The literary contest consolidates a shared project between the social and rehabilitation fields that allows users to make their voices heard through different forms of communication, reading and writing.
The Jocs Florals of the Aspace Badalona Occupational Therapy Center have become one of the center's most anticipated events. Beyond a literary contest, this initiative has become a space for expression, participation and recognition where users can share stories, experiences and imagined worlds through words, creativity and communication.
In a context in which access to reading and writing requires specific supports , the Jocs Florals represent an opportunity to bring literature closer to all people, respecting the rhythms, capacities and forms of communication of each one. The alphabet, pictograms, handwriting, the computer or voice recordings are some of the tools that make it possible for each person to actively participate in the creative process.
A project that puts people at the center
Literacy is a particularly relevant area for many of the people served by the Aspace Catalunya Foundation. For this reason, the Jocs Florals are presented as an open, flexible and adapted experience , where the important thing is not only the final result, but the entire process behind it: thinking up a story, ordering ideas, making decisions, expressing emotions and sharing them with others.
In everyday life, this translates into people who can explain what they imagine, remember a significant experience or build a collective story with their peers. Each text , tale or story becomes a way to participate , communicate and occupy their own place in the life of the center.
When literature also becomes intervention
For some years now, the preparation of the Jocs Florals has been the result of coordinated work between the speech therapy area, linked to rehabilitation, and the occupational workshops, within the social sphere. This shared vision allows the collective stories to be accompanied by monitors from the different areas, while the more individual proposals, which require more specific work on literacy, have the support of the speech therapy service.
From a speech therapist's perspective, intervention is based on individualized goals. Aspects such as speech organization, sentence construction, coding, spelling, and the functional use of written language are worked on. In this way, a social and participatory activity also becomes a therapeutic opportunity, adjusted to the needs of each person.
This approach reflects Aspace's comprehensive care model , which connects the social and rehabilitative perspectives to provide a more complete, coherent and person-centered response. Literature, in this case, is not just a cultural activity: it is a tool that promotes communicative autonomy, participation and emotional well-being.
Creativity, community and recognition
The success of the Jocs Florals is explained, above all , by the motivation of the users of the CTO Aspace Badalona . Year after year, the competition makes visible their capacity to imagine, create, tell stories and share personal experiences. This involvement generates a strong sense of community and turns the day into a very special meeting moment for the entire center.
The participation of families also plays a prominent role. As members of the jury and as an active part of the day, they contribute to giving value to the creative process and recognizing the effort of each participant. Former users, professionals and people linked to the center also take part, who once again share a celebration that is part of the collective memory of the CTO Aspace Badalona.
The Jocs Florals are, therefore, much more than an awards ceremony . They are a space where people can express themselves, listen to themselves and be listened to . A project that values the capabilities, emotions and voice of each participant.
With this initiative, the CTO Aspace Badalona continues to reinforce a way of understanding care based on participation, communicative accessibility and recognition of each person. Year after year, the Jocs Florals demonstrate that, with the right supports and a person-centered approach, literature can become a tool for growth, communication and social cohesion.
