Ocyan and Rio City Hall sign public-private partnership that will benefit Casa da Juventude do Centro

At the end of November (11/25), Ocyan and the Special Secretariat for Carioca Youth (JUVRio) celebrated the first anniversary of the Youth House in the central region of the city, located on Rua Santo Cristo. The place is a training and care center for vulnerable young people in the region and has already benefited 17,743 people between the ages of 15 and 29 in just one year of existence. What’s new is that, from now on, the House will be supported by Ocyan through an unprecedented public-private partnership (PPP) and will now be called the Ocyan Youth House. This is the first time in the city of Rio that the system of “adoption” of a public asset is focused on a social facility.

The CEO of Ocyan, Roberto Campos, confirmed the commitment signed with JUVRio to welcome and train young people at the Casa da Juventude. The company will be responsible for the internal revitalization of the unit’s physical facilities and will promote actions to foster education and work, encouraging workshops especially through the volunteering of its members.

“For me, this is a rescue of the ability to dream, promoting growth as a person and citizen. We have many innovative ideas for vocational programs that can generate future professionals in professions that interest us, such as mechanical turner, for example. You can be sure that we are committed to this,” said Campos.

Salvino Oliveira, Carioca Youth Secretary, recalled the importance of spaces like the Youth Houses in getting young people into the job market.

“The Youth House in the city center has the capacity to serve up to 1,500 young people a month, with online and face-to-face courses. It’s a reference center for these young people in such a vulnerable region. Providência, which is next door, is Brazil’s first favela and represents a challenge for the government that is beginning to be overcome by public facilities and partnerships like this one, in which there is a union to transform the lives of thousands of young people every year,” said the secretary.

The party included a series of free services for the population, such as exemption from duplicate documents, health services, a barber and a locksmith, as well as musical, dance and DJ performances. The municipal departments of Health, Environment and Social Assistance, the Municipal Guard, CET-Rio, Fundação Leão XIII and Detran took part in the celebration.

Youth Houses

Open from Monday to Friday, from 9am to 6pm, the Youth Houses focus on serving local young filmmakers and vulnerable young people. The Houses welcome young people from different social backgrounds, such as residents of slums and outlying areas, members of families with a monthly income of up to three minimum wages, families benefiting from social programs, young mothers, those with an age-grade distortion or out of school, and those serving a socio-educational measure. The Houses also receive former prisoners, people in shelters or homeless people.

Currently, JUVRio has two other units in addition to the Casa do Centro: one in Morro dos Macacos and another in Chapadão, in the North Zone. To sign up for any of the Youth Houses courses, simply visit the secretariat’s social networks: www.instagram.com/juvrio. It is also possible to fill in the form in person at the units. The form to take part in the workshops is open on a recurring basis, and classes are always formed in the month following registration. All you have to do is keep an eye out and choose what to study. All courses last one month, offer certificates and are free of charge.

 Courses currently available at the Youth Houses

Barber course

Eyebrow Design

Manicure

Hair braider course

Make-up course

Photography course

Sign languarge course

Basic English Course 2

Event Production Course

Pre-vestibular (college admission exam)

IT

Samba class

Boxing Course

Hair Removal Course

Jiu-Jitsu

Pre-Intermediate English Course

Basic English Course 2

Intermediate English Course