º: “Immersive therapy allows us to help people with deafness better understand what is happening around them.

Publications Interviews

Laura Roig, speech therapist at Audivers 360º: “Immersive therapy allows us to help people with deafness better understand what is happening around them.

Laura Roig, logopeda en Audivers 360

We interview speech therapist Laura Roig about Audivers 360º, the winning project of the GrausTIC Award for Social Integration through Digitalization awarded by the iSocial Foundation in 2023

How did the Audivers 360º project come about?

The Audivers 360º project was born at the beginning of 2023 as a result of the Harvi project. This project consisted of speech therapy sessions aimed at deaf children who used virtual reality, using 3D glasses. At that time, the advantages of doing speech therapy with virtual reality to work on sounds from everyday life were beginning to be discovered.

The main disadvantage of the Harvi project was the weight of the glasses, especially in children. On the other hand, this therapy generated a disconnection with the environment, since wearing the glasses meant a loss of relationship with others and with the professional who accompanies the person in the room.

Taking the Harvi project as a reference and thanks to Suara Cooperativa, which was just starting to do projects with immersive reality, we met Broomx, the company that owns the tool. This allowed us to begin developing immersive reality as a tool for auditory rehabilitation of children and people with deafness.

How was the process of giving shape to the project like?

In July 2023, we began a pilot test with adults with deafness, where we tested immersive scenarios that had already been created by Broomx. However, when conducting the pilot test, we identified several drawbacks and the need to adapt the scenarios to people with deafness.

The scenarios we had were very empty in sound content and, since the objective was to work on auditory skills, we needed the sound environment to be richer. Then, we co-created three new scenarios: the Boqueria Market and Plaça Espanya, which are adaptations of existing scenarios and a children’s playground, which was new. In these scenarios, we added ambient sound, as a masking of the sounds we wanted to work on

In February 2024, we conducted another pilot test with the new scenarios, and this time they did respond to the needs of the users. We secured funding to build an immersive room here at ACAPPS during April and May 2024. Since then, we have fully implemented the tool for all people undergoing hearing rehabilitation at our facilities.

What needs does the project respond to?

The Audivers360 project allows us to place the person at the center of the therapy and work specifically in those real environments that generate the most difficulties for them.

It mainly responds to the need that adults and children with deafness have to work on real situations in a safe environment. Immersive reality allows us, for example, to reproduce the sound of a car and ask the person what they are listening to. In addition, we can decide whether or not we want to show the car at that moment. If the person sees the car while hearing the sound, this reinforces auditory discrimination with visual support. On the other hand, if they only hear the sound without seeing the car, they have to remember that that noise corresponds to a car, which favors the work of auditory memory.

What user profile do you work with?

We mainly use the tool to work on auditory skills with deaf people who wear hearing aids, such as an implant or hearing aids. Right now, most people who do auditory rehabilitation with us are adults with deafness, but it is true that we are increasingly starting to incorporate children, although for reasons of extracurricular activities or family reconciliation it is more complicated for them to travel here.

We also work with older people with hearing loss. In this case, the tool helps to promote more active aging. Older people often do not have much access to new technologies, and these sessions motivate them and they perceive a faster evolution of their progress: they tell us that it is easier for them to talk to the person selling the newspaper or that they can hear a car approaching them.

What are the advantages of immersive speech therapy?

Immersive speech therapy allows us to work with real-life sounds and situations in an integrative, enjoyable and safe way, avoiding auditory overattention. Working with real sounds and situations in a controlled way brings naturalness and realism to the therapy. Unlike sessions without technological innovation, immersive therapy helps people with deafness to better understand what is happening around them, which is a stimulus for auditory comprehension because it is not only about identifying a sound, but also recognizing it. Identifying a sound is only the first step; then you need to know what it represents and, finally, understand its meaning. It is not the same to hear the sound of a door, know that it is a door, and associate this sound with the word “door”. The use of immersive reality reduces the error rate in activities. On the other hand, immersive therapy also helps to work more on auditory memory, because we can work on auditory input and visual input at the same time.

How is customization worked on in this project?

We do individual sessions of 45 minutes per week. Especially in terms of auditory rehabilitation, it is interesting that we can do them individually. This way we can more specifically address the needs of each person undergoing therapy.

Before a person starts at Audivers360, we do a speech therapy assessment session, to find out the person’s needs and above all to know how they are in terms of hearing and, with that, plan the work plan. From there, and depending on their interests, we work on various aspects of hearing with the immersive scenarios. For example, since it is stereo, with two speakers in front (right and left) and one in the back, the immersive room allows us to lateralize sounds, a fundamental aspect in rehabilitation.

How does this tool help improve the communication experience of people with deafness?

With Audivers360, we work on both auditory skills, which are the identification, recognition and understanding of sounds and words, and verbal expression. For example, the speech therapist tells a story related to the immersive scenario that is being seen and the user listens to this story, and this allows us to work on auditory comprehension. Later, we ask them to tell the same story again, and in this way we work on verbal expression.

In which environments can this tool be used?

We have the room at the ACAPPS premises. Currently, the attention is very centralized in Barcelona, and usually the adults, children and families who participate in the sessions travel from different points of the Metropolitan Area.

However, the projector we use is small and can be transported. For example, if we wanted to do a session in the hospital, we would only have to find a room with white walls.

Sessió de logopedia a la sala d'ACAPPS

Speech therapy session in the ACAPPS immersive room

How has Audivers been received by users?

During the pilot test, we asked people to tell us, using a visual analog scale, how they felt, from 1 to 10, before the session and how they were when they left. With this, we saw that emotional well-being with the immersive room really increased, there was a positive evolution. Currently, in most cases, we carry out satisfaction surveys at the end of each activity and what they tell us is that Audivers360 provides them with a new, more motivating and enjoyable experience. On the other hand, immersive speech therapy also allows us to work on executive functions, such as memory and attention. Most people tell us, through satisfaction surveys, that with Audivers360 the experience is more motivating and that it does not produce as much auditory fatigue as traditional sessions, which greatly increases the desire to continue with the rehabilitation.

