Regional Government includes young people from diaspora in “Bento de Góis” programme - Communication

Secretaria Regional da Juventude, Habitação e Emprego

Young people born in the Azores or of Azorean descent living in Portuguese diaspora communities are now included among the beneficiaries of the “Bento de Góis” mobility programme, run by the Regional Secretariat for Youth, Housing and Employment through the Regional Directorate for Youth.

The announcement was made on Tuesday by Maria João Carreiro during the 3rd Plenary Meeting of the Azorean Diaspora Council in Ponta Delgada, where she participated in the panel on “The new generations of the Azorean diaspora.” It was also attended by the Vice-Consul of the United States of America in the Azores, Christopher Gosselin.

According to the Regional Secretary for Youth, Housing and Employment, “this programme already included diaspora communities as hosts for young people residing in the Azores, but there was a need to create this opportunity to bring young people living in the diaspora to the Azores, with a view to fostering a sense of identity and interaction with young people living in the Region.”

In accordance with the new regulations of the “Bento de Góis” programme, published today in the Official Journal, “Action 4 – Diaspora in the Azores” has been created within the programme.

Projects promoting the mobility of young people born in the Azores or of Azorean descent living in the diaspora may be organised by the Houses of the Azores, as well as by religious, cultural, sporting and recreational associations whose activities are aimed at Azoreans or people of Azorean descent, or which are chaired by Azoreans or people of Azorean descent.

Applications are open throughout the year and must be submitted via the Youth Portal, at juventude.azores.gov.pt, 60 days before the beginning of the project in the Azores.

Projects to welcome young people living in the diaspora may be proposed and run locally by associations registered with the Azorean Register of Youth Associations, informal youth groups, young people aged 18 or over on an individual basis, basic education, secondary and vocational schools, non-profit associations with activities aimed at young people, or cooperatives involved in social support for young people.

“We want to bring young people from the diaspora into dialogue. We aim to encourage them to exchange experiences with young people living in the Region, united not only by shared ties of identity but also by their willingness, desire and interest to look at the Azores and project them into a future of even greater modernity,” defended the Regional Secretary.

Groups travelling to the Azores must have a minimum of five and a maximum of 12 participants, with each young participant receiving a daily allowance to cover accommodation, food, transport and activities during the project.

Projects have a minimum duration of four days and a maximum of six days, excluding travel days.

Maria João Carreiro also pointed out that young people born in the Azores or of Azorean descent living in Azorean communities around the world can still benefit from the Interjovem Card. They can get discounts and special offers on travel, food, leisure and tourism, as well as from EGTC –Support Programme for Entrepreneurship, Creativity and Young Talent, through which projects developed by the Houses of the Azores are supported to promote Azorean identity outside the Region.

The government official defended that we must continue to create “permanent bridges” between young Azoreans living in the Region and those living in the diaspora, “transforming the emotional ties to their roots into an active involvement, knowledge and cooperation” that will allow them to experience the Azores beyond family memories.

“We must ensure that a young person of Azorean descent, even if born far from our islands, feels that the Azores are theirs too and that they can play a part in the decisions, changes and ambitions of this land,” defended Maria João Carreiro.