Azorean youth associations receive over €816,000 in public funding - Communication

Secretaria Regional da Juventude, Habitação e Emprego

Youth associations registered in the Azorean Register of Youth Associations benefited from regional public support totalling more than €816,000 between 2024 and 2025, as reported by the Regional Secretary for Youth, Housing and Employment at the opening of the administrative building of the Scout House complex, run by the National Scout Corps, in Ponta Delgada. 

This support, awarded under the Incentive System for the Development of Youth Associations (SIDAAJ), made it possible to invest in the implementation of youth associations' activity plans, as well as in equipment and headquarters or in supplementary activities, such as the organisation of and participation in training activities, explained Maria João Carreiro.

"Rather than just preaching and talking about the importance of associations, this Regional Government is working to encourage and stimulate action by youth associations," she said.

The Regional Secretary highlighted the "good example" of the National Scout Corps. Between 2024 and 2025, it submitted 84 projects to be developed with children and young scouts, whose implementation the Region contributed to with an investment of over €50,000.

This amount is supplemented by €82,000 in public funding over the same period for investment in equipment, headquarters and supplementary activities, as well as by €50,000 allocated through the Regional Directorate for Youth to the Scout House. The latter is "an infrastructure symbolising the commitment to training children and young people to exercise responsible citizenship committed to collective well-being," stated the government official. 

Currently, there are 28 youth associations or similar organisations registered in the Azorean Register of Youth Associations, which is 14 more than those registered in 2019.

"In the Azores, youth associations are alive and well and highly recommended," praised the Regional Secretary.

More than just a figure, "this growth clearly demonstrates the interest and commitment of young people as well as their confidence in a policy that encourages youth to organise themselves to meet their interests and needs, and to participate in building a pluralistic, inclusive and sustainable society," she said.

The Regional Government has increased the global amount of funding available for youth associations to implement and execute their activity plans for 2026. Overall, this amounts to €170,000, representing an increase of about €90,000 compared to public funding in 2019.

In the proposed Plan and Budget for 2026, which will be analysed and voted on at the end of this month by the Regional Legislative Assembly, the Azorean Government, through the Regional Secretariat for Youth, Housing and Employment, proposes to invest two million Euros next year "in programmes fostering a culture of personal investment by young people in their civic and professional training."