The Government of the Azores announced today the creation of the Special Housing Support Programme for workers with wage arrears for at least three months.

"This programme aims to support households under housing loans that were signed until December 31, 2012 for the acquisition, construction and conservation works of permanent housing regardless of the credit scheme," said the Regional Secretariat for Tourism and Transport during the presentation of Press Release from the Council of the Government that met in Horta on Monday.

According to Vítor Fraga, this support measure will be allocated in the payment of the interest of loans to beneficiaries during the grace period granted by the credit institutions that have signed the protocol with the Region.

The Council of the Government has approved an amendment to the Training programme for Small and Medium Companies, an initiative designed to improve the employability and professional status of workers facing situations of corporate crises; it now includes companies in the sector of tourist animation activities.
On the other hand, Vítor Fraga announced the creation of the "Jovem +" (Youth +) programme, an initiative intended to encourage social entrepreneurship targeted at youngsters between 12 and 30 years and youth associations.

"This new programme awards priority status to the prevention of early school dropout, the integration of youngsters with fewer opportunities, the promotion of youth volunteering, the fostering of entrepreneurship and employability, and the development of partnerships in international projects," said the government official.

The Regional Government also adopted a Resolution amending the legal framework of the Regional Entrepreneurship Competition, a programme intended to stimulate the creativity and the entrepreneurial behaviour of competitors who present their innovative business ideas.

According to Vítor Fraga, this competition, which falls under the Strategic Plan for Entrepreneurship 2013-2016, will now have three phases. This plan comprises the selection of the five best projects, the provision of management consulting and/or training in entrepreneurship for the development of business ideas and, finally, the presentation of their business plans.

The Azorean Government also established the terms and access conditions concerning the support measures allocated by the Azores Regional Welfare Fund; the latter was created to support temporary situations economic deprivation and over-indebtedness. In addition, this fund also provides additional support to the School Welfare Fund, groups at risk and the development of Social Work.

At the meeting held in Horta, the Council of the Government also approved a proposal for a Regional Legislative Decree defining the legal framework on the support to cultural activities and a Regional Implementing Decree establishing the legal scheme on the Regional Council of Culture. This advisory body is under the jurisdiction of the governmental department for the area of culture and it has powers to decide on matters related with cultural policies in accordance to the provisions in the structure of XI Government that was approved in 2012.

In addition to the Regional Director for Culture, this body will include representatives of regional and island museums, public libraries and regional archives, representatives of the Association of Municipalities of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, the National Association of Azorean Villages and the Diocese of Angra do Heroísmo. The Regional Council of Culture will also comprise 10 personalities from the fields of architecture, graphic and visual arts, literature, music, performing arts, media and humanities and social sciences.