What does it mean to you to have won the Catalonia Graustic Digital Innovation Awards in 2023?

Winning the Innovation Award made us very excited, not so much because of the fact of winning, but because of the recognition of knowing that we are doing work that has a social impact and that we are contributing to improving the lives of people with deafness. It is also important because we are developing an innovative proposal in terms of technology, at a time when technology is advancing at breakneck speed, for example with artificial intelligence. In this context, receiving this recognition as a pioneering and innovative project makes us very excited and makes us aware of the value of the work that the entire technical team behind it does.

What are your current future challenges?

Beyond the technical improvements of Audivers, our challenge is to publicize the project. We would like it to be a methodology that could also be incorporated into hospitals or other centers and to publicize it throughout the healthcare sector, so that it could be used by otolaryngologists, speech therapists, psychologists, etc.

Entrevistes

Laura Roig, speech therapist at Audivers 360

Laura Roig, speech therapist at Audivers 360º: “Immersive therapy allows us to help people with deafness better understand what is happening around them.

We interview speech therapist Laura Roig about Audivers 360º, the winning project of the GrausTIC Award for Social Integration through Digitalization awarded by the iSocial Foundation in 2023
First Annual Meeting of the Rehab-Lab network in Barcelona

First Annual Meeting of the Rehab-Lab network in Barcelona

We have accredited the new manufacturing laboratories (FabLabs) of the 10 entities throughout Catalonia that have joined the Rehab-Lab network
Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia 2025

New Edition of the Award for Social Integration through Digitalization within the Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia 2025

Applications for this award, co-organized by iSocial and GrausTIC, can be submitted until October 17
Notícia Fiare. Banca ética

iSocial and Fiare Banca Etica Strengthen Their Alliance

The iSocial Foundation has joined the cooperative Fiare Banca Etica as a member, within the framework of an agreement that also includes a line of credit to finance iSocial’s projects and the sponsorship of several of our foundation’s publications.
Imatge de Helsinki, destinació del tercer Innotrip,. el 2025

3rd Innotrip to Finland

A delegation of 27 representatives from iSocial member organisations travelled to Helsinki for the third edition of the Innotrip, discovering innovative initiatives in areas such as social housing, child welfare, mental health, disability, digital inclusion, and homelessness.
The iSocial Foundation attends the European Social Services Conference (ESSC 2025) with two initiatives that highlight social innovation

The iSocial Foundation attends the European Social Services Conference (ESSC 2025) with two initiatives that highlight social innovation

Our app Nidus and the Vincles Alt Pirineu-Aran project against unwanted loneliness were two of the main features at ESSC 2025.

First Annual Meeting of the Rehab-Lab network in Barcelona

Publications News

First Annual Meeting of the Rehab-Lab network in Barcelona

Jornada Anual Rehab-Lab

We have accredited the new manufacturing laboratories (FabLabs) of the 10 entities throughout Catalonia that have joined the Rehab-Lab network

On Friday, July 4th, the First Annual Meeting of the Rehab-Lab network took place at the Faculty of Mathematics and Statistics of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.


What is the Rehab-Lab network? 

The Rehab-Lab network is an initiative that enables the creation of personalized functional aids for people with disabilities or dependents through 3D printing.

Rehab-Lab is the result of a project led by the iSocial Foundation and supported by four other entities: the Ampans Foundation, the Guttman Institute, CIM-UPC, and Avinent Group. This project has allowed the Rehab-Lab model, promoted in France by the Mutualist Center for Rehabilitation and Functional Rehabilitation (CMRRF), to be adapted to Catalonia. The project has been co-financed by the Department of Social Rights of the Generalitat of Catalonia through the European Next Generation Fund.

New entities of the Rehab-Lab Network

During this first Rehab-Lab event, we welcomed and formally accredited the following ten entities as new manufacturing laboratories (FabLabs) to the network: Alba Association; MIFAS Group; Aspace Catalunya Foundation; ASPID Association; Esclat Social Group; El Maresme Foundation; Àuria Foundation; Onada Foundation; Althaia, Manresa University Healthcare Network, and Ramon Noguera Foundation. These entities join the two FabLabs that were previously part of the network (Guttmann Institute and Ampans Foundation). These new additions expand the Rehab-Lab network’s capacity to create customized solutions and serve people throughout the country.

The meeting, opened by Víctor Cid of the CIM-UPC Foundation, featured an introduction by representatives of the Kerpape CMRRF, the founding organization of the European Rehab-Lab community. The results obtained over the past few months were also presented, as well as the most outstanding solutions created by the nine FabLabs. Attendees were able to vote for the best functional aids created during the training period in three different categories: innovation, technical complexity, and social impact.

A process of co-creation

Functional aids are low-cost, quickly manufactured, custom plastic devices created through a co-creation process with the beneficiary. These solutions address specific daily needs of people with disabilities, enhancing their autonomy and improving their quality of life.

During the training months leading up to their accreditation as FabLabs, the new network entities had the opportunity to explore this design methodology and develop new proposals for functional aids, which they presented during Friday’s event. After the presentations, the audience selected the most outstanding aids in various categories. The winning proposals were:

  • Most innovative functional aid: The Domino Stand, from the Onada Foundation. A stand that uses 32 articulated pieces to hold and play dominoes independently.
  • Most complex functional aid: Feedycare, from the Maresme Foundation. An automated system that facilitates PEG tube feeding, making it more convenient for both professionals and family members, as well as for the user, who can activate it themselves using a switch or a computer and share the meal with the family.
  • Most impactful functional aid: Ceramic hob guide plate, from the Àuria Group. A tactile surface that allows blind people to use a ceramic hob safely and independently..

