Espai Pausa - Fundación SASM

The Espai Pausa program is an innovative initiative developed by the Santos Andrés Santiago y Miguel Foundation (SASM) to address the growing need for community-based mental health support in Sueca and the wider Ribera Baixa region of the Valencian Community. Conceived as a complement to existing healthcare services, it offers a non-clinical, inclusive, and creative space that promotes recovery, psychosocial well-being, and social inclusion for people with mental illness.

The project arises in response to structural gaps in regional mental health provision. Ribera Baixa has one of the highest prevalences of mental disorders in Spain but suffers from long waiting lists, limited professional resources, and a lack of intermediate or community-based facilities. Traditional care models remain largely clinical and pharmacological, leaving many individuals without access to supportive, human-centered spaces where they can build autonomy, confidence, and meaningful social connections.

Espai Pausa was designed as a transformative response to this reality. Its primary goal is to create a safe, stable, and stigma-free environment where people experiencing psychological distress can participate in activities that foster self-expression, personal development, and community belonging. The program is open to individuals with formal psychiatric diagnoses as well as those experiencing distress outside of institutional care circuits, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity.

The initiative integrates multiple components within one dedicated space. Key activities include:

Podcast “Mind Out Loud”, where participants and professionals co-create episodes discussing mental health openly to combat stigma.
Independent Living and Everyday Economy workshops, teaching practical skills such as budgeting, cooking, hygiene, and household management.
Youth Group (18–30 years), providing a safe space for young people with mental health conditions to socialize, share experiences, and engage in meaningful leisure.
Mutual Aid Groups (GAMs), including a mixed group and a women-only group, offering peer support and empowerment.
Art and Environmental workshops, promoting creativity, expression, and ecological responsibility.
Film Forum and Reading Club, encouraging reflection, dialogue, and cultural participation.
Awareness campaigns such as races, exhibitions, and training for police, firefighters, and students, aimed at raising community understanding of mental health.

In addition to structured workshops, Espai Pausa provides “open-door” hours where users can freely use the space, fostering spontaneous interaction, autonomy, and group belonging.

The project is carried out by a multidisciplinary team including a psychologist, social worker, occupational therapist, monitors, a social integrator, and an expert by experience—whose personal journey demonstrates recovery as possible and inspires participants. Volunteers also play a central role in supporting activities and awareness-raising efforts.

Monitoring and evaluation are built into the program. Both quantitative and qualitative methods—attendance records, self-assessment surveys, interviews, and professional observations—are used to measure improvements in autonomy, social participation, well-being, and inclusion. Special attention is given to gender and age differences, ensuring that young people and women with mental illness receive tailored support.

Espai Pausa is pioneering in its integration of recovery-oriented, rights-based, and participatory approaches. It emphasizes co-production, with beneficiaries actively involved in the design, delivery, and evaluation of activities. Its gender perspective is particularly innovative, with women’s groups and empowerment strategies embedded across the program.

Ultimately, Espai Pausa represents a holistic model of community mental health care that goes beyond traditional clinical approaches. It promotes empowerment, reduces stigma, strengthens community ties, and contributes to breaking cycles of poverty and exclusion often faced by people with severe mental illness. Its transferability makes it a valuable reference for other regions or countries seeking to create inclusive, creative, and rights-based mental health resources.

Responsible Department

SASM Foundation Mental Health Programs Unit

Target group

People with mental illness (diagnosed or in psychological distress), youth 18–30, women with mental health issues, families, and the local community

Methodologies and approaches

The Espai Pausa initiative is grounded in a person-centered, participatory, and recovery-oriented methodology, designed to complement clinical care with non-clinical, community-based strategies. Its approach emphasizes empowerment, inclusion, and co-production, ensuring that people with mental illness are not passive recipients but active participants in their own recovery and in shaping the program.

Key methodological principles include:

Participation and Co-creation: Beneficiaries are involved in the design, implementation, and evaluation of activities, reinforcing ownership, motivation, and autonomy. An “expert by experience” is part of the staff team, ensuring lived experience informs all decisions.
Non-formal education and experiential learning: Activities use practical, creative, and interactive methods—such as role-play, group dynamics, and real-life simulations—to build skills and confidence.
Recovery and empowerment focus: The program fosters self-determination, social participation, and personal growth, moving beyond illness-centered approaches toward holistic well-being.
Inclusivity and gender perspective: Specific attention is given to women, youth, and intergenerational groups, with spaces like women-only Mutual Aid Groups and youth groups tailored to their needs.
Community integration: Activities are carried out in collaboration with local stakeholders (schools, emergency services, cultural centers, associations) to strengthen community ties and reduce stigma.

Innovation and creativity

Espai Pausa is innovative because it integrates diverse activities into a single dedicated community space that complements, rather than replaces, clinical care. Its creativity lies in combining psychosocial recovery with cultural, artistic, and awareness-raising strategies, making it unique in the Ribera Baixa region.

