25 Years of the Escolhas Program: CoLABOR Presents Evaluation Results
Yesterday, September 24, a public presentation of the results of the evaluation of the 25th anniversary of the Escolhas Program was held in the IPDJ auditorium in Moscavide.
Before a packed auditorium—which brought together government representatives, public agencies, representatives of the “Escolhas” projects, local development professionals, researchers, and other stakeholders—the main results, conclusions, and recommendations of the evaluation, conducted by the CoLABOR team, were presented.
The session also featured the screening of a video that gives a voice to 30 current and former participants in Escolhas projects, seeking to illustrate, through their life stories and testimonials, the impact of the program on their life paths.
The “Escolhas em Perspetiva” Forum, moderated by Paula Tavares, founder of the Afrolink network, was one of the highlights of the session, giving a voice to current and former participants in Escolhas projects, as well as to staff and partners involved in the Program, in a space for reflection and the sharing of firsthand experiences.
The remarks by Teresa Martins of the Aga Khan Foundation helped to organize some of the key ideas raised during the meeting.
The closing remarks, delivered by Carla Rodrigues, Deputy Secretary of State for Youth and Equality, provided insight into the government’s perspective on the importance of the program, as well as some hints about its future.
The session marked the conclusion of a year of work carried out by the CoLABOR team as part of the evaluation initiatives of the Demography, Skills, and Inclusion Thematic Program – People 2030, part of Portugal 2030, and serves as an example of how research and knowledge production can contribute to the analysis, evaluation, and formulation of evidence-based public policies, bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and public decision-making and action.
If you weren't able to attend the event, you can watch the recording on the CoLABOR’s YouTube channel.
The results of the evaluation of the 25-year history of the Escolhas Program—a nationwide government public policy initiative that has been part of the IPDJ (Portuguese Institute of Sports and Youth, I.P.) since 2023—are available for review on the PESSOAS 2030 website.