The day concluded with a presentation by Toni Codina, director of the iSocial Foundation, who expressed his commitment to continue working together to consolidate and expand the Rehab-Lab network.

Actualitat

Laura Roig, speech therapist at Audivers 360

Laura Roig, speech therapist at Audivers 360º: “Immersive therapy allows us to help people with deafness better understand what is happening around them.

We interview speech therapist Laura Roig about Audivers 360º, the winning project of the GrausTIC Award for Social Integration through Digitalization awarded by the iSocial Foundation in 2023
First Annual Meeting of the Rehab-Lab network in Barcelona

First Annual Meeting of the Rehab-Lab network in Barcelona

We have accredited the new manufacturing laboratories (FabLabs) of the 10 entities throughout Catalonia that have joined the Rehab-Lab network
Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia 2025

New Edition of the Award for Social Integration through Digitalization within the Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia 2025

Applications for this award, co-organized by iSocial and GrausTIC, can be submitted until October 17
Notícia Fiare. Banca ética

iSocial and Fiare Banca Etica Strengthen Their Alliance

The iSocial Foundation has joined the cooperative Fiare Banca Etica as a member, within the framework of an agreement that also includes a line of credit to finance iSocial’s projects and the sponsorship of several of our foundation’s publications.
Imatge de Helsinki, destinació del tercer Innotrip,. el 2025

3rd Innotrip to Finland

A delegation of 27 representatives from iSocial member organisations travelled to Helsinki for the third edition of the Innotrip, discovering innovative initiatives in areas such as social housing, child welfare, mental health, disability, digital inclusion, and homelessness.
The iSocial Foundation attends the European Social Services Conference (ESSC 2025) with two initiatives that highlight social innovation

The iSocial Foundation attends the European Social Services Conference (ESSC 2025) with two initiatives that highlight social innovation

Our app Nidus and the Vincles Alt Pirineu-Aran project against unwanted loneliness were two of the main features at ESSC 2025.

New Edition of the Award for Social Integration through Digitalization within the Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia 2025

Publications News

New Edition of the Award for Social Integration through Digitalization within the Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia 2025

Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia 2025

Applications for this award, co-organized by iSocial and GrausTIC, can be submitted until October 17

Since June 4, the call for the new edition of the Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia 2025 – GrausTIC has been open. These awards recognize outstanding initiatives for their ability to innovate through information and communication technologies (ICT) and their transformative impact on Catalan society. Once again, the iSocial Foundation is co-organizing and sponsoring the Award for Social Integration through Digitalization.

The Award for Social Integration through Digitalization is aimed at companies, organizations, or institutions that, over the past year, have embraced digital innovation to promote social inclusion—either by making their projects accessible to everyone or by creating technological tools that support vulnerable groups. The goal of the award is to highlight initiatives that, through technology, have a direct impact on people’s lives, especially those of individuals in vulnerable situations.

The call will remain open until October 17, 2025, and the awards ceremony will take place during the “Diada de les TIC” (ICT Day) in Catalonia, scheduled for November 12 and 13 at the Telefónica Tower in Barcelona.

With this fourth edition of the award, we aim to continue contributing to a digital transformation with a positive social impact, centered on people and driven by a commitment to inclusion. We encourage all initiatives working along these lines to submit their applications!

In addition to the social integration award, the Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia also recognize outstanding projects in other areas such as energy management and sustainability, health innovation, the digital transformation of local government, youth digital entrepreneurship, Industry 4.0, and female leadership in the ICT sector. This year, a new category has been added to recognize university-based projects focused on digital technologies. A broad range of awards designed to showcase how digital innovation is transforming various sectors and improving society as a whole.

Check the rules and submit your project here:

Actualitat

Laura Roig, speech therapist at Audivers 360

Laura Roig, speech therapist at Audivers 360º: “Immersive therapy allows us to help people with deafness better understand what is happening around them.

We interview speech therapist Laura Roig about Audivers 360º, the winning project of the GrausTIC Award for Social Integration through Digitalization awarded by the iSocial Foundation in 2023
First Annual Meeting of the Rehab-Lab network in Barcelona

First Annual Meeting of the Rehab-Lab network in Barcelona

We have accredited the new manufacturing laboratories (FabLabs) of the 10 entities throughout Catalonia that have joined the Rehab-Lab network
Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia 2025

New Edition of the Award for Social Integration through Digitalization within the Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia 2025

Applications for this award, co-organized by iSocial and GrausTIC, can be submitted until October 17
Notícia Fiare. Banca ética

iSocial and Fiare Banca Etica Strengthen Their Alliance

The iSocial Foundation has joined the cooperative Fiare Banca Etica as a member, within the framework of an agreement that also includes a line of credit to finance iSocial’s projects and the sponsorship of several of our foundation’s publications.
Imatge de Helsinki, destinació del tercer Innotrip,. el 2025

3rd Innotrip to Finland

A delegation of 27 representatives from iSocial member organisations travelled to Helsinki for the third edition of the Innotrip, discovering innovative initiatives in areas such as social housing, child welfare, mental health, disability, digital inclusion, and homelessness.
The iSocial Foundation attends the European Social Services Conference (ESSC 2025) with two initiatives that highlight social innovation

The iSocial Foundation attends the European Social Services Conference (ESSC 2025) with two initiatives that highlight social innovation

Our app Nidus and the Vincles Alt Pirineu-Aran project against unwanted loneliness were two of the main features at ESSC 2025.

iSocial and Fiare Banca Etica Strengthen Their Alliance

Publications News

iSocial and Fiare Banca Etica Strengthen Their Alliance

,
Notícia Fiare. Banca ética

The iSocial Foundation has joined the cooperative Fiare Banca Etica as a member, within the framework of an agreement that also includes a line of credit to finance iSocial’s projects and the sponsorship of several of our foundation’s publications.

