The Vice-President of the Government revealed today that the Government "has already supported 1,115 Azorean families under the "Stable Family" programme, promoting the professional reintegration of at least one of family member who is unemployed.

Sérgio Ávila stressed that the programme "allowed these 1,115 families to increase their income with the professional reintegration of, at least, one of the two members of the household."

Included in the Azorean Agenda for Employment Creation and Business Competitiveness, the programme created by the Government of the Azores awards priority status to the placement of unemployed with children entitled to family allowance in the employment programmes.

"It is a very important programme because it ensures these families a source of income from their work and prevents both members of the household from being unemployed," said Sérgio Ávila.

The distinction in terms of priority placement in employment programmes is carried out in accordance with the income level, which is assessed in a simple manner using a criterion defined by Social Security: the entitlement to family allowance.

"This programme reveals the huge success and excellent adhesion of beneficiaries. Hence, the Azores have significantly lowered the number of unemployed, which corresponds to a significant reduction in the unemployment rate and the sharp increase in the number of Azoreans who have found a job," said the Vice President.

In this context, Sérgio Ávila revealed that "there are more six thousand beneficiary families compared to those supported by this programme in the beginning of this legislative period."