Third Social Action Sector in Spain, under review
NGO Platform of Social Action launched the Research “Third Social Action Sector in Spain” which offers an innovative diagnosis and prospective analysis of the challenges ahead.
01.12.2015
It accounts for 1.5% of the Spanish GDP, it employs 650,000 people, it has 1.3 million of volunteers and it carries out 53 million of direct actions for the most vulnerable. These are some of the facts available in the
Research “Third Social Action Sector in Spain”, promoted by the NGO Platform of Social Action within the EEA Grants Active Citizenship Programme.
The quantitative part of the research, carried out by
Systeme Innovación y Consultaría with answers from 400 entities, is accompanied by a prospective analysis developed by
Universidad de Alcalá in which challenges and possible responses are described. The objective is “to draw a map of the Third Social Action Sector reality and how crisis has affected, but also to identify trends and challenges ahead”, explains the study coordinator,
José Manuel Fresno.
The research describes a consolidated sector where 60% of entities have over 20 years of experience, and is highly feminized and qualified -71% of staff has university level education-. The crisis has affected the sector, but it has shown itself capable of adapting, mainly the bigger organizations, and has achieved significant results.
According to the research, the Third Social Action Sector challenges ahead are mainly financing, where it is crucial to diversify sources and to find a more stable model of public funding; organization, because joint work between NGOs and better collaboration with Public Administrations and companies are still pending tasks; and governance.
“Strengthening Third Sector is a key for reducing social inequalities”, pointed out Norwegian Ambassador in Spain,
Johan Vibe, in the presentation. “A prosperous and cohesive Europe needs a strong civil society, and for that reason it is necessary to support the Third Sector of Social Action as the driving force of an active and committed citizenship”, added
José María Piñero, General Director of European Funds of Ministry of Finance and Civil Service.