Intercultural mediation services at the Townsman Office

The Townsman Office (Gabinete do Munícipe) offers the Intercultural and Municipal Mediation service, which is available upon prior appointment. The Municipality of Porto had already launched the project that involves the implementation of intercultural assistance within the city, with four intercultural mediators, in 2019; thus, three mediators work with the Roma community, and one mediator offers assistance to migrant communities.

The aim is to mitigate the negative consequences of social exclusion within these communities and to promote the feeling of belonging to the city. Face-to face service operates from Tuesday to Friday, at the Gabinete de Munícipe (located at Praça General Humberto Delgado, 266). Prior appointment is mandatory via the Linha Porto. 220 100 220, from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 7pm.

More specifically, this new service provides information to the population about their rights and duties, helps resolve disputes and enhances institutional and intercultural links. Also, the assistance promotes the dialogue between different public and private entities, thus contributing to the communities’ social inclusion.

Its implementation on the ground is ensured by four institutions: Associação de Solidariedade e Ação Social de Ramalde, Espaço T - Associação para Apoio à Integração Social e Comunitária, Associação de Ludotecas do Porto and JRS Portugal - Serviço Jesuíta aos Refugiados.

This project amounts to the investment of circa 340 thousand euros and it is supported by community funds, in the framework of the application to the operational programme on Social Inclusion and Employment (POISE).

Thus far, the intercultural mediation programme has supported 2.656 people.