After several years of growing collaboration with Fiare Banca Ètica, the iSocial Foundation has signed an agreement to establish a stronger alliance with this cooperative ethical finance entity, which operates in both Spain and Italy. The agreement includes, among other aspects, iSocial’s membership in the cooperative bank, the creation of a €400,000 line of credit to support iSocial’s projects, and the sponsorship of several of the foundation’s publications.

The line of credit will enable iSocial to carry out its projects while awaiting the disbursement of already-approved public grants. This measure brings stability to the Foundation’s day-to-day operations and strengthens a model of sustained growth aligned with social responsibility principles.

In parallel, Fiare Banca Etica will sponsor two Professional Guides on Innovation in Social Action this year, which will be published in the coming months. These Professional Guides are a series of publications promoted by iSocial and aimed at social services professionals, offering information and practical resources to help incorporate innovative approaches into their daily work. Fiare’s support will give a boost to the second and third guides in the series: “Opening Doors to Inclusion”, focused on social inclusion methodologies, and “Measuring Social Impact”, which will offer a practical methodology to evaluate the outcomes of social interventions.

Fiare Banca Etica is a cooperative financial institution born from the merger of Fiare (Spain, 2005) and Banca Popolare Etica (Italy, 1999), with the aim of putting finance at the service of social transformation. The bank has more than 46,000 individual and organizational members and is governed by a democratic model based on the principle of “one person, one vote.”

Its financing activities prioritize projects related to social inclusion, the social and solidarity economy, agroecology, education, and culture, among other areas. The agreement represents a step forward in building synergies between organizations working toward more just social and economic models, through initiatives that promote innovation, sustainability, and the transformation of care services.

Actualitat

Laura Roig, speech therapist at Audivers 360

Laura Roig, speech therapist at Audivers 360º: “Immersive therapy allows us to help people with deafness better understand what is happening around them.

We interview speech therapist Laura Roig about Audivers 360º, the winning project of the GrausTIC Award for Social Integration through Digitalization awarded by the iSocial Foundation in 2023
First Annual Meeting of the Rehab-Lab network in Barcelona

First Annual Meeting of the Rehab-Lab network in Barcelona

We have accredited the new manufacturing laboratories (FabLabs) of the 10 entities throughout Catalonia that have joined the Rehab-Lab network
Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia 2025

New Edition of the Award for Social Integration through Digitalization within the Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia 2025

Applications for this award, co-organized by iSocial and GrausTIC, can be submitted until October 17
Notícia Fiare. Banca ética

iSocial and Fiare Banca Etica Strengthen Their Alliance

The iSocial Foundation has joined the cooperative Fiare Banca Etica as a member, within the framework of an agreement that also includes a line of credit to finance iSocial’s projects and the sponsorship of several of our foundation’s publications.
Imatge de Helsinki, destinació del tercer Innotrip,. el 2025

3rd Innotrip to Finland

A delegation of 27 representatives from iSocial member organisations travelled to Helsinki for the third edition of the Innotrip, discovering innovative initiatives in areas such as social housing, child welfare, mental health, disability, digital inclusion, and homelessness.
The iSocial Foundation attends the European Social Services Conference (ESSC 2025) with two initiatives that highlight social innovation

The iSocial Foundation attends the European Social Services Conference (ESSC 2025) with two initiatives that highlight social innovation

Our app Nidus and the Vincles Alt Pirineu-Aran project against unwanted loneliness were two of the main features at ESSC 2025.

The iSocial Foundation attends the European Social Services Conference (ESSC 2025) with two initiatives that highlight social innovation

Publications News

The iSocial Foundation attends the European Social Services Conference (ESSC 2025) with two initiatives that highlight social innovation

,
L'equip d'iSocial al l'European Social Services Conference ESSC 2025, davant l'estand de Nidus

Our app Nidus and the Vincles Alt Pirineu-Aran project against unwanted loneliness were two of the main features at ESSC 2025.

From June 22 to 25, the iSocial Foundation took part in the European Social Services Conference (ESSC 2025), the leading European forum dedicated to welfare policies and social services, held this year in Aarhus, Denmark.

Under the theme “Where Care meets Tech”, this year’s edition focused on the role of technology in the transformation of social services—an area in which iSocial contributed its experience through two of its own initiatives.

Nidus, featured in the Innovation Zone

On one hand, we presented Nidus, our digital support app for people in vulnerable situations, which was one of the main features in the conference’s “Innovation Zone”. We also had a dedicated stand to demonstrate how the app works to attendees.

Nidus is a tool designed to facilitate communication and support between social services users and their professional contacts. Among other features, it offers a secure digital vault for storing personal documents easily and safely, a direct chat between the user and their professional support team, an AI-powered personal assistant, a shared calendar, customizable questionnaires, and other tools aimed at empowering the user and improving service efficiency.

Vincles Alt Pirineu-Aran: detection and community

As part of the ESSC, we also presented the Vincles Alt Pirineu-Aran project—an initiative aimed at detecting and preventing situations of unwanted loneliness through big data technology and community activation in the region. This project was presented alongside the Auzosare program from the Basque Country, led by Agintzari, a member organization of the iSocial Foundation. Both initiatives share the goal of creating community networks that prevent and address social isolation in rural and sparsely populated areas.

A reference space for social innovation

Participating in ESSC 2025 was a great opportunity to exchange knowledge, discover inspiring initiatives from across Europe, and build new partnerships with organizations working to rethink social services through a lens that blends technology with essential human values such as inclusion and dignity.

