The Government of the Azores, through the Regional Directorate for Science and Technology, opened today a tender for the allocation of aid to Information and Communication Technology spaces in Region, amounting to 550 thousand Euros.

Private social welfare institutions, private non-profit associations, "casas do povo," municipal councils and village councils may apply until December 18.
Each approved project will be granted the maximum annual amount of seven thousand Euros, which will be processed during next year.

In addition to supporting running costs and the maintenance of jobs, this tender also covers the costs incurred with the acquisition of computer equipment.

"This decision meets several requests from the entities that operate these spaces, who called for the existence of out-of-date computer equipment," stressed the Regional Secretary for the Sea, Science and Technology.

Fausto Brito e Abreu highlighted the importance of these spaces "in combating digital excluding," especially in rural villages. In this regard, the government official stressed the protocol signed in October by the Regional Secretariats for Social Solidarity and the Sea, Science and Technology for the use of ICT spaces by elderly citizens.

Under this protocol, the Government implemented a pilot project involving the elderly who attend the social centre on western Terceira; participants will take part in training and occupational modules on ICT. The purpose of this initiative is to promote active ageing, combat digital exclusion and social isolation as well as to raise the awareness of institutions working the elderly population for the benefits of the use of information technology.

In his speech at the ceremony, Fausto Brito e Abreu stressed that the Regional Government has awarded priority status to the universal access to new information technologies by all citizens.  Now, it will ensure the increase of support to "some groups of citizens with difficulties or specific needs in the access to these technologies or groups that would greatly benefit, in terms of their quality of life, with the use of these technologies."

The tender for the allocation of support to ICT spaces falls within the PRO-SCIENTIA programme, which aims to promote access to ICT and the digital inclusion of Azoreans, streamline the transfer of technological know-how, reduce isolation in the areas far from urban centres, and ensure the democratic nature of the information society by reducing the effects of insularity.

 Currently, there are seventy ICT spaces that provide free access to computers and the Internet. They are mostly frequented by young people, but also by the elderly and tourists.
The tender for support to ICT spaces may be found at https://idia.azores.gov.pt/ email.