A vital new social support programme, Radar Social Portimão, has launched in Portimão, and it’s calling on the entire community to get involved. Launched by the Portimão Council, this initiative aims to identify and support individuals and families facing social vulnerability, poverty, and exclusion across all three parishes of the municipality.
Since its launch in mid-August, a dedicated multidisciplinary team has been working on the ground to find and help those in need. The project is designed to provide early intervention and coordinate efforts among local social partners, ensuring that help reaches where it’s needed most, quickly and effectively. The programme is set to run until March 2026, funded as part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR).
Who is Being Helped?
The Social Radar team is focused on a wide range of issues that contribute to social exclusion. Their work addresses challenges such as:
- Poverty and food shortages.
- Isolation and lack of a support network.
- Precarious housing.
- Lack of access to healthcare.
- Domestic violence, abuse, and dependencies on alcohol or psychoactive substances.
In its first month of activity alone, the team received 38 referrals. The majority of these cases, around 66%, concerned men between the ages of 41 and 60. The most common situations identified were people experiencing homelessness, followed by individuals living in isolation without any support system.
How You Can Make a Difference
The success of this project relies on community involvement. The team, which includes four professionals from the fields of Social Education, Social Work, Sociology, and Management, works not only by direct action but also by responding to referrals from the public.
Under the motto “Signal to act, act to care”, the programme appeals to the social responsibility of every resident. The council is asking people not to remain indifferent and to report any potential cases of social exclusion they may encounter. This initiative strengthens the social support strategy that the municipality has been developing, especially during times of economic or social crisis.
If you are concerned about someone and believe they may be in a vulnerable situation, please reach out. Your call could be the first step in providing them with the care and support they need.
To report a situation to the Radar Social Portimão team, you can use the following contacts:
- Telephone: 963 114 211
- Email: radar.social@cm-portimao.pt
- Online Form: You can also fill out a form available at Radar Social Portimão