The iSocial Foundation thanks the European Social Network for organizing this event and for the invitation to take part. We return from Aarhus with fresh ideas and the satisfaction of having shared our work in a leading international forum.

Actualitat

Laura Roig, speech therapist at Audivers 360

Laura Roig, speech therapist at Audivers 360º: “Immersive therapy allows us to help people with deafness better understand what is happening around them.

We interview speech therapist Laura Roig about Audivers 360º, the winning project of the GrausTIC Award for Social Integration through Digitalization awarded by the iSocial Foundation in 2023
First Annual Meeting of the Rehab-Lab network in Barcelona

First Annual Meeting of the Rehab-Lab network in Barcelona

We have accredited the new manufacturing laboratories (FabLabs) of the 10 entities throughout Catalonia that have joined the Rehab-Lab network
Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia 2025

New Edition of the Award for Social Integration through Digitalization within the Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia 2025

Applications for this award, co-organized by iSocial and GrausTIC, can be submitted until October 17
Notícia Fiare. Banca ética

iSocial and Fiare Banca Etica Strengthen Their Alliance

The iSocial Foundation has joined the cooperative Fiare Banca Etica as a member, within the framework of an agreement that also includes a line of credit to finance iSocial’s projects and the sponsorship of several of our foundation’s publications.
Imatge de Helsinki, destinació del tercer Innotrip,. el 2025

3rd Innotrip to Finland

A delegation of 27 representatives from iSocial member organisations travelled to Helsinki for the third edition of the Innotrip, discovering innovative initiatives in areas such as social housing, child welfare, mental health, disability, digital inclusion, and homelessness.
The iSocial Foundation attends the European Social Services Conference (ESSC 2025) with two initiatives that highlight social innovation

The iSocial Foundation attends the European Social Services Conference (ESSC 2025) with two initiatives that highlight social innovation

Our app Nidus and the Vincles Alt Pirineu-Aran project against unwanted loneliness were two of the main features at ESSC 2025.

The iSocial Foundation and its member organisations travel to Finland for the 3rd Innotrip

Publications News

The iSocial Foundation and its member organisations travel to Finland for the 3rd Innotrip

,
Professionals de les entitats membres d'iSocial participen al 3r Innotrip a Finlàndia

The visits to organisations and facilities in Helsinki and Espoo allowed us to gain closer insight into some pioneering initiatives in one of the countries with the most advanced social infrastructure.

From June 2nd to 6th, the iSocial Foundation organised a new edition of Innotrip, the annual learning journey it promotes with its member organisations to explore international best practices in the social sector. This year’s destination was Helsinki, with the aim of discovering innovative experiences currently being developed in Finland — a leading country in the implementation of the welfare state.

The trip offered a valuable opportunity to observe and reflect on advanced care models through visits to municipal services, social organisations and community initiatives that tackle key challenges such as poverty, disability, homelessness, mental health, and digital inclusion.

A focus on integrated, person-centred care

he first day of visits took us to resources such as the Roihuvuori Senior Centre and Kallio Perhekeskus, which focus on supporting older adults and families through an integrated and preventative approach. We also explored municipal services aimed at mental health and youth at risk, as well as initiatives for caregiver training and peer support.

One of the key takeaways from this first encounter with the Finnish social model was becoming familiar with its strong commitment to collaboration among stakeholders and to the active involvement of citizens in community-based care.

Mentorship, participation, and social impact evaluation

LOn the second day, we discovered projects like Icehearts, which offers long-term mentoring through sports and education, and Vamos! by the Diaconia Foundation, which supports vulnerable youth. During this visit, we also learned about the use of social impact bonds — a tool to activate social projects more efficiently and quickly, involving private companies in the promotion of social wellbeing.

On the other hand, the City of Helsinki presented the Feedback-Informed Treatment (FIT) system to us, which integrates service users’ feedback to improve care quality. We also got to know Pokka, a platform developed by the organisation Kukunori, which is used by over 100 entities to evaluate the impact of social projects.

Housing, self-determination, and child protection

On the third day, we visited organisations such as Y-Säätiö, a key promoter of the Housing First model in Finland, and Tukena, which advocates for self-directed support for people with disabilities. We also explored Rinnekodit, a residential facility located in a natural setting for individuals with high support needs, and the Barnahus model for integrated child protection services — currently being rolled out in Catalonia — giving us a valuable international reference for this system.

These experiences provided tools to rethink how we can ensure dignity and autonomy for people in vulnerable situations, while promoting community-based approaches and respect for individual rights.

Deinstitutionalisation and digital inclusion

The final day introduced us to two initiatives addressing access to community life and basic rights from different angles. On one hand, Kehitysvammaliitto (the Finnish Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities) presented its work in the deinstitutionalisation process and the implementation of peer support networks. Through Peer Support Groups, people with disabilities share knowledge and experiences, strengthening both their autonomy and collective advocacy capacity.

On the other hand, the DigiUp programme, — led by the Moniheli network — works to reduce the digital divide among migrant populations. It trains digital facilitators — both volunteers and professionals — who offer guidance in basic digital skills, such as safe device usage and access to digital services. Both initiatives contribute to enabling more inclusive and equitable participation in social life.

A shared experience with collective impact

This journey was a unique opportunity to discover inspiring initiatives, identify shared challenges, and explore alternative approaches that can help strengthen social services in our own context. The time spent together over these five days of Innotrip and the chance to learn from some of Finland’s most innovative social projects also fostered meaningful dialogue and collective learning among participating organisations — exchanges that will continue well beyond the trip.

