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Diari Valencià

Vila-real Denounces Exclusion of City Councils from Empuju Program for Youth

The Valencian Government's decision not to include local councils in the 2025 and 2026 calls is a blow to youth employment.

Generic image of an official document with a pen, symbolizing political decisions.
IA

Generic image of an official document with a pen, symbolizing political decisions.

The Vila-real City Council has expressed its concern over the Valencian Government's decision to exclude local councils from the Empuju program calls for 2025 and 2026, a measure considered a setback for employment opportunities for those under 30 years old.

The Councillor for Economy, Ana Torres, has criticized the Generalitat's decision to reduce to zero the hiring of individuals under 30 for the next two years, after having provided job opportunities to 409 young people in the city since 2016. According to the council, this decision, made through Labora, directly reduces employment opportunities for youth.
The Empuju program has been a key tool to facilitate a first work experience for unemployed young people through their temporary incorporation into city councils. In Vila-real's case, this aid line allowed 409 young people to work at the council between 2016 and 2024, acquiring skills and improving their chances of subsequent entry into the job market.
Data shows a significant reduction in the program in recent years. In Vila-real, hirings went from 21 young people in 2016 and 86 in 2017, to only 3 in 2024, reaching zero in 2025 and 2026. This decline has also been reflected in the subsidy received, which dropped from 226,363.93 euros in 2023 to 67,764.59 euros in 2024.
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"The Empuju program has been a key initiative for the labor insertion of our young people. With the Botànic government, it was a successful program where 409 young people from Vila-real were able to work in our city council, gaining skills and work experience. In many cases, we have been a bridge between our young people and private companies."

Ana Torres · Councillor for Economy
In addition to the reduction of resources, the City Council also criticizes the worsening of the program's conditions since the arrival of the PP and Vox government to the Generalitat. The duration of contracts was reduced from 12 to 10 months, leaving many young people without the right to 120 days of unemployment benefits.
The council argues that city councils are fundamental administrations for implementing active employment policies, due to their proximity to citizens and their ability to detect real needs. Therefore, Vila-real considers the exclusion of municipalities from a program that had proven its effectiveness to be unjustified and has already presented a motion to demand that the Valencian Government rectify its decision.

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