The 14 municipalities in the Braga district have joined forces to create a best practices manual for the Social Assistance and Support Service.
The initiative, considered unprecedented at a national level and one that could be replicated in other districts, promises faster and more equitable responses for all citizens in the region.
The District Procedures and Best Practices Manual was presented yesterday at the first Braga Social Community of Practice (CoP) Meeting, held in the Aula Magna of the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences at the Portuguese Catholic University in Braga.
As part of the decentralisation process and the transfer of Social Security responsibilities to municipalities, technicians and coordinators from across the Braga district joined forces to create an innovative working tool.
The initiative resulted in the presentation of a Best Practices Manual, designed to guide professionals working in the Social Assistance and Support Service (SAAS) and the Local Inclusion Unit (NLI) across the district's 14 municipalities.
Speaking to Diário do Minho, Isabel Lopes, coordinator of services in Vila Verde, and Aldina Silva, coordinator of services in Vila Nova de Famalicão, explained that the document was developed following an initial challenge from Social Security aimed at strengthening local authorities and ensuring that the entire territory shares the same standards of quality and social intervention methodology.
Creating the document required an effort to reconcile the different realities and approaches of each local authority. As Aldina Silva pointed out, the establishment of this network helped overcome the challenges faced by municipalities during the transition.
“When responsibilities were transferred, municipalities felt very much on their own, without guidance. The fact that we can come together in a room with colleagues from other municipalities gives us greater confidence, greater support and more knowledge,” she said.
The impact is now being felt directly by residents, who can expect standardised and effective services anywhere in the district.
Isabel Lopes stressed that the public benefits from “faster, more effective responses that involve people more closely”, ensuring that a citizen in Vila Verde receives the same level of technical rigour and support as someone in Famalicão or Fafe.
The project has been recognised by the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities as a good practice, standing out not only for the technical document itself but, above all, for the creation of an intermunicipal community of practice.
