The Regional Director for Youth praised the work that has been developed by the team of "Enlace" project, through the use of "alternative learning methodologies."

"The team of 'Enlace' project has played an innovative role in the promotion of an integrated, open and flexible curriculum," said Pilar Damião. The government official spoke at Canto da Maia Basic Education School during the opening of a mechanical workshop for MTB bikes, an initiative that falls within this project.

For the Regional Director, this project is able to promote "a comprehensive learning for youngsters that not only tackles school failure and dropout, but also promotes social inclusion, respect and the accountability of young citizens."

In addition to the opening of the workshop, Pilar Damião announced that the Regional Directorate for Youth intends to support the "Circo Social" project, an initiative to be developed next year in a partnership between "Enlace" and the 9 Circos Association.

Being the result of a partnership between the Government of the Azores and several public and private companies, the "Enlace" project aims to promote the inclusion of all students enrolled at Canto da Maia Basic Education School, with special emphasis on students with special education needs who are at risk of dropping out.

The project is based on an educational strategy that aims to create a teaching-learning system that coordinates, on a regular basis, a set of specific and adapted programmes in the context of the special education curriculum and the regional curriculum for Basic Education.

Created in 2012, the "Enlace" project also counts the support of the Regional Directorate for Education. This initiative is also focused on other aspects, such as communication, publishing, arts, crafts, science and technology, animation, creativity, citizenship and the life experiences of students.