«Working from Tavira, Algarve, to any part of the world, has become not only desirable, but also necessary. And working away from home, as we all did during the pandemic and at a distance, has become a new reality that will leave its marks on the way we work and how we interact," said the Minister of Territorial Cohesion, this Tuesday , in Santa Catarina da Fonte do Bispo.
Ana Abrunhosa was speaking during the signing of Cooperation Agreements for the creation of the national network of spaces for coworking in the interior, which took place at the Zer0 Museum, located in the interior of the municipality of Tavira.
In this first phase of the network, by the end of June, 53 spaces will be opened in as many municipalities: 11 in the Algarve, three in Alentejo, 16 in the North region and 23 in the Centre. The list of exact locations has not yet been released.
António Miguel Pina, Mayor of Olhão and of the Intermunicipal Community of the Algarve (AMAL), also present at the ceremony, stressed that «these 11 points of coworking in the Algarve region, which represent 20% of the 53 nationally, they clearly demonstrate the union of the Algarve's municipalities in the development of their interior».
For her part, Ana Paula Martins, mayor of Tavira, host of the signing ceremony of the agreements, said that “from the municipality's side, the interior has always deserved our utmost attention”. "Creating these areas will be the important starting point for us to improve the settlement of people in the interior and reduce asymmetries," added the Tavirense mayor.
The 11 spaces of coworking in the Algarve will be located in the municipalities of Albufeira, Alcoutim, Castro Marim, Faro, Loulé, Monchique, Olhão, Portimão, São Brás de Alportel, Silves and Tavira, municipalities whose mayors or other representatives were in Santa Catarina da Fonte do Bispo to sign the agreements.
Minister Ana Abrunhosa added that many of these spaces coworking «are already fully operational, others in the operational phase». The goal is that "in June we will have 40 spaces fully operational in the country, that is, fully equipped with broadband, furniture and equipment," added the minister.
The spaces will be made available by the municipalities and will have electronic equipment at their disposal (computers, printers and internet access), will be fully furnished and will be divided into areas of different types, in order to have free benches for various periods of occupation, zones private facilities for video calls, meeting areas and venues for presentations or training.
These coworkings they will be located in central spaces, close to services, cultural spaces or spaces intended for the practice of sports, with the aim of including as many people as possible who want to use them.
These spaces, explained the government official, will be "open to anyone who wants to work there, regardless of the employer, including the State", making everyone benefit from this network, not only people who will be teleworking, but also producers and local workers.
The Municipal Councils will be responsible for their dissemination, through the publication of photos or videos on their pages or social networks, allowing the realization of virtual visits by any interested parties, as well as disclosing all information regarding the characteristics of the space, conditions of use , annual calendar, hours of use and associated cost.
«Teleworking, with its vicissitudes, was already pointed out as the path for the evolution of the labor market, and the pandemic accelerated this path. Companies that often questioned whether they could organize themselves in this way had to do it in days», stressed the Minister for Territorial Cohesion.
Ana Paula Martins, mayor of Tavira, added that "the pandemic has opened up to us the perspective that telework may be a new way of working, where we can find some advantages."
The national network of spaces for coworking “Teleworking in the Interior. Local Life, Global Work” is an initiative of the Ministries of Territorial Cohesion and of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security which will have 11 spaces dedicated to teleworking in the Algarve region.
The signing of the first phase agreements was also attended by the Minister of Labor Ana Mendes Godinho (via video), the Secretary of State for the Valorization of the Interior, as well as José Apolinário, president of CCDR Algarve, the vice-president Elsa Cordeiro, and also Madalena Feu, regional delegate of the Employment and Professional Training Institute, and Paulo Teixeira Pinto, founder and main responsible for the Zer0 Museum.
Telework and the coworking they assume particular importance for inland territories in reducing the geographic asymmetry of professional offers, democratizing opportunities between regions with high and lower population density.
The network, in line with the objectives of the Interior Enhancement Program, also intends to encourage the settlement of people in these less populated areas of the country, thus promoting the sharing of experiences and ideas between workers from various contexts and origins, because «these spaces have to to encourage interaction between the people who are there, people from different backgrounds, because that will always result in projects and ideas», concluded the minister.
Photos: Rúben Bento | Sul Informação
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