- Since its launch in 2016, ‘Cambiando Vidas’, a project by Endesa Foundation in collaboration with Integra Foundation, has supported over 3,400 beneficiaries.
- In its ninth year, the programme aims to provide training and support to 415 individuals from Madrid, Catalonia, Andalusia, Aragon, the Balearic Islands, and the Canary Islands to help them access the job market and reintegrate into society.
- The opening ceremony took place today at Endesa’s headquarters with the participation of the Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida.
Today, Endesa Foundation launched its latest ‘Cambiando Vidas’ programme, a collaborative initiative with Integra Foundation. This year, it aims to improve job opportunities for 415 individuals facing social exclusion. Additionally, it will support participants from previous editions who need assistance.
The event was held this morning at Endesa’s headquarters in Madrid, with the presence of José Luis Martínez-Almeida, Mayor of Madrid, Juan Sánchez-Calero, chairman of Endesa and Endesa Foundation, José Bogas, CEO of Endesa, Ana Botella, Executive President of Integra Foundation, and María Malaxechevarría, General Manager of Sustainability at Endesa and General Manager of Endesa Foundation, who were joined by Endesa volunteers and project beneficiaries.
The programme, which extends to Madrid, Catalonia, Andalusia, Aragon, the Balearic Islands, and the Canary Islands, is designed to offer training and tools to improve its participants’ professional skills, helping them to reintegrate into the job market, and provide a new opportunity to start over and thrive with their families.
Since its launch in 2016, ‘Cambiando Vidas’ has had a significant impact on the lives of 3,471 people, many of whom have successfully entered key sectors of the workforce, improving not only their financial situation but also their overall quality of life.
This initiative would not be possible without the vital support of Endesa’s volunteer employees, who help by conducting training workshops. Over 350 Endesa volunteers have been involved in ‘Cambiando Vidas’ since its first programme.
In these workshops, volunteers help participants expand their knowledge and collaborate on developing key skills such as motivation, communication, and digital literacy to facilitate the job search process. In addition to this training, candidates receive personalised support, including professional guidance to help them recognise their skills and boost their self-esteem and confidence.
Joan Claver is one of those volunteers. He stated, ‘As volunteers, we learn a life lesson with each person we help. They give us an incredible boost of energy and bring us closer to a reality we may not be aware of in our everyday lives. Even though they’ve received contradictory messages from society, as volunteers, we can help them see that they can turn things around and make their strengths and skills shine.’
Following this statement, it was time to hear from the people ‘Cambiando Vidas’ was created for: the beneficiaries. Héctor, a 50-year-old Peruvian national, is one of them. His life story is one of resilience and overcoming hardship. After being forced to close his family business in his home country due to mafia extortion, he arrived in Spain to start over. He joined the programme in 2024 and was able to find a job thanks to it.
‘When I arrived in Spain, I had no one. I lived on the streets, selling lollipops to get by. I took part in the training programme with the volunteers, and now I have a job that makes me feel good and proud. I feel like I belong, it’s like being at home. Receiving this support is the best thing that could have happened to me,’ he said.
For Javier, a 55-year-old Spaniard, participating in the project was vital in turning around a life shaped by addictions, which he managed to overcome, as he explained during the event. ‘The five days I spent on the course, I felt right at home. Talking to people, learning how to write a CV, how to ace a job interview - it was great. The volunteers gave us the confidence and motivation to keep going. Through this project, I found a job, and that's key. It keeps me healthy. It gives me energy, the will to live, and the drive to do everything right.’
José Luis Martínez Almeida, Mayor or Madrid, thanked Endesa Foundation and Integra Foundation for their commitment, which has empowered so many people to take control of their own destiny. He emphasised one of the project's key pillars - second chances: ‘only by offering these individuals a hand to hold on to can we build free and just societies.’
Juan Sánchez-Calero, chairman of Endesa and Endesa Foundation, congratulated the beneficiaries, the true protagonists of the programme, and noted: ‘for us, the main focus of “Cambiando Vidas” is not securing contracts, but the people and families we support. For them, access to employment means hope and the opportunity to turn their lives around and feel part of society again.’
José Bogas, CEO of Endesa, underscored that ‘few projects have the track record of “Cambiando Vidas,”’ and added, ‘at Endesa and Endesa Foundation, we view social commitment as one of the cornerstones of our identity, a responsibility that drives us to actively work towards building a fairer, more supportive society.’
Ana Botella, executive president of Integra Foundation, expressed her gratitude to Endesa and its Foundation for their unwavering commitment to this project. She emphasised that employment is the most effective way to transform society. According to Botella, ‘this project brings real, lasting change to the lives of individuals and their families. It gives them the independence they need to start life projects and break the cycle of exclusion.’
The success of ‘Cambiando Vidas’ is largely due to the close collaboration between Endesa Foundation and local organisations specialising in social and labour integration, such as Integra Foundation. Additionally, the programme continuously adapts to the changing needs of the current job market, ensuring that candidates have the necessary tools to access quality employment and secure long-term contracts.
About Endesa Foundation
Endesa Foundation was established in 1998 as an expression of Endesa’s social commitment to address the needs of the environment in which it operates and thereby contribute to social development.
It strives to maximise its social impact on a daily basis, through projects that promote high-quality education suited to current challenges. This ensures that the most vulnerable have a future filled with opportunities, that we foster the culture and art of our country, and that we create a more sustainable world by caring for our surrounding environment.
You can find more information at: www.fundacionendesa.org
About Integra Foundation
Integra Foundation is dedicated to helping individuals facing social exclusion and people with disabilities access the job market. This includes women who are victims of violence, people with disabilities, young offenders under supervised release, individuals experiencing homelessness, current and former inmates, the long-term unemployed, and ethnic minorities. Additionally, the foundation acts as a link between institutions, NGOs, and companies willing to offer job opportunities to these individuals. Integra Foundation has helped secure more than 22,500 jobs since 2001.
You can find more information at: www.fundacionintegra.org