● Do you know its impact?
Àgora is an integrative support space that offers personalized support at all stages of life. We work by combining different specialties, methodologies, and therapeutic tools to offer you support tailored to your needs.
Our goal is to support people with deep respect for individual processes, with a holistic approach that integrates body, emotions, mind, and relationships; with professionalism, closeness, and commitment, creating safe spaces for growth, listening, and transformation.
We are a non-profit worker cooperative founded in 2022 in Santa Coloma de Gramenet, although the project began in 2008.
What impacts you most about your cooperative?
What impacts us most is Ágora’s ability to generate profound transformations in people’s lives. Seeing how children, youth, and adults regain self-esteem, develop tools to manage emotions, and improve their personal and academic relationships is deeply meaningful. We are also impressed by the community strength that has been built around the project and the emotional and professional involvement of the entire team. The integration of the biopsychosocial model with the holistic model, with disciplines as diverse as psychology, practical philosophy, speech therapy, social education, and music, among others, creates a unique space for care and human development.
When did it begin and why?
The project began in 2008 as an independent initiative by Ainhoa Aguilar, who identified a lack of personalized school support for children and youth with a holistic approach that placed the person at the center. Over time, and as demand grew, the need arose to consolidate a broader, more collective space. Thus, in 2018, Ágora a pie de calle was born, and in 2022, it was established as a cooperative to provide the project with greater structure, sustainability, and capacity for social impact.
How many people are involved in the project?
Currently, the project is made up of three partners who actively participate in management and decision-making, and a team of six non-partners and approximately ten other collaborating professionals. The Ágora community also includes all the users—children, youth, and families—who trust us daily.
What makes it different from other organizations/companies like yours?
What makes us unique is our integrative and personalized approach, combining diverse tools and methodologies such as psychology, practical philosophy, speech therapy, social education, and music, among others. Furthermore, we work from a biopsychosocial, humanistic, and conscious perspective, with spaces for active participation, listening, and caring for everyone involved: users, professionals, and the community. We also stand out for our sociocratic governance, our strong roots in the region, and our ability to adapt to the changing needs of people and the local context.
What do you see in the future?
We envision Ágora as a well-established and consolidated project, with a unique space that integrates all our activities and allows for sustainable growth. We want to continue developing, improving internal processes, and expanding our social impact. We would like to be a benchmark in personal development, education, and integrative support in the region and continue forging alliances with other organizations and institutions to build a more cohesive, conscious, and, therefore, free community.
What support have you received from Seira Impuls Cooperatiu, and what has it been used for?
We have received support from Seira Impuls Cooperativo in the form of support and financing, which has allowed us to carry out a major renovation of a facility. This step has been key to unifying our care and activity spaces, improving accessibility, service quality, and team cohesion. Having a larger, more adapted space will help us consolidate the project and offer an even warmer and more comprehensive experience to the people we support. Their support has been a fundamental support during a key moment of growth.
