"There is hope in the renewal of Local Contracts for Social Development (CLDS), which are being evaluated, but nothing is yet concretely defined" by the Ministry of Solidarity and Social Security, revealed this Friday, in Portimão, the director of the Center Regional Social Security of the Algarve.
Ofélia Ramos also added that “the projects are being evaluated and their continuation is being considered” by the Ministry of Solidarity and Social Security. “The intervention of the State and of all of us is necessary in the questions of social exclusion, but what is certain is that there are budgetary limitations”, she stressed, cautiously.
The director of the Algarve CRSS participated in the session that closed the two-day seminar on «CLDS – Inclusion Dynamics in the Algarve», which took place at the Portimão Museum, organized by GRATO – Support Group for Drug Addicts in Portimão.
The seminar was aimed precisely at presenting the results of the three years of work of the six Algarve projects under the CLDS, which took place in Portimão, Faro, Alcoutim and Castro Marim (together), Monchique, Loulé and Tavira. All these projects ended their 2009/21012 period precisely on this Friday, the 13th, with the exception of the Tavirense project, which started later.
And so, in addition to the excellent results and successes of projects that worked directly with some of the most disadvantaged populations in the Algarve, the question that arose was the need to continue these CLDS.
«In the situation of social emergency in the country, it is mandatory not only the continuation of CLDS contracts, but even more of these projects», defended Francisco Amaral, president of the Alcoutim Chamber.
The same opinion was shared by Nídia Cavaco, director of the Social Action and Education department of the Chamber of Faro: «in times of crisis, more than ever it makes sense to continue the CLDS and until its teams are reinforced with more technicians».
Isabel Guerreiro, councilor of the Portimão Chamber, in turn, stressed that “the benefits of these projects are so high, so high, that they can only continue”.
"The books say, the technicians say, we feel like mayors, that interventions like these only have effective results if they last over time," added Isabel Guerreiro.
Despite the cautious words of the director of CRSS do Algarve, who only admitted that there was "a concern of the tutelage with these projects, which have recognized results", the truth is that the Secretary of State for Solidarity and Social Security guaranteed, on the 26th of the past. March, the continuation of Local Contracts for Social Development, even advancing that the Government plans to invest more than ten million euros in the next two years.
The 54 CLDS signed at national level, six of which in the Algarve, are in the final phase of their life, but Marco António Costa, on a trip to Vila Franca de Xira, ensured the continuity of the projects, by signing new protocols or renovation of existing ones.
As Luís Coxo, one of the technicians of the “Eu Conto” project, promoted by GRATO in the social districts of Cruz da Parteira and Miracabo (Cardosas), in Portimão, would say, “by hand, with a lot of work, we won the friendship and complicity of the our users'. And that “families' trust” cannot now be wasted, after three years of intense work.
At the regional meeting in Portimão, experiences were shared by technicians representing the various CLDS – Local Social Development Contracts existing in the Algarve and the importance of these initiatives to combat social exclusion for the needy populations they are destined for.
The seminar also had the participation of people who are beneficiaries and participate in these projects, who showed much of their work with presentations in terms of music, singing and theater.
Note: The photos were kindly provided by Luís Coxo.
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