On November 18 took place the ceremony for the approval of the first batch of projects that are part of the Action Plan for Disadvantaged Communities of the Porto Metropolitan Area (AMP), attended by Prime Minister António Costa.

In his speech presenting the Action Plan for Disadvantaged Communities of the AMP the Prime Minister stated that “every penny [of the RRP] must be used with all the transparency, all the responsibility and the maximum efficiency to guarantee that every penny really accomplishes its objectives, in this case, to overcome exclusion, fight poverty, and have communities with greater social cohesion”.

António Costa recalled some of the goals of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), stressing its importance and unique character as it represents "a great challenge for society and a challenge that no one will forgive us if we fail to meet". He also stated that "the PT2030 will continue to exist, as the PT2020 existed until now. However, there will not be another programme of exceptional, unrepeatable nature like the RRP, created in this dramatic and unique situation facing Covid. Hopefully we won’t have to face another dramatic situation like this and there will be no opportunity for a new RRP", he explained. 

The Action Plan for Disadvantaged Communities will consist of six interventions of a territorial nature and supra-municipal scope, which aim to promote social and economic development, and a metropolitan line focused on innovation, capacity building, participation and community involvement.

Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues, President of the Porto Metropolitan Council, recalled that this is the largest financial package that AMP has ever had at its disposal, so the main objective is to "transform social innovation projects into new public policies".

There must be over 400,000 people inserted in disadvantaged communities in the AMP and, given the various issues covering a series of areas, the plan of the AMP is to intervene not only in various areas such as health, environment and education, but also supporting informal caregivers and isolated elderly people, for example.

The President of the Metropolitan Council also stated that the work will be developed until December 31, 2025, but that "in some cases, the projects will have the duration of the plan and this is how it has to be. In other cases, the plan will be to hold the bike's seat and help people learn how to ride. At some point the plan ends and we take our hand off the seat”.

This first batch of fifty applications approved, amounting to more than €21 million, includes projects in areas as diverse as the Promotion of Oral, Mental, Primary and Community Health, and Health Education; combating social isolation through sports and cultural practices (elderly people and people with disabilities); social rehabilitation of at-risk groups; social inclusion and civic participation; digital literacy; employment and social inclusion; rehabilitation of social infrastructure; re-skilling and capacity-building actions for an efficient use of resources.

Ariana Pinho, CEO of the Porto Metropolitan Executive Board, said that "from the point of view of the process, while still at the beginning of the path, the assessment is necessarily positive, having been possible so far to respond affirmatively to each of the demanding milestones and targets that have been placed on the AMP and its Municipalities by the RRP." She stressed, however, that "the fight against poverty and the promotion of social inclusion of disadvantaged communities require long-term interventions developed within the framework of a transformative process that may be prolonged and consolidated over time."

More information on the Action Plan for the AMP’s Disadvantaged Communities HERE.

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Photographs: Francisco Teixeira