The Regional Secretary for Social Solidarity highlighted in Ponta Delgada the "excellent work" of the "Family Meeting Point." As partner of the Regional Government, this initiative focuses its intervention on unstructured family contexts, providing a pioneering response at national and international level.
"I must acknowledge the 'Family Meeting Point' as an example of excellence. It is a true lesson in what is, in fact, relevant in building a service-space that, besides national and international recognition, has deserved the Regional Government's public recognition for the positive and transformative impact on our society over the last ten years," said Andreia Cardoso.
The Regional Secretary spoke at the celebrations of the 10th anniversary of this team, included the Centre for Family Therapy and Systemic Intervention, an entity established in 2008 in partnership with the Government of the Azores. On the occasion, the government official highlighted it as the first gender response nationwide that "provides a safe and constructive space for families, growing alongside them as it helps them overcoming the issues that destabilise the family unit.”
"We believe this is the true aim of social solidarity: to support and coordinate spaces of relations between citizens and between actors from different sectors of society, through open, constructive dialogue and, above all, a predisposition to learn from the contribution of all actors involved," said the government official.
Andreia Cardoso pointed out that "celebrating a decade of work, like the one we are celebrating today, should be based on a paradigm of achievements as well as on a collective heritage rooted on solidarity to be preserved."
"We work every day based on a wide range of measures, approaches, projects and, above all, results; none of which should be ignored," stated the government official. According to her, "they are the basis for the development of all our actions."
"Only those who are able to look at the past can look at the future," Andreia Cardoso said, noting the relevance of the assessment of this project.
"It represents the Government's recognition, but is, above all, the recognition of the Azoreans who benefit from the measures and actions we have jointly implemented," stated the Regional Secretary.