MEP José Gusmão, from Bloco de Esquerda, visited, on the 16th, the Live Science Center in Faro, where he had the opportunity to learn about the work carried out by the Center in promoting the Ria Formosa ecosystem and in environmental education.
He became aware of the difficulties and unpredictability of financing that institution, whose budget does not even cover personnel expenses. «In addition, the Centre's professionals who are not in mobility do not have careers and, although highly qualified, have low wages», stresses the Block.
Cristina Veiga-Pires is the executive director of the Center located next to the Doca de Faro, in the complex of the former Electric Power Station, which celebrated its 25th anniversary on the 3rd of August and was the first Centro Ciência Viva in the country.
This Center integrates and collaborates in national and international projects, thus contributing to a diversification of offers considering different aspects.
The service provided by this non-profit association, with regard to scientific and technological dissemination among the population, is remarkable and presents visible evidence of success and enterprise.
The Activities Program aimed at all ages presents a variety of actions for the development of scientific and technological culture. CCVAlg is a member of the network Ecsite – The European Network of Science Centers and Museums, participates in the EQUITY@ECSITE group and is also part of the destinations presented by Accessible Portugal. In its first year of implementation, the Plan for Gender Equality is an excellent example of a policy to promote citizenship.
José Gusmão, as a member of the Interparliamentary Group on Disability, highlighted the importance of these projects, praising the accessibility conditions of the space and good practices for equity and inclusion.
The MEP was aware of the physical, material and human resources available to those who work and visit the space and also the difficulties experienced by science communicators. 🇧🇷
«Wage inequalities between workers with equivalent qualifications and with the same socio-professional profile remove any kind of future perspective», stresses the Block.
«The lack of specialized administrative support, delays and bureaucratic demands of funding programs are some of the problems presented, which condition the work carried out at the center, the type of scientific offer for dissemination and affect the planning of the entire management», adds BE.
The wage gap between the existing Living Science Centers in the country is twice as high as the remuneration attributed to workers with the same functions.
Therefore, defends José Gusmão, «it is urgent to safeguard the rights of these science communicators and create ways of fixing them, since they have no guarantees of their continuity and the prospect of progression is non-existent».
«We need policies that foster scientific and technological culture, but also to ensure that these spaces of excellence are able to continue offering a quality service to their workers and visitors», concludes the blockist MEP.
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