SALUD MENTAL ESPAÑA Highlights Vital Role of Volunteers in Supporting Mental Health During Emergencies
SALUD MENTAL ESPAÑA's campaign underscores volunteering's critical role in supporting mental health during emergencies in Spain amid rising psychiatric challenges and a decline in younger volunteers.
- • SALUD MENTAL ESPAÑA’s #RedQueSostiene campaign highlights volunteer impact during emergencies.
- • Approximately 20,000 volunteers supported communities after the DANA floods.
- • There is a growing concern over the decline in volunteers aged 18-39.
- • 35.6% of Spain's population suffers from mental health issues, with rising anxiety disorders.
Key details
On International Volunteer Day, December 5, 2025, SALUD MENTAL ESPAÑA launched the #RedQueSostiene campaign to emphasize the crucial contribution of volunteers to mental health support during emergencies in Spain. Recent disasters such as the DANA floods, the Lorca earthquake, and the La Palma volcano eruption have demonstrated the solid community response, with around 20,000 volunteers mobilized after the DANA floods alone, according to the Valencian Community Volunteer Platform.
Currently, SALUD MENTAL ESPAÑA works with 4,789 volunteers, many of whom have personal experience with mental health challenges, enhancing their activism and empathy in support roles, said President Nel González Zapico. The campaign also features stories like that of Ángeles de León, who underscores the importance of psychological support in recovery.
In partnership with Fundación Vicente Ferrer, SALUD MENTAL ESPAÑA has established a Learning Community for Emotional Management to improve psychosocial responses for disaster victims. The initiative includes infographics designed to inspire more people to volunteer.
However, the organization is concerned about the decline in volunteers aged 18-39, a troubling trend amid rising mental health problems in Spain. According to the 2024 National Health System report, 35.6% of Spain's population experiences mental health issues, with anxiety disorders being the most common and increasing substantially since 2016.
SALUD MENTAL ESPAÑA calls for enhanced societal involvement to ensure the continuity of mental health advocacy across generations amid these challenges.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
