Berriak

The governing council of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia has approved the collaboration agreement signed with Getxo Town Council for the construction and start-up of an intergenerational centre in the municipality. This is an innovative project that will favour intergenerational side by side living between young and old people.  

In this newly created pioneering centre, people of different ages will share common spaces, will be able to interact and develop their life projects in this common space, avoiding social and intergenerational isolation. This initiative, a pioneer in the Basque Country and in Spain, aims to develop an innovative model of living that will respond to two important social needs. On the one hand, it is an alternative housing tool for the emancipation of young people in the municipality and, on the other, it means being able to respond to Getxo's ageing population and the needs identified by the Council within the framework of the deployment of the social services portfolio.

The new public facility will be located in the district of Romo in Getxo on a site owned by the municipality. Of mixed nature, it will occupy 8,967 m² built at ground level that will jointly house 40 apartments for rent for young people (2,308 m²) and 100 residential places for people in a situation of dependence (6,659 m²).

The investment has been estimated at around 13 million euros (12,961,166 euros), of which the Bizkaia Provincial Council will contribute 9,938,775 euros and Getxo Town Council, 3,022,391 euros, plus 10% VAT for the delivery of homes.

By virtue of the agreement reached between both institutions, the council ceded the plot for the development of this mixed social infrastructure for 75 years so that the Provincial Council, through the public company Azpiegiturak, could build the facility. The Provincial Council will pay for the construction and subsequent management of the residence for dependent elderly people. For its part, Getxo Town Council will undertake the construction of the apartments for young people and will be responsible for their management.  

The new infrastructure will house differentiated and shared spaces to carry out this proposal for intergenerational cohesion, which aims to promote cooperation and collaboration between people of different ages, solidarity, social cohesion and mutual understanding. Likewise, it is intended to favour interpersonal relations based on respect, establishing links between both groups and avoiding intergenerational isolation. To achieve this, both administrations will design dynamic actions in the common spaces as well as other types of activities for the rest of the spaces.