Maria Meneses is responsible for the international Relations Bureau, has experience in planning and implementing projects with European partners and exchanges with twin Cities. She is graduated in International Relations and has a master’s degree in Intercultural Relations. She has long experience in international projects embracing activities with twinning cities and development cooperation, including projects in the field of education, culture, and economy. In the last years she has been involved in anti-rumour campaign, local economic diplomacy and youth at risk projects, namely search for a space where NEET can be motivated and engaged.
About the municipality of Santa Maria de Feira
The Municipality of Santa Maria da Feira is a local authority, and it has about 800 employees. The municipality of Santa Maria da Feira has 140 000 inhabitants and is a member of the Porto Metropolitan Area since 2005, representing in 2011 about 8% of the population of this territory. Nevertheless the low representativeness of the AMP, in 2011 the municipality of Santa Maria da Feira had one of the highest percentages of young population in this region (11.6% of young people aged 15-24 years old (Source: INE, General Census of Population 2011).
Over the last years, there is a growth of young people without occupation, who neither study nor work, situation that generates to this group a spiral of demotivation, personal devaluation and social exclusion. In general these young people have low qualifications and come from fragile socioeconomic and family contexts, which constitute potential limitations to their psychosocial development and their integration into the labor market.
These youths, labeled as NEET are mostly unknown to formal support systems and, for that reason, they find themselves on the margins of social responses which seek to combat social exclusion, are not inscribed in employment centers and are economically dependent on their nuclear family, which, for the most part, receives social subsidies. When they perform a job function, it is often on time and the income that comes from it is not stated, subject to working conditions of little transparent legal boundaries, which, therefore, compromises their present stability and sustainability and security Future.
About the goals of Santa Maria de Feira
For SMF the main goal is to create a connector, an inspiring space for young people, which should be a collaborative space, supportive and nurturing working environment. An informal but stimulating place to work, meet, learn, and connect. A place oriented to integrate and to guide young people in risk of drop out school to the labor market. In the end a place designed to promote young peoples’ soft skills, employability as well the growth of self-employment and start-ups.
