Social Support Center of São Bento: Structuring Processes

At the beginning of the 20th century, in the São Bento area, next to the Palácio das Cortes (now the Assembly of the Republic), the Protective Society of Economic Kitchens commissioned the construction of Economic Kitchen No. 6, which was inaugurated in April 1906. Like its counterparts, this kitchen aimed to provide affordable meals to the most disadvantaged population, especially the working class. In 1928, the kitchens were transferred to the Santa Casa da Misericórdia, and today only the buildings of two remain, in Anjos and São Bento. It was in the latter that the Santa Casa established, in 1997, the São Bento Social Support Center. In a few pages, the journey of the project to create this facility, dedicated to promoting and supporting the integration of individuals in situations of social exclusion and homelessness in Lisbon, is outlined, and the strategy, intervention methodology, and work process in collaboration with the user and other services are described. Today, far exceeding the initial functions of Economic Kitchen No. 6, it includes three occupational workshops, a shop selling handmade products, and a digital inclusion space, being a reference in the heart of the city. This book is part of the Social Action Sebentas Collection, an editorial line dedicated to sharing knowledge acquired and consolidated through practice, with the awareness, however, that this knowledge is always in a state of continuous construction and improvement.

Authors: Rita Valadas (dir.); Celeste Brissos (coord.); Rui Santos; Ana Zagalo and team

Year of publication: 2016
Publisher: SCML
ISBN: 9789898712400