We at the iSocial Foundation would like to thank all the participating organisations for their active engagement and interest: ABD, AMPANS, Fundació Família i Benestar Social, Fundació Joia, Fundació Catalana Síndrome de Down, Fundació Resilis, Pere Claver Grup, Fundació Idea, Fundació El Maresme, FAFAC, Agintzari, REIR, Som Alba, Intress, Fundació Hàbitat3, Grup ATRA, Grupo SSI, Som Fundació, Fundació Aspace Catalunya, Grup MIFAS.
We are also deeply grateful to all the Finnish organisations that welcomed us and generously shared their knowledge and experience.

Actualitat

Laura Roig, speech therapist at Audivers 360

Laura Roig, speech therapist at Audivers 360º: “Immersive therapy allows us to help people with deafness better understand what is happening around them.

We interview speech therapist Laura Roig about Audivers 360º, the winning project of the GrausTIC Award for Social Integration through Digitalization awarded by the iSocial Foundation in 2023
First Annual Meeting of the Rehab-Lab network in Barcelona

First Annual Meeting of the Rehab-Lab network in Barcelona

We have accredited the new manufacturing laboratories (FabLabs) of the 10 entities throughout Catalonia that have joined the Rehab-Lab network
Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia 2025

New Edition of the Award for Social Integration through Digitalization within the Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia 2025

Applications for this award, co-organized by iSocial and GrausTIC, can be submitted until October 17
Notícia Fiare. Banca ética

iSocial and Fiare Banca Etica Strengthen Their Alliance

The iSocial Foundation has joined the cooperative Fiare Banca Etica as a member, within the framework of an agreement that also includes a line of credit to finance iSocial’s projects and the sponsorship of several of our foundation’s publications.
Imatge de Helsinki, destinació del tercer Innotrip,. el 2025

3rd Innotrip to Finland

A delegation of 27 representatives from iSocial member organisations travelled to Helsinki for the third edition of the Innotrip, discovering innovative initiatives in areas such as social housing, child welfare, mental health, disability, digital inclusion, and homelessness.
The iSocial Foundation attends the European Social Services Conference (ESSC 2025) with two initiatives that highlight social innovation

The iSocial Foundation attends the European Social Services Conference (ESSC 2025) with two initiatives that highlight social innovation

Our app Nidus and the Vincles Alt Pirineu-Aran project against unwanted loneliness were two of the main features at ESSC 2025.

Preventing Institutionalisation in Childhood and Adolescence: Rights, Families and Community

Campus InnoBreaks

Preventing Institutionalisation in Childhood and Adolescence: Rights, Families and Community

Glasgow Intensive Family (Scotland) and Casa d’Infants (Catalonia). 27 May 2025. Open for registration.

Webinar in English and Catalan, with simultaneous translation into Catalan and Spanish

The institutionalisation of children and adolescents remains a reality in many countries, despite clear evidence of its negative emotional, social, and cognitive effects. In this context, there is growing social consensus on the urgent need to transform the protection system towards a model focused on prevention, community, and children’s rights.

This paradigm shift, known as deinstitutionalisation, represents a profound transformation in the way we understand care and support for vulnerable children. The approach aims to ensure that all children can grow up in stable, loving family environments that are rooted in the community. It replaces the institutional care model with a system of personalised community-based support that prioritises freedom of choice, participation, and the autonomy of children and their families.

This transition is also being promoted through public policies. In 2024, the Ministry of Social Rights launched the National Deinstitutionalisation Strategy, while in Catalonia, the Department of Social Rights and Inclusion presented a specific plan to increase the number of foster families and ensure that no child under the age of six enters an institution.

All of this involves a deep review of social services and professional roles, in order to build a system capable of preventing, protecting, and providing support. Or, as a report by the Ombudsman of Catalonia (Síndic de Greuges) puts it: we must move from “separating to protect” to “preventing to protect” and “protecting for return,” working with at-risk families before separation becomes inevitable, and ensuring that any protection measure is oriented towards the well-being and future autonomy of the child.

In this Innobreak, we will explore two innovative initiatives that are leading the way in preventing the institutionalisation of children and adolescents:

  • Glasgow Intensive Family (Glasgow, Scotland) is an initiative developed by the Social Care Partnership in collaboration with three other third-sector organisations. The service aims to support families with children aged 12 or over who are at risk of entering the child protection system. It employs a strengths-based approach that prioritises active listening, emotional validation, and supportive accompaniment..
  • Cases d’Infants (Barcelona, Catalonia) is a temporary residential resource for children and adolescents who need a short-term separation from their families. The goal is to help families overcome the difficulties that led to the separation, enabling a safe return home or, if necessary, supporting the young person in their path toward emancipation. The intervention takes place in an everyday setting, identifying family dynamics and working closely with families to foster positive and sustainable change.

SPEAKERS:

Maxine Hawthorn, Glasgow Intensive Family Service Support – Aberlour (Scotland)

Mònica Garcia, Cases d’Infants – FASI (Catalonia)

Innobreaks

Preventing Institutionalisation in Childhood and Adolescence: Rights, Families and Community

Preventing Institutionalisation in Childhood and Adolescence: Rights, Families and Community

Glasgow Intensive Family (Scotland) and Casa d’Infants (Catalonia). 27 May 2025. Open for registration.
Innobreak 09.04.25 Inclusió digital - Imatge de persones grans utilitzant ordinadors. Les persones grans són un dels col·lectius susceptibles de patir a causa de la bretxa digital

Pioneering Initiatives for the Digital Inclusion of Vulnerable Groups

DigiUP (Finland) and the Digital Inclusion Center of Bordeaux Métropole (France). Held on 09/04/2025.
Innobreak: Noves mirades en la prevenció i intervenció de la Violència sexual infantil

New Perspectives on the Prevention and Intervention of Child Sexual Violence

PrevenSI (Intress) and Barnahus (Save the Children). Held on 11/2/25.
Innobeak - Serveis innovadors en drogodependencia

Innovative Services in Drug Addiction: Family Support and Risk Prevention

BRUS (Denmark) and Energy Control (Catalonia). Held on 02/07/24.

