The Government of the Azores has decided to revise the Occupational Programme - PROSA by simplifying and extending the scope of its recipients, namely those aged 45 or more.
The changes introduced now contained in a resolution published today in the Official Journal and aim to allow a greater number of people have access to an occupational nature program whose main objective is the maintenance of working habits to people inactive meet long or belonging to households undergoing serious socio-economic crises and wishing to reintegrate the labour market.
According to this resolution, PROSA will also be open to people with disabilities as well as to those in situation of situation of social vulnerability who wish to have a professional experience that will bring them closer to the reality of labour and promote their entry into the labour market.
Occupational activity projects are presented by public or private non-profit entities and can have duration of 12 months. There is the possibility of extending the programme for a period up to six months at the request of promoters.
Since 2000, PROSA has been a programme of reference in the context of occupational employment measures in the Azores. It has helped, over the last 15 years, many Azoreans who saw it as opportunity to show what they are still able and useful in their communities.
Under the programme's regulations, the activities to be developed under PROSA cover several areas, ranging from the promotion of environmental quality tasks related to cleaning of public spaces to the support of afforestation and nature conservation activities and surveillance tasks.
It also covers social support activities in the areas of social solidarity, education, health and promotion of cultural heritage.
At the time of its creation, the Regional Government had already stipulated that the unemployed placed in PROSA projects should receive a monthly allowance equivalent to the minimum wage in force in the Region.
According to the programme's regulations, participants are covered by the social security scheme for employees, which makes them eligible unemployment benefits in the future.