The "Young Students" sub-programme started today with 210 youngsters participating in 113 projects, which corresponds to an increase of 96.2% in the number of youngsters involved in this initiative and 54.8% in the number of projects, compared to the previous year.

For the Regional Director for Youth, Bruno Pacheco, this increase evidences that "despite the current context, this year's figures show the effort undertaken by the Azorean Government in consolidating the offer of non-formal training programmes."

Bruno Pacheco said that "OTL/J (Youth Free Time Occupation programme), namely the "Winter" initiatives, is something we believe to be an asset for the youngsters who participate in this project as it enables them to acquire skills that may be important in defining the academic path."

The sub-programme, which comprises the areas of tourism, administration, scientific research and new Information and Communication technologies, represents "an estimated investment of 126,000 Euros in a global estimated amount of 900,000 Euros for 2012." This investment "evidences the financial effort undertaken by the Government," added the Regional Director for Youth.

The mobilisation of young students for a useful occupation of their leisure time, such as the participation in activities that allow them to pursue their scientific interests, and the participation in socio-cultural activities are some of the goals of the sub-programme as well as the promotion, dissemination and survey of historical and cultural heritage.

"Young Students" is aimed at youngsters aged between 16 and 21 years enrolled at secondary schools, or similar, in a maximum of three subjects as well as at youngsters who completed their secondary school education, but who have not enrolled in higher education.

The sub-programme is also targeted at young university students, aged between 19 and 24 years with a weekly course load up to 20 hours and who have not participated in this sub-programme as university students for two consecutive years.

The "Young Students" sub-programme has a maximum duration of five months and takes place between the first week of January and the last week of May.