The Government of the Azores will strengthen in 2012 the policies to support the most vulnerable households at a time when families are experiencing the effects of the current situation and are being called for more sacrifices, " announced the Regional Secretary for Labour and Social Solidarity during the debates on the proposals for Regional Annual Plan and Budget for 2012 in Horta.

With the approval of the 2012 Plan, the Azorean Government closes the X Legislature with "twice the estimated investment in the development of the Social Solidarity System, Ana Paula Marques underlined, adding that "despite the unfavourable economic situation and the measures set by Troika,” there will be 13%i increase concerning the funds for investing in the development of the Social Solidarity System.”

According to the government official, “the reinforcement of the Social Compensation Fund under the 2012 Plan, with a global allocation of 11 million, is addressed at the well-being and quality of life of Azorean families that takes place in the Plan of 2012, which has a global allocation of 11 million Euros. It aims to reduce the negative impact of some austerity measures in force nationwide, which are causing a sharp economic downturn.”

The 10% increase of the Regional Complement to Child Benefit for Children and Youth are other measures to support families, Ana Paula Marques added, stressing that the Government of the Azores has increased by 21% the amount of this regional complement over the past two years.

With this measure, the Regional Government intends "to tackle the national trend to decrease social support, which set an overall reduction of 35% of the global amount granted to families."

Strengthening the nursing homes offer, home support services, day and night centres, "always with a view to creating more proximity services and promote aging with dignity" are other measures under the 2012 Plan.

Mentioning the support to children and youngsters, the Azorean Government will invest in the construction of "new day nurseries in areas with significant population growth and low infrastructure coverage," said Ana Paula Marques.

Regarding people with disabilities, the Government of the Azores will also strengthen the network of occupational activity centres and residential homes for the disabled without family support.

In addition to the upgrading of social infrastructures, the Azorean Government aims to improve the quality of the services provided. In this regard, the Regional Secretary explained, new procedure manuals are being developed to assess the quality and efficiency of social support network.

In the area of housing, the Government of the Azores expects to support nearly 1,100 families through the “Famílias com Futuro” (Families with Future) programme, Ana Paula Marques stated, explaining that "with the equivalent investment effort" it will be possible to "cover more households as well as to strengthen and formalise the dynamics of the leasing market.”

Mentioning the renewal of degraded housing, the Regional Secretary recalled that “the Regional Government has already approved 916 applications over the last two years, corresponding to an increase of nearly 66% compared to the previous legislative period.”

In the area of employment and professional qualification, the 2012 Plan “envisages the increase in training programmes addressed at the unemployed, thereby strengthening social intervention for employability."

According to Ana Paula Marques, "the lack of bank financing for our companies and families, the loss of purchasing power in recent months due to the measures implemented by the Government of the Republic, including the reduction of Christmas and Holidays bonuses" may contribute, through “the reduction in consumption, to the rise of unemployment in the commercial and services sectors.”

Given this situation, Ana Paula Marques ensured that "the Government will continue to closely monitor the unemployed, activating, through the Social Compensation Fund, support mechanisms to help the poorest households, thus minimising the effects of the crisis."