Key innovative elements include:

Holistic, non-clinical approach: Moves beyond medication-focused models by offering a stigma-free environment where users can recover through creativity, leisure, and participation.
Integration of multiple services: Brings together Independent Living workshops, Mutual Aid Groups (GAM), cultural forums, artistic expression, and awareness campaigns into one coordinated program.
Beneficiary protagonism: Participants are co-creators of activities (e.g., podcast content, art projects, awareness campaigns), reinforcing empowerment and active citizenship.
Podcast “Mind Out Loud”: A pioneering tool in the area, giving participants a voice to share experiences, reduce stigma, and reach the wider community.
Gender perspective: Includes a women-only GAM, gender-sensitive indicators, and empowerment strategies that address structural inequalities faced by women with mental illness.
Youth innovation: Creation of a youth group (18–30 years) tailored to young people’s needs—unprecedented in the region.
Digital inclusion: Incorporates digital tools (podcasting, online sharing, IT access) to reduce the digital divide and foster autonomy.
Community networking: Builds alliances with schools, cultural institutions, emergency services, and local associations, ensuring visibility and shared responsibility in mental health.

Through these elements, Espai Pausa redefines mental health support as creative, participatory, and community-based, positioning itself as a transformative and replicable model.

Support to Independent Living

Espai Pausa is designed around the principles of Independent Living, ensuring that people with mental illness have opportunities to develop autonomy, exercise choice, and actively participate in their communities. The program goes beyond traditional clinical care by creating a supportive environment where skills, relationships, and self-determination are strengthened.

Firstly, the initiative offers practical training for daily life through the Independent Living and Everyday Economy workshops. These sessions teach participants essential skills such as budgeting, cooking, household management, and personal care. By practicing in real-life contexts (e.g., shopping in the community), users gain confidence to manage daily responsibilities independently.

Secondly, Espai Pausa strengthens social networks and peer support, essential to breaking isolation. Mutual Aid Groups (GAM), both mixed and women-only, provide safe spaces where participants can share experiences, learn coping strategies, and make decisions collectively. These groups embody horizontality and empowerment, key principles of Independent Living.

Thirdly, the program promotes active participation and self-expression through cultural and creative activities—art workshops, podcasting, film forums, and reading clubs. These activities allow individuals to build identity, self-esteem, and communication skills, which are vital for personal agency and integration into community life.

Additionally, the initiative provides a stable open-door community space where participants can freely engage in informal interactions, reinforcing belonging and voluntary participation.

Finally, Espai Pausa actively connects users with mainstream community resources—schools, cultural centers, environmental projects, and awareness campaigns—reducing stigma and ensuring inclusion in ordinary social settings.

By combining practical autonomy training, peer empowerment, cultural participation, and community networking, Espai Pausa ensures that people with mental illness are not only supported in daily living but also recognized as full citizens, able to design and pursue their own life projects.

Staff and resources

The implementation of Espai Pausa relies on a diverse and multidisciplinary team, bringing together psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, social integrators, monitors, and experts by experience, complemented by dedicated volunteers. This mix of professional expertise and lived experience allows the initiative to respond holistically to the varied needs of participants.

The team is supported by well-equipped infrastructure, including a dedicated space for activities, workshops, IT equipment, art materials, a library, and a garden. These resources provide an environment conducive to learning, creativity, and social interaction, ensuring that both the content and setting of the activities promote inclusion, autonomy, and wellbeing.

Identifying specific needs

The Espai Pausa program was developed through a co-production approach, ensuring that the voices and needs of people with mental illness and disabilities were central in its design and implementation.

Before the program was launched, consultation meetings and focus groups were organized with service users from SASM’s existing resources (day centers, supervised housing, and rehabilitation services). These sessions identified key unmet needs, such as: lack of community spaces for safe and stigma-free interaction, shortage of non-clinical activities focused on creativity and self-expression, limited opportunities for young people and women, and barriers to daily autonomy.

The program also incorporated the experiences of an “expert by experience”—a professional with lived experience of psychological distress—into the design team. This ensured that activities were not only technically sound but also aligned with the real-life priorities and challenges faced by people with mental health conditions.

During implementation, users continue to play an active role in shaping activities. For example, podcast topics are chosen collectively, art and cultural workshops are co-designed, and awareness campaigns integrate testimonies and creative input from participants. Regular feedback is gathered through satisfaction surveys, reflection groups, and informal discussions, allowing for agile adjustments to activities and methodologies.

This ongoing participatory process makes beneficiaries active agents rather than passive recipients, reinforcing empowerment, autonomy, and ownership of the program. By integrating consultation, shared decision-making, and continuous feedback, Espai Pausa embodies the principles of co-production and ensures that its services genuinely respond to the lived experiences and aspirations of its target groups.

Other stakeholders and partners

Local associations: Provided community-based support, facilitated connections, and organized awareness-raising activities.
Educational centers: Contributed by sharing expertise, hosting workshops, and promoting participation among learners.
Cultural groups: Enriched the program with cultural activities, fostering inclusion and intercultural understanding.
Emergency services (police, firefighters): Participated in awareness sessions and safety initiatives, strengthening trust between citizens and institutions.
Municipal services: Offered logistical and administrative support, ensuring alignment with local priorities and resources.
Families: Actively supported participants by encouraging involvement and reinforcing outcomes at home.
Community volunteers: Assisted in the implementation of activities, mentoring, and providing ongoing encouragement.