The Social Innovation Chair of the UdL evaluates the Vincles project in Erill la Vall

Publications News

The Social Innovation Chair of the UdL evaluates the Vincles project in Erill la Vall

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Càtedra Innovació Social Vincles min

The Social Innovation Chair of the UdL evaluates the Vincles project in Erill la Vall

Last Thursday, March 27, the team from the Social Innovation Chair of the University of Lleida (UdL) began the evaluation of the Vincles Alt Pirineu-Aran project in Eril la Vall, taking advantage of one of the activities promoted within the framework of the project: the monthly traditional cooking workshop. The Vincles project, coordinated by the iSocial Foundation, aims to detect and intervene early against unwanted loneliness in people over 65 years old, and is active in several municipalities in the Alt Pirineu and Aran territory, including the municipality of Eril de Vall.


Vincles combines the use of technology with community activation, which, through activities such as this cooking workshop, seeks to create community and socialization spaces to improve the quality of life of older people. From a technological standpoint, the project uses Big Data technology to identify and classify the risk of loneliness in individuals, allowing for more precise and effective community intervention.


The University of Lleida is one of the project’s partners, and the involvement of its Social Innovation Chair is key to ensuring the measurability and reproducibility of the results achieved in the implementation of Vincles. During the evaluation carried out in Eril de Vall, the research team, which is currently in the first phase of qualitative analysis, organized several focus groups with the workshop participants to gather information on how the project has impacted their perception and experience of loneliness. This methodology has allowed them to collect data on the participants’ satisfaction with the actions and initiatives developed within the project framework.


The evaluation process will continue in the current weeks with new visits to other areas of the project, such as Cerdanya, Val d’Aran and Alt Urgell, to continue expanding the collection of data and analyzing the effectiveness of the interventions. The Vincles project, in which the Regional Councils and Municipalities of the Alt Pirineu-Aran also participate, in addition to the entities ABD, Alba Jussà and Integra Pirineus, is supported by the Diputació de Lleida, the Fundació La Caixa and the Generalitat de Catalunya through the Next Generation funds.

Actualitat

Laura Roig, speech therapist at Audivers 360

Laura Roig, speech therapist at Audivers 360º: “Immersive therapy allows us to help people with deafness better understand what is happening around them.

We interview speech therapist Laura Roig about Audivers 360º, the winning project of the GrausTIC Award for Social Integration through Digitalization awarded by the iSocial Foundation in 2023
First Annual Meeting of the Rehab-Lab network in Barcelona

First Annual Meeting of the Rehab-Lab network in Barcelona

We have accredited the new manufacturing laboratories (FabLabs) of the 10 entities throughout Catalonia that have joined the Rehab-Lab network
Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia 2025

New Edition of the Award for Social Integration through Digitalization within the Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia 2025

Applications for this award, co-organized by iSocial and GrausTIC, can be submitted until October 17
Notícia Fiare. Banca ética

iSocial and Fiare Banca Etica Strengthen Their Alliance

The iSocial Foundation has joined the cooperative Fiare Banca Etica as a member, within the framework of an agreement that also includes a line of credit to finance iSocial’s projects and the sponsorship of several of our foundation’s publications.
Imatge de Helsinki, destinació del tercer Innotrip,. el 2025

3rd Innotrip to Finland

A delegation of 27 representatives from iSocial member organisations travelled to Helsinki for the third edition of the Innotrip, discovering innovative initiatives in areas such as social housing, child welfare, mental health, disability, digital inclusion, and homelessness.
The iSocial Foundation attends the European Social Services Conference (ESSC 2025) with two initiatives that highlight social innovation

The iSocial Foundation attends the European Social Services Conference (ESSC 2025) with two initiatives that highlight social innovation

Our app Nidus and the Vincles Alt Pirineu-Aran project against unwanted loneliness were two of the main features at ESSC 2025.

Pioneering Initiatives for the Digital Inclusion of Vulnerable Groups

Campus InnoBreaks

Pioneering Initiatives for the Digital Inclusion of Vulnerable Groups

Innobreak 09.04.25 Inclusió digital - Imatge de persones grans utilitzant ordinadors. Les persones grans són un dels col·lectius susceptibles de patir a causa de la bretxa digital

DigiUP (Finland) and the Digital Inclusion Center of Bordeaux Métropole (France).
Held on 09/04/2025.

We live in an increasingly digital society where technology is essential for accessing basic services, information, and social connections. However, a significant part of the population remains excluded from this digital environment, either due to a lack of access to technology or the necessary skills to use it independently and safely. The digital divide not only limits opportunities for these individuals but also exacerbates social and economic vulnerability. According to a 2022 study by the Catalan government, among vulnerable groups, half of the people do not have a computer at home, 3 out of 10 lack mobile data access, and 38% do not know how to carry out online procedures.

Digital inclusion aims to turn technology into an empowering tool for people’s lives, with public and private social service organizations playing a crucial role in this process. Simple and personalized actions—such as helping individuals become familiar with basic tasks (sending a message, downloading an app, using a search engine) or providing support in device configuration (adjusting language settings, font size, linking email accounts)—can make a huge difference in their digital autonomy.

At the same time, making cities more inclusive requires improving infrastructure (secure and accessible Wi-Fi connectivity, device lending programs, digital learning spaces) and training social professionals in digital skills.

