On the black list Mental health forum

THE third Youth Forum took place in Teulada last week with an emphasis on mental and emotional health.

Students at the IES Teulada college discussed and learnt about ways to manage their emotions, improve their mental health and lead healthier lifestyles.

The sessions were led by leading experts in the field and topics included anxiety and depression, mourning and how to find a balance between mind and body, with participants taking part in a yoga class.

A laughter therapy session was also included to add a touch of humour and positivity to the Forum, with students learning about the mental and physical benefits of this practice that helps reduce emotional tension and improve mood.

Teulada Youth department highlighted the importance of the Forum as a source of two­way information between the local council and young residents to outline their needs and inform them about the services and resources at their disposal.

Equal opportunities

BENIDORM Council is taking part in a regional employment drive for people with mental illness.

The town hall has requested a subsidy to offer a nine­month work contract to a local resident with a recognised severe mental disorder or with serious mental health issues. The ‘Avalem capacitats’ (‘Endorsing abilities’) scheme is open to all local councils who have a municipal Care and Monitoring Service for people with Severe Mental Health Problems (SASEM) department, as is the case of Benidorm.

In May, the town hall successfully applied for a grant from the regional Employment services to offer nine­month contracts to eight residents with recognised disabilities, and in December approved a Public Employment drive offering 26 vacancies to people with disability or functional diversity.

ENVIRONMENTAL organisation Ecologistas en Acción have published their yearly ‘Black Flags’ report.

The document singles out beaches, ports, activities and businesses throughout the country that fail to uphold certain environmental standards.

Ecologistas have awarded 48 of these negative distinctions this year for a wide range of faults including waste dumps, deficient sanitation, accumulation of rubbish on the seabed and noise pollution, among others.

In Alicante Province, one beach in particular is a frequent entry on the black list.

The Arenal in Javea is a beautiful and famous beach that nonetheless has an ongoing problem with storms and heavy rainfall, when the sand invariably appears littered with debris and rubbish.

“The correct management of storm discharges, the implementation of efficient sanitation systems and raising awareness of the importance of taking care of our beaches are key steps to reverse this situation,” concludes the or­ ganisation.

In another development in Javea last week, several people who were taking part in two kayak excursions near the Granadella bay witnessed two construction workers dumping rocks and building debris from a chalet off the mountain into the sea following orders from a third man.

The witnesses posted videos and photographs on their social media accounts showing how they had to dodge the ‘shower of stones’ to avoid being hurt and sustaining damage to their kayaks.

When the participants in the excursion shouted at them to stop, the man apparently in charge allegedly replied that they had permission to do so from the town hall and that they were ‘just stones’.

However, this is doubtful, as it is forbidden to dump anything into bays and it also appears that the waste was not ‘just stones’, as it also included many other elements such as a small metal door, blocks of masonry, bricks and a metal bar.

The case has been reported to the municipal Environment department and to the Guardia Civil.

It is not the first time this kind of situation is reported in the area, as the cliffs are lined with several chalets under construction.

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