Andorran Parishes Overcome Staffing Shortages for Summer Children's Programs

Andorran parish councils encountered staffing challenges when hiring monitors for this summer's children's programmes, citing rising family demand and a wide array of activities across the country that strained the pool of qualified candidates. Despite these hurdles, every parish succeeded in filling its requirements to deliver full services.

The difficulties stemmed from mandatory specific training certifications and competition among parishes for available personnel. Andorra la Vella, for example, brought on 68 workers across various periods for sports, social and artistic activities—30 for sports, 33 through the social department and five for the Summer Artistic Campus. Officials noted persistent issues, particularly for August, but covered nearly all needs, with only three spots remaining: two in sports and one in the artistic campus. The capital provided around 2,600 places overall, including 900 from the social department's Casal d'Infants El Llamp, Ludoteca and colonies at Cortals de Sispony and Can Font (Girona), all fully occupied; 1,475 sports spots via Escoles Esportives (750), Campus Esportius (495) and Setmanes Joves (230); and an expanded artistic campus offering 54 weekly places in July, up from 30, across four sessions.

Ordino faced greater-than-usual obstacles for its Casal d'Estiu after some selected young candidates withdrew at the last minute, prompting replacements just weeks before launch. It still hired nine monthly monitors for the casal and one for Punt Jove, accommodating about 85 children weekly as participation trends climb.

Canillo covered initial spots through public notices but added four urgent hires amid inscription spikes, especially in August. Word-of-mouth and fresh applications enabled 20 total contracts for roughly 85 children in Esplai and 42 in Punt Jove, underscoring years of growing demand that necessitated staff increases to uphold quality.

Encamp required 35 hires to support over 1,500 daily activity places across 10 weeks and 120 colony spots (40 per session). Escaldes-Engordany met required ratios with 132 staff—79 auxiliars, 49 monitors and four referents—despite recruitment issues, with inscriptions matching last year's levels.

Sant Julià de Lòria drew 21 applications for its multiesport campus running July through early September, selecting 14—eight for July and six thereafter—for 46 weekly children in July and 48 later, aligning with typical demand. La Massana filled all 25 positions without delay for 130 weekly participants, nearly at capacity, and highlighted the roles as valuable employment for local youth.