In Barcelona, solidarity initiatives with those affected by the DANA in Valencia do not stop proliferating. The collection points to help the victims of the catastrophe are multiplying and private companies, neighborhood associations and municipalities throughout the Community of Madrid have set up places where thousands of people have come with donations.
But in addition to money, products and food, in the Valencian Community hands are also needed. That is why, from the Condal City sprout initiatives that seek to bring volunteers to Valencia to help in the necessary tasks.
There are many, so we tell you some of the entities to which you can go if you want to volunteer in Valencia, as well as basic instructions to give effective and safe help.
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Official volunteers
Here are some initiatives that have been launched to volunteer in Valencia from Barcelona.
They are not the only ones. Throughout the territory, from city councils to private entities, civil society is being mobilized, so we recommend that you ask around you, in your nearest NGO or in your city council to learn about other initiatives.
Voluntaris Catalunya DANA
Voluntaris Catalunya organize bus trips to Valencia to help the victims of the DANA, with trips scheduled since the beginning of the month. Currently, they have closed registrations because they have filled 8 buses, but you can join the waiting lists at voluntarisdana.cat for new convoys.
Save the children
Intermón Oxfam has created a pool of volunteers who can support our teams in whatever is necessary: social intervention, psychologists, reinforcement activities as well as leisure and free time for support tasks in these fields or in cleaning and transporting food and water.
They are in an initial phase, coordinating the project, but you can register on their website.
Caritas
They have put out a call for volunteer opportunities to help people affected by the DANA. For information, you can call 96 315 35 31 or send an email to voluntariado.cdvalencia@caritas.es.
Red Cross
They are in a pre-alert situation and are organizing volunteers to help in the affected areas. You can sign up as a volunteer through their web page or by calling their contact number
Volunteering for health workers
Currently, from the Generalitat’s own website, they warn that the registration of professional health personnel to go as volunteers to the affected areas is on hold. “Priority has been given to the support of volunteer professionals who already have access to the information systems of the Conselleria de Sanidad to meet the most immediate needs. Thank you for your solidarity”.
Through this link, with the latest news on the organization of volunteers, you can access the latest news on this situation in case the registration form is reactivated.
Volunteering for heritage restorers
The Spanish Conservation Group has created an initiative to cover the needs for emergency assistance in the area of cultural heritage in Valencia. Professionals in this field can sign up for volunteering through the following form.
If you are traveling on your own to Valencia from Barcelona
The City Council of Barcelona recommends that, for all those people who want to come as volunteers from Barcelona, do it through the form provided by the Generalitat de Valencia.
This organizes daily buses from the city of Valencia (the point of origin is the Príncipe Felipe Museum, Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències). Through this form, the reservation of seats on free buses that access the affected localities is activated daily.
Remember that the Euromed train service schedules (high speed of the Mediterranean corridor) connecting Barcelona and Valencia have been limited. Once in Valencia capital: it is important to go to the affected areas through organized transport to avoid the collapse in the accesses.
Ajuda DANA and Ayuda Terreta: the websites that tell you where volunteers are needed in real time.
The avalanche of solidarity and volunteers that is coming to Valencia can also lead to confusion among both volunteers and those affected by the storm.
For this reason,websites such as Ajuda Dana or Ayuda Terreta have been launched, which indicate in real time the needs of those affected.
The websites allow people to request or offer help, report missing people or manage donations. The websites also report, in real time, the volunteers that are in the different affected areas to help in a better distribution.
In this article we give you all the information you need to know about these platforms to be able to give effective help.
Recommendations for volunteers (clothing, necessary materials…)
The work environments that volunteers coming to Valencia may face can be dangerous if the appropriate hygiene and safety measures are not taken.
It should be taken into account that the sewage that invades the Valencian Community may contain toxic products and that you will be working with remains and waste that can be dangerous, so it is essential to take the following equipment:
- Thick-soled, high-top,waterproof boots.
- Chemical-resistant work gloves.
- Heavy-duty clothing: long pants and shirts, reflective vest and eye protection goggles.
- Masks to avoid inhaling particles in places with dust or residues.
- Wound care kit with at least a pair of scissors, disinfectant, adhesive tape and gauze.
During the volunteer work it is important to move with caution, since in flooded areas the sewers and holes in the ground are not visible. Extreme caution is recommended in areas where there are gas or electricity systems, which can cause serious accidents.
It is recommended to be in good shape and, of course, this type of activity is not suitable for pregnant women or people with serious respiratory problems or other diseases that hinder physical activity, in any case.
How to get to Valencia from Barcelona?
Currently you can get to Valencia by car, train (the railway connection between the two cities has been reestablished), bus or plane. The best way to enter the Valencian capital is through the Barcelona-Valencia bus line offered by Alsa. The trip takes between 4 and 5 hours and the ticket price is around 35€.
By train the departures are from Barcelona-Sants station to Valencia Joaquín Sorolla, in a trip of approximately 2 hours and 52 minutes with a price of between 29 and 45 euros.
By private car you can go to Valencia by the highways A-7 and A-3, in trips with a duration of about 3 hours and a half. It is recommended to check the traffic due to the effects that the accesses to the area may be suffering. Remember that the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility has recommended to avoid traveling from Barcelona to Valencia by road.