It was a long-held dream that this Saturday, September 7th, became a reality. The Algarve Association of Parents and Friends of Mentally Handicapped Children (AAPACDM) inaugurated its new facilities which also include a residential home and an Activities and Training Center for Inclusion (CACI).
The moment was part of the Municipality Day celebrations.
Ao Sul Informação, Sandra Gonçalves, director of services and vice-president of the board of directors of the Algarve Association, explained how this was a project “designed many years ago” and that only now came to fruition, with the support of CRESCAlgarve 2020.
The work, which began in August 2022, is now complete and, in addition to a new headquarters, AAPACDM also has a residential home and a CACI.
“Both responses have capacity for 30 users each. The vacancies are already filled and we have a waiting list because this is a huge need both for young people from our institution and for others who come to us as referrals”, said Sandra Gonçalves.
Furthermore, this type of care “is a necessary response for this type of young person who reaches an age where their parents are no longer able to keep them at home”, he considered.
“We will welcome both young people and families. We do not want it to be a typical residential home where people are institutionalized: it will have plenty of outdoor space and dialogue with the young people from CACI,” he added.
The name chosen for this new building is not innocent: “Compromisso” is a tribute to the street where AAPACDM was located for decades, since the end of the 60s.
The facilities, in downtown Faro, were already small and did not allow new features to be added to the association.
Clara Marques Mendes, Secretary of State for Social Action and Inclusion, participated in the inauguration of the new headquarters of the Algarve Association, where she gave high praise to the work done by the City Council. Faro and its president Rogério Bacalhau.
"I would like to thank the local authority for the work it has been doing. This sector must be recognised by the State because it never fails people and my coming here is also a sign of this commitment and need," he said.
The minister also argued that there must be “coordination” in an “area that requires special attention”.
“We talk a lot about inclusion, but there is still a lot to be done. There is still a long way to go, but we need to be more ambitious. We need to look at what is needed. We are listening to as many entities as possible to understand why there are aspects that are actually easy to implement and make a difference in people’s lives,” he concluded.
The works cost around 5 million euros and the inauguration was also attended by Rogério Bacalhau, president of the City Council of Faro, Margarida Flores, District Director of the Social Security Institute, José Apolinário, President of the Algarve Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR), and Jorge Leitão, President of the Algarve Association.
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