"It's a dream come true, to make the dreams of many people come true." That was how, with this pun, Marlene Guerreiro, vice-president of the São Brás de Alportel Chamber, referred to the Coworking Space, which was inaugurated yesterday on the main avenue of the village.
The space, which is mainly aimed at young entrepreneurs, was inaugurated this Wednesday, August 12th, International Youth Day. And registration for the five individual spaces, intended for as many entrepreneurs, open today. The rules for the competition to allocate the spaces are published on the municipality's website.
Vítor Guerreiro, mayor, stressed that “in São Brás, there are good examples of what young people can do”, as they are a true “engine of dynamism in the municipality”.
The vice president recalled that the place where the Coworking Space now operates opened its doors in 2008, then as Internet Space, «helping young people and less young people to have access to the internet». But this valence, with the popularization of accesses even on the mobile phones of each one, was «having less and less demand».
Then came the idea: «why not convert the space, so that it can be the first headquarters of a company?». And that was how, involving various sectors of the municipality and various entities - Institute for Employment and Professional Training (IEFP), National Association of Young Entrepreneurs (ANJE), Entrepreneurship Office of the University of Algarve (CRIA) or Algarve STP, IAPMEI, In Loco – this space emerged which, according to Marlene Guerreiro, has the «ambition of working in the first place in connection with entities that promote entrepreneurship», and will also have functions of «mentoring, support and networking».
“We don't just want tenants here. This is an incubation space. We do not want entrepreneurs to gain roots here, but wings», added the vice-president of the municipality.
Therefore, the contracts to be made with future entrepreneurs who will occupy the five jobs will be for six months, with the first month free. They can be extended up to a maximum of two years.
Madalena Feu, IEFP regional delegate, who was nicknamed the “godmother” of the new São Brás Coworking Space, stressed that “young people are the most fragile group in terms of unemployment”, so that, in this crisis at Covid-19 , have been «one of the groups where unemployment increased the most, namely in the Algarve».
However, it is also the young people who "make us believe that anything is possible", stressed the official, revealing that, with regard to the Investe Jovem program, "we have not noticed a drop in the applications entered in our services".
However, São Brás de Alportel's support to its entrepreneurs, of all ages, will not stop here – in addition to other coworking spaces that already exist, namely the one operated by In Loco – the Chamber's president Vítor Guerreiro announced the opening, “after the summer”, of another space also “here in Avenida da Liberdade”.
It is the Entrepreneurial Nest “4 Olhos”, which will open in September, with 4 individual offices, to welcome entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs in the start of their projects.
For the future, there will also be the Incubation and Entrepreneurship Center, to be included in Quarteirão 4 Olhos, integrated in the PARU, Urban Regeneration Action Plan, and which is presented by the municipality as a «very ambitious project, in terms of the investment necessary for its implementation'.
The Oficina das Artes will also be created, to be developed in Parque Roberto Nobre, in the building of the former olive oil mill. The project will be paid for by PADRE, Action Plan for the Development of Endogenous Resources.
Through the refurbishment of the old oil mill, where a carpentry workshop already operates, which houses creative residences of the «Design & Ofícios» project, the City Council of São Brás intends to create «a multipurpose space», which «creates live work spaces for artisans, artists, professionals from the most diverse areas, with a strong tourist attraction”, but also with “training and incubation functionality for projects and companies in the area of creative industries”.
In addition, part of the old building will be rehabilitated to create a Memory Space for the Old Oil Press.
.
The São Brás de Alportel Coworking Space, whose logo was designed by the young creative Ricardo Martins, includes the following services:
>Shared work room (open space) with 5 individual spaces
>Meeting and training room
> Air conditioning / internet connection / accessibility
>administrative support and receipt of correspondence
>projection equipment for training and other activities
>small file space
>storage pantry
>accessible toilet
>outer identification plate and advertising display
>promotion and dissemination
Applications are open from today, August 13th, in the Coworking Space itself and also through the email [email protected]
Help us to do the Sul Informação!
Contribute your donation so that we can continue to make your journal!
Click here to support us (Paypal)
Or use our IBAN PT50 0018 0003 38929600020 44
Comments