The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for Parliamentary Affairs concluded today a series of meetings with party youth organisations in the Azores, having met with the Social Democratic Youth, the Communist Youth, the Youth of "Bloco de Esquerda" (Left Bloc), the Socialist youth and the Monarchist youth.
 
At these meetings, which were also attended by the Regional Director for Youth, the main priorities in youth policies for the next four years were under discussion. In this context, employment, training and qualification and civic participation will be the main guidelines of the Regional Government's action for this area.
 
"It became apparent in the meetings we had that the efforts undertaken by the Regional Government to promote the integration of Azorean young people into the labour market were welcomed, despite the several concerns mentioned that we will take into consideration," said Berto Messias.
 
For the Regional Secretary, "this effort is evidenced in the results we have achieved in the significant reduction of unemployment in the Azores, the increase of the employed population and the fact that we now register the lowest youth unemployment rate in the last five years."
 
"These good indicators are not reassuring. We know that there is much work to do and that is what we will remain committed," said the government official. He added that "the recently approved Government's Programme is very clear about our commitment to strengthen youth employment strategies, which will begin to be implemented in the short-term under Plan and Budget for 2017."
 
After this round of meetings with party youth organisations, the Regional Directorate for Youth will visit all regional youth associations, promoting a position of proximity and dialogue.