Adeje’s department of health and equality, under councillors Amada Trujillo Bencomo and Juan Desiderio Afonso Ruiz, met with Asociación Rayuela and the regional Canarian government to renew the ‘Adeje Diversa’ (Diversity in Adeje) project, which deals with issues related to sexual diversity on all levels, taking a myriad of factors into account – social, health, education, gender questions, etc., which can influence the mental health of members of the LGBTI community.
The project will work to deal directly with psychological and social needs of members of the LGBTI community in Adeje and work more generally to educate the public on issues of sexual diversity, through associations, youth groups and education-based collectives. The project will be carried out by the Asociación Rayuela, co-financed by the regional government and Adeje council.
Both councillors agreed that “with the renovation of Adeje Diversa we are working to improve the quality of life of the LGBTI community in Adeje, and working to ensure that Adeje is a safe and secure space for everyone”.
The project will last for 6 months and will be assisting those who are HIV+ and families of all those affected. There will also be an educative wing which staff and students of the borough’s secondary schools can benefit from.
Adeje Diversa works to prevent violence at home and inter-gender violence often suffered by LGBTI individuals. Services on offer include family assessments, psychological and sexual health care, (individual and couples), assistance for victims of discrimination as a result of LGBTI-phobia and/or gender violence, information resources, work orientation, talks and workshops and phobia prevention for different societal groups, family group interventions, and information on sexual health and free and anonymous testing services.
Anyone interested in contacting Adeje Diversa can do so by calling 687 223 672/628 700 434 or by email, adejediversa@adeje.es
Adeje Diversa 2022
Last year Adeje Diversa offered psychological assistance to 19 individuals, the majority in the 18-30 age group. Overall with different services available, there were 96 interventions, including dealing with school bullying, and family assessments.
There were 11 workshops during last year in both secondary and primary schools in the borough, with students and families.
The Asociación Rayuela commented, “The most vulnerable people and least protected LGBTI individuals, for instance trans-children or those with homosexual orientation, LGBTI immigrants, people who are HIV+, sex workers, all need specialised interventions and help and in fact every day we see the need for more and more psychological assistance, which is why Adeje Diversa must continue its work”:
