The Associação Social Recreativa Cultural e Bem Fazer “Vai Avante” is a local non-governmental, non-profit organization with the status of Private Institution of Social Solidarity and Public Utility Institution, based in the parish of S.Pedro da Cova, Municipality of Gondomar. The mission of the Vai Avante Association consists of the social and cultural promotion of the inhabitants of the municipality of Gondomar, aiming to support families, children, youth and the elderly population, economically and socially more deprived. This objective is met, not only through the various valences and services existing in the institution but also through partnerships with other institutions and entities in order to enhance and increase the quality of the services provided. This institution is based on the development of an articulated work, involving the various social partners in order for the community to participate actively, promoting their quality of life and meeting some of their needs.
It has a wide range of services to support the community, coordinating 5 centres with very diverse valences as Daycare, Kindergarten, Recreation/Leisure Activities Center, Community Center, Social Center for the elderly, being the holder of a project called REaCORDAR, directed to the elderly with Alzheimer, Home Support Service, protocol of RSI and Professional Insertion Office. The institution also has a Snoezelen room, which enables the sensory stimulation of children and adults with difficulties, disability or dementia. In addition to the social area, the Vai Avante Association has a wide range of activities in the recreational and cultural field, namely the dance group Roda Viva, with about 100 young participants, the capoeira school, the music school, the theatre group Vai Avante, the sportfishing section, the classic checker’s section and the hiking group. The institution presents cooperation agreements with Social Security in the services of Daycare, Recreation/Leisure Activities Center, Community Center, Social Center and Home Support. It has an insertion social income protocol team, which is a social response in partnership with the Institute of Solidarity and Social Security, with the main goal of promoting autonomy and social inclusion. Currently, this multidisciplinary team accompanies 240 families, covering a total of 667 beneficiaries.
The institution also has the ‘GIP’- Gabinete de Inserção Profissional (Professional Insertion Office) being a space created from a partnership between the IEFP – Instituto de Emprego e Formação Profissional de Gondomar (Employment and Professional Training Institute of Gondomar) with the aim of providing the young and adult population of the municipality with support in the definition or development of their path of insertion/reintegration into the labour market. The ‘GIP’ also seeks to meet the needs of companies and collects job vacancies from them. It also publishes the hiring support measures that exist and assists companies in applying for internships.
Currently, the institution has going on, within the framework of the European Solidarity Corps (new European Union initiative aimed at young people, giving them the opportunity to volunteer or work on projects, at home or abroad) a solidarity project implemented by 5 young people on gender equality and another project in the measure of internship/employment and volunteering. At the European level, the institution is a partner in several KA2 mobility projects, promoted by Erasmus +
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