Recognition of social responsibility in the scope of the work of the Local Network for the Support of Youths Leaving Foster Homes
The responsible for the Cabo do Mundo Karting Track, Paulo Duarte, was yesterday afternoon received in Paços do Concelho by the Mayor of Matosinhos, LuÃsa Salgueiro, and by the vice-president of the municipality, Carlos Mouta, for a ceremony recognizing the social responsibility of this emblematic space as part of the work of the Local Network of Support for Youth Leaving Foster Homes.
Since 2015, the Cabo do Mundo Kartodrome, in Perafita, has developed a partnership with the Matosinhos City Council and has been offering free go-kart racing to children and youth in the municipality, the first experience with this type of car for most of them.
So far, 377 children and young people from Matosinhos, in situations of social vulnerability, have made their Kart baptism, including in this number the young people from the three Foster Homes in the municipality of Matosinhos, Lar da Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Santa Casa da Misericórdia do Bom Jesus de Matosinhos, Obra do Padre Grilo and Lar da Santa Cruz.
The mayor praised the actions of the kart track and its president. "I am here to recognize this moment of sharing between autarchy, institutions, kart track and the youth. Matosinhos will be stronger if everyone shares what they can give," added Luisa Salgueiro.
The vice-president of the municipality also expressed his gratitude "for this initiative, civic and community, which provides a unique experience to so many young people in the municipality."
"When can we come back?" some of the young people present at the session asked the person in charge of the Kartodrome, smiling. "Whenever you want" answered Paulo Duarte, who took the opportunity to say "the best recognition I can have are the smiles of children and young people when they try the karts. We always try to be an integral part of the municipality. What we provide, we provide with affection", he mentioned.
In addition to the kart baptisms, there are other actions that result from the social sensitivity of the Kartodrome and its president that motivated this ceremony of tribute and recognition.
In 2017, they acquired a two-seater car, allowing the inclusion of children and young people with disabilities in the practice of this sport.
Another example of his action is the donation of about two thousand euros, as part of the partnership of the Local Network of Support for Young People Leaving Foster Homes - RLAJM, an amount that resulted from Paulo Duarte's initiative to raise awareness among karting racers so that the value of the medals they are awarded in different races would benefit the three Foster Homes in Matosinhos. A donation that aims to support cultural and leisure activities of these young people, as well as the moment of their autonomy when they leave the foster homes for an autonomous life, or others that mean a direct benefit for them, different from their daily lives.
The Cabo do Mundo Karting Track has created over the years opportunities for inclusive participation and allowed access to experience a sport with particular interest for children and young people, contact with different public figures such as Tiago Monteiro, José Pedro Fontes, Alvaro Parente and Helton Arruda, who have sponsored the Karting baptisms and the experience of fun moments in social interaction.
This partnership between the municipality, the kart track and social institutions is an example of how the private and public sectors can develop collaborative work and contribute to a more cohesive community, with greater equality of opportunities.
Also present at the session were Vasco Pinho, councilman for Sports of the Matosinhos City Hall, Pedro Gonçalves, president of the Union of the Parishes of Custóias, Leça do Balio and Guifões, and representatives of the management, technical team and young people from the three Foster Homes in the municipality of Matosinhos.
"This kind of experiences, they take them for life" acknowledged those responsible for the institutions present." To thank those who do us good" is something we work with them in the institutions. "Thank you very much for the opportunity that you give them", they concluded. It should be noted that the RLAJM was formalized through the signing of a partnership protocol in September 2021 and consists of thirteen entities, namely: the three Homes for Children and Young People - Lar Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Lar da Santa Cruz and Obra do Padre Grilo, the Municipal Housing Company - Matosinhos Habit; Centro de Emprego de Matosinhos; Centro Distrital de Segurança Social do Porto / Serviço Local de Matosinhos; Unidade Local de Saúde de Matosinhos; Portuguese Institute for Drugs and Drug Addiction - Integrated Response Centre Matosinhos - CRI; Portuguese Red Cross - Matosinhos Delegation and João Gonçalves Zarco High School.
The RLAJM aims to promote better social inclusion of young people leaving foster homes in life in society and to avoid (re)institutionalization and prevent (re)victimization, through their autonomy.