The Regional Secretary for Social Solidarity highlighted in Angra do Heroísmo the role played by social economy in the fight against poverty and promotion of social inclusion, stressing that the Regional Government allocated 11.1 million Euros to this area under the Operational Programme 2020.

"We believe that social economy has great potential in the region," Andreia Cardoso said, adding that this potential will be fulfilled by endowing especially vulnerable groups with skills, particularly those that may enhance their employability.

In this context, the funds allocated by the Government of the Azores for this area in the coming years are aimed at "the improvement of the regional network of social economy in order to optimise its efficiency as well as to encourage the creation of companies and the modernisation of existing ones as an employability strategy for vulnerable groups."

Speaking at the closing session of presentation of the TRAD(E)-IN, Andreia Cardoso stressed that"the growing number of young entrepreneurs evidences the importance of specific actions for the age group and the need to develop public policies to increase youth employability."

The TRAD(E)-IN project was established as a training program for young people in traditional activities identified as areas with economic potential. This initiative is intended to provide young people in situations of social vulnerability with skills that will promote their integration into the labour market.

"The commitment to the preservation of traditional activities is the responsibility of all of us insofar as it is the legacy of us all. Nevertheless, the modernisation of these activities is also important insofar as their economic potential will be safeguarded with the increase of profitability through innovation," stressed Andreia Cardoso, who praised the concern of this initiative towards the protection of traditional economic sectors.

In addition to "revitalising existing resources, this project returns the product of its efforts to the community where it is being implemented."

This initiative is promoted by Cáritas Association on Terceira Island and is supported by the Regional Directorate for Social Solidarity and the Active Citizenship Programme; the latter is developed by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

Andreia Cardoso reiterated that the Government of the Azores "chose Private Social Solidarity Institutions (IPSS) and 'Santas Casas da Misericórdia' as partners in the implementation of social policies", pointing out the fight against poverty and the promotion of social inclusion as two fundamental goals.

"The Government has its own services and structures for the development of social work. However, developing it in conjunction with the community is as important as developing it directly," the government official said, assuring that "these partnerships will be further developed."