Applications for the Empodera+ program close this Friday (27)

This Friday (27) is the last day to register for the EMPODERA+ (Dignified Work, Education, and Income Generation Program for LGBTQIA+ Individuals). The initiative, organized by the State Secretariat for Racial Equality and Human Rights (SEIRDH), is part of the National Strategy for Dignified Work, Education, and Income Generation for LGBTQIA+ Individuals, developed through a Technical Cooperation Agreement with the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship (MDHC).

The EMPODERA+ is a public social policy that includes the preparation and occupation of the LGBTQIA+ community in the job market. The intention is the autonomy of the target audience. In Pará, at this stage, vacancies are offered for individuals in situations of social vulnerability residing in municipalities corresponding to the Guajará Region (Belém, Ananindeua, Benevides, Marituba, and Santa Bárbara do Pará).

The head of SEIRDH, Edilza Fontes, believes that this is a significant advancement in ensuring the rights and dignity of LGBTQIA+ individuals. "The implementation of EMPODERA+ shows that we are on the right track to ensure that these individuals have more opportunities, with increased education, training, and access to the job market," celebrates the secretary.

The initiative not only promotes access, retention, and advancement in professional careers for LGBTQIA+ individuals but also supports the inclusion of these individuals in income-generating activities freely, with guaranteed labor and social security rights, through Solidarity Economy, Cooperativism, and Entrepreneurship, according to the Methodological and Service Guide of the Pilot Project of the Program.

For the Director of Human Rights at SEIRDH, Verena Arruda, EMPODERA+ is a policy that generates real change in people's lives. "It is this concreteness of an effective public policy, of a direct delivery to LGBTQIA+ individuals in the state of Pará. Much more than visibility actions, cultural actions, actions that may involve parades, events, bringing a program that can transform the lives of people in the medium, long term, perhaps even in the short term, is something very important in this process of social inclusion and opportunity. Very few states were awarded in this first stage, and we were one of them," she highlights.

Scholarships

Scholarships for maintenance will be granted as follows:

100 scholarships of R$ 200.00 for up to 2 months, for the preparation of the Individual Service Plan (PIA) and that is independent of the beneficiary's income;
30 scholarships of R$ 1,000.00, after the preparation of the PIA, for 9 months for individuals with an income below 1.5 minimum wage;
50 scholarships of R$ 250.00, after the preparation of the PIA, for 9 months, for individuals with an income above 1.5 minimum wage.
Throughout the execution period, the program will have a technical team composed of a general coordinator, a psychologist, a social worker, an educator, and a job vacancy and partnership facilitator. These professionals will be responsible for supporting the beneficiaries in their journeys within the program.

Applications

Interested individuals can register virtually or in person at the SEIRDH headquarters, located at Rua Arcipreste Manoel Teodoro, No. 1020, until June 27. Interested parties must submit, in person, copies of the documents listed in the notice and the registration form. Virtually, the registration questionnaire must be filled out and the documents sent via the link provided on the secretary's website.

Who can participate?

Individuals who self-declare as LGBTQIA and are over 18 years old can participate. Registrants cannot have a formal employment relationship, that is, a signed Work Card. However, they can have informal income. Of the total number of vacancies, at least 50% must be occupied by black individuals, as well as at least 50% of the vacancies must be occupied by trans individuals or travestis.

The following profiles are considered priority for the Pilot Project of the Empodera+ Program:

Unemployed individuals in social vulnerability who have not completed basic education;
Unemployed individuals in social vulnerability who have completed basic education and wish to qualify for the job market through vocational or technical courses;
Unemployed individuals in social vulnerability who have completed basic education and wish to access the job market or support for income generation, without pursuing qualification for the job market through vocational or technical courses;
Unemployed individuals who have qualifications or professional experience and wish to access the job market or support for income generation;
Unemployed individuals who have qualifications or professional experience and only wish to access citizenship training and human rights.

Text by Fernanda Graim / Ascom SEIRDH