In this Innobreak, we will explore two pioneering European initiatives that promote socio-digital inclusion for the most vulnerable groups in society:

  • DigiUp (Helsinki, Finland) is a service designed to enhance the digital skills of migrants, fostering their inclusion and active participation in the community. To achieve this, DigiUp provides training and capacity-building for social service professionals, enabling them to offer digital support tailored to the cultural diversity and specific needs of newly arrived individuals.
  • The Digital Inclusion Center (Bordeaux Métropole, France) operates in two key areas: a public digital space offering direct digital support to the population and a specialized training program for social action professionals. The Bordeaux Métropole also provides direct training for vulnerable individuals and coordinates the “France Service Digital Advisors,” professionals who assist and educate citizens on the responsible use of digital tools.

SPEAKERS:

Yuri Kitaba, DigiUp, Helsinki (Finland).

Anna Lebey, Digital Inclusion Center, Bordeaux Métropole (France).

Innobreaks

Preventing Institutionalisation in Childhood and Adolescence: Rights, Families and Community

Preventing Institutionalisation in Childhood and Adolescence: Rights, Families and Community

Glasgow Intensive Family (Scotland) and Casa d’Infants (Catalonia). 27 May 2025. Open for registration.
Innobreak 09.04.25 Inclusió digital - Imatge de persones grans utilitzant ordinadors. Les persones grans són un dels col·lectius susceptibles de patir a causa de la bretxa digital

Pioneering Initiatives for the Digital Inclusion of Vulnerable Groups

DigiUP (Finland) and the Digital Inclusion Center of Bordeaux Métropole (France). Held on 09/04/2025.
Innobreak: Noves mirades en la prevenció i intervenció de la Violència sexual infantil

New Perspectives on the Prevention and Intervention of Child Sexual Violence

PrevenSI (Intress) and Barnahus (Save the Children). Held on 11/2/25.
Innobeak - Serveis innovadors en drogodependencia

Innovative Services in Drug Addiction: Family Support and Risk Prevention

BRUS (Denmark) and Energy Control (Catalonia). Held on 02/07/24.

The Catalan Minister of Social Rights visits the Vincles Alt Pirineu-Aran project in Sort

Publications News

The Catalan Minister of Social Rights visits the Vincles Alt Pirineu-Aran project in Sort

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La Consellera de Drets Socials parla amb dues persones beneficiàries del projecte Vincles a Sort

The Vincles Alt Pirineu-Aran Project is now active in over twenty municipalities and has 171 community agents

The Minister of Social Rights, Mònica Martínez Bravo, visited the “Vincles Alt Pirineu-Aran” project in Sort—an initiative aimed at tackling unwanted loneliness in the Alt Pirineu and Val d’Aran through community intervention, technology, and citizen involvement. The visit was also attended by the President of the Pallars Sobirà County Council, Carlos L. Isus Castellarnau; the Mayor of Sort, Baldo Farré; the Public Health Deputy of the Lleida Provincial Council, Òscar Martínez; the County Director of Social Services, Adriana Vidal; and the Director of the iSocial Foundation, Toni Codina.

During her visit, the Minister learned firsthand about the program’s operations. Since 2023, Vincles has been established in over twenty municipalities across the Catalan Pyrenees. The project introduces a more proactive approach to addressing unwanted loneliness, leveraging Big Data technology for early detection of social isolation in people over 55 and activating local networks and citizen participation to intervene and provide support in identified cases.

Following the project presentation, Vincles representatives and the Minister visited a local business involved in the program, where they spoke with the project’s community activator in Pallars Sobirà, social worker Elena Santos, as well as two community agents (local business professionals who voluntarily participate in the project to identify potential cases of unwanted loneliness) and two elderly beneficiaries. This exchange provided valuable insight into the work of Vincles and the positive impact it is having in the region.

Positive Impact of the Project

Since its launch, Vincles has achieved significant results: it currently has 54 social and healthcare professionals working across the six Pyrenean counties, along with 171 trained community agents who help identify and address cases of unwanted loneliness in towns and villages. Additionally, 47 social awareness training sessions have been conducted to improve detection, and 209 community activities have been organized for beneficiaries, including workshops, participatory processes, and talks.

The project, led by the iSocial Foundation and funded through Next Generation funds from the Department of Social Rights of the Government of Catalonia, has become an innovative solution and a benchmark in Catalonia and Europe in this field.

Actualitat

First Annual Meeting of the Rehab-Lab network in Barcelona

First Annual Meeting of the Rehab-Lab network in Barcelona

We have accredited the new manufacturing laboratories (FabLabs) of the 10 entities throughout Catalonia that have joined the Rehab-Lab network
Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia 2025

New Edition of the Award for Social Integration through Digitalization within the Digital Innovation Awards of Catalonia 2025

Applications for this award, co-organized by iSocial and GrausTIC, can be submitted until October 17
Notícia Fiare. Banca ética

iSocial and Fiare Banca Etica Strengthen Their Alliance

The iSocial Foundation has joined the cooperative Fiare Banca Etica as a member, within the framework of an agreement that also includes a line of credit to finance iSocial’s projects and the sponsorship of several of our foundation’s publications.
The iSocial Foundation attends the European Social Services Conference (ESSC 2025) with two initiatives that highlight social innovation

The iSocial Foundation attends the European Social Services Conference (ESSC 2025) with two initiatives that highlight social innovation

Our app Nidus and the Vincles Alt Pirineu-Aran project against unwanted loneliness were two of the main features at ESSC 2025.
Professionals de les entitats membres d'iSocial participen al 3r Innotrip a Finlàndia

The iSocial Foundation and its member organisations travel to Finland for the 3rd Innotrip

The visits to organisations and facilities in Helsinki and Espoo allowed us to gain closer insight into some pioneering initiatives in one of the countries with the most advanced social infrastructure.
The Social Innovation Chair of the UdL evaluates the Vincles project in Eril de Vall

The Social Innovation Chair of the UdL evaluates the Vincles project in Erill la Vall

The Social Innovation Chair of the UdL evaluates the Vincles project in Eril de Vall