Herbers, a municipality in the Els Ports region with a small population of around 68 inhabitants according to INE data in 2025, has become an example of social inclusion. The town integrates ex-convicts and socially excluded individuals into its community, thanks to the work of the Àmbit Association.
The initiative, which has been running for five years, began with an employment workshop. Subsequently, two social housing units were opened, and currently, the association also manages the town's hotel, restaurant, and swimming pool. Up to 25 ex-convicts have passed through the town under the association's management, and currently 12 people reside there.
“"In many inland municipalities of the province of Castellón, such as in the Els Ports region, there is a shortage of labor for jobs such as livestock farmers or chambermaids. The association is responsible for training these people to give them a better future with training in the closest environment."
The association's team consists of two social workers, a social educator, a social integrator, and the coordinator, in addition to four or five volunteers. This team promotes and generates employment in one of the regions with the highest depopulation in the province of Castellón.
The management of Herbers' hotel, restaurant, and swimming pool is part of the Espigol project by the Àmbit Association, with the support of the Herbers Town Council and various public administrations. This project offers practical employment training to vulnerable groups, aiming to provide them with dignified access to the labor market and a full life. Each month, students receive cooking training from a renowned chef from Morella.
Another prominent project is the Espigol Fest, a social and international film festival to be held from July 16 to 19. The festival aims to promote cinematographic productions that highlight repopulation, rural environments, and diversity, offering a platform to showcase and promote these works to the population of Herbers and the Els Ports region.
Furthermore, the association launched the first screenwriters' residency in the Valencian Community, Espigol Neft, last April. During a two-week retreat in Herbers, participants enjoy spaces for creation, with collaborative activities and values of equality, intercultural exchange, and the establishment of ties with the local community. Each screenwriter receives mentorship from a renowned professional, and the program includes online mentoring and a reunion within the framework of the festival.
