In a statement sent to the Lusa agency, the municipality of Sertã referred that the "SIM - Sertã: Inclusion and Mediation", created at the end of 2021, starts operating on 1 February.

It is a project of the municipality's intercultural mediation team for the territorial scope of the municipality of Sertã.

"It aims to be the link with the migrant population and the Roma community, with the purpose of breaking barriers at the bureaucratic and social level, eliminating stereotypes, thus contributing to the social inclusion of these communities," reads the note.

The support provided consists of strengthening the connection with entities such as Social Security, the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF), the Finance Department, the local Employment Department, Health services and educational establishments, among others.

"Besides the inclusion of the migrant population and the gypsy community, its mission is also to make the population aware of its own difficulty in integrating elements from other cultures, fostering the creation of new, more integrating responses," explained the local authority.

The project starts on 1 February and will be available from Monday to Friday, from 9am to 12.30pm and from 1.30pm to 5pm, in the Social Action sector of the municipality of Sertã.

Those interested can also contact the project through the telephone number 274600300 or by email projetosim@cm-serta.pt.

In addition to the SIM, the cultural mediation team will focus on the themes "Education for multiculturalism" and "Appreciation of diversity", through awareness and prevention actions with the school community, clarification sessions/development of skills in the areas of economy, finance and family entrepreneurship, as well as promotion of employability, aimed at the migrant population and the Roma community.