We have been around since 2001 because we believe in community inclusion for vulnerable and socially excluded groups.
We have come a long way since then and we have become involved in many different projects and have left a humanistic and pragmatic mark.

2001

Crescer was founded by specialised professionals and acts upon excluded, vulnerable groups.
At that time, we were motivated to work with a younger target group. We began with various projects in the greater Lisbon and Vale to Tejo area. This became the new order of the day.

2002 to 2003

The implementation of the project ‘Estacionamento sem Riscos, Arrumadores sem Exclusão’, was financed by the Portuguese Institute of Drug Addiction, through Outreach Teams whose main goal was to work with car parking attendants who were also psychoactive substance users. This was Crescer’s first project in the area of Harm Reduction.

2002 to 2004

We were pioneers in primary prevention of drug addiction and school drop out- ‘Abandonar a Escola, que Futuro?’- financed by the Portuguese Institute of Drug Addiction and developed by the Municipality of Mação. This project not only coverd young people in a school drop out situation but also young people integrated in the school environment.

2003 to 2009

The work of our Outreach Teams was extended to the main psychoactive substance use neighbourhoods in the city of Lisbon, within the framework of the Lx Plan (Municipal Plan Prevention and Inclusion of Drug Addicts and the Homeless), financed by the City Hall of Lisbon.

2004 to 2009

We created a Drop- In in Bairro Quinta do Cabrinha, for psychoactive substance users, where people can eat, drink tea/coffee, access the internet or use the telephone. Computer training and fine arts workshops were developed as well as outdoor activities. This project was financed by the City Hall of Lisbon.

2005

We created an Office of Professional Insertion, in partnership with IEFP, in Bairro Quinta do Cabrinha. Its goal is to support the unemployed population by defining or developing their path towards (re)insertion into the job market.

2006 to 2010

We developed the project ‘Crescer em Rede’ with children, young people and their families from Vale de Alcântara, with the goal of creating alternative life plans, preventing risk behaviours and creating healthy life styles. This project was developed in partnership with Alkantara Project, Médicos do Mundo and Cidater. We also managed an Occupational Centre and a Toy Library with computer training, fine arts and painting workshops.

2009

We created 2 Outreach Teams- West and East- with distinct areas of action, which include all the parishes of Lisbon. Both teams, currently financed by SICAD (Intervention Services in Drug Addiction and Addictive Behaviors) and by the City Hall of Lisbon, act daily in the main neighbourhoods of psychoactive substance use of the city.

2012

Within the scope of the PDCM (Community Development Plan of Mouraria), a specific Outreach Team was created to work with people in vulnerable situations (homeless people and psychoactive substance users) in the area of Mouraria. This project led to É UMA CASA Project, Lisboa Housing First.

2013

We implemented É UMA CASA, Lisbon Housing First Project within the framework of PDCM (Community Development Plan of Mouraria) and is supported by the Parish Council of Santa Maria Maior. This project, developed following the Housing First methodology, is targeted towards people who are in chronic homeless situations, excluded from all the social and health facilities, to whom all the existing resources have not been become feesible. Currently, this project encompasses the whole city of Lisbon and is now, also supported by the City Hall of Lisbon and by the Fundações Montepio and PT.

2014

Our first Drop-In, called ‘Espaço ncora’ opened with the main purpose of becoming a familiar meeting place for beneficiaries living in the streets but also in their homes. In this Drop-In there are different psycho-social and health supporting services available as well as many recreational activities.

2014 to 2015

In partnership with the Reagir para Mudar Association, Teatro Umano Association and Santo António de Lisboa sports club, we implemented the Cultiv’art Project, under BIP/ZIP 2014 Programme, promoted and financed by the City Hall of Lisbon. The aim of this programme was to come up with solutions for specific problems with urban hygiene and low rates of employability of the resident population of Bairro Quinta do Cabrinha.

2016

As a follow up from our field work, the City Hall of Lisbon invited Crescer to develop a Municipal Programme for the Reception of Refugees in the city of Lisbon (PMAR LX) which lead to É UMA VIDA Project. Its main goal is to work closely with the beneficiaries, promoting their integration into the community.

Cultura

We do research in our area of action, to spread technical and scientific knowledge and to implement good international practices as well as social innovation projects towards Harm Reduction.

We want to promote good health practices, harm reduction and community integration among vulnerable populations by acting in the community.

We want to improve the living conditions of legal and illegal psychoactive substance users in the city of Lisbon.

We want to contribute to the decrease of transmission and elimination of infectious diseases (ex: Hepatitis C, AIDS and tuberculosis).

We believe in drug liberalisation

We believe a regulated market will avoid an underground market, preventing criminal acts which will consequently lead to a decline in associated crime rates. Liberalisation allows organised crime to leave drug trade, enabling us to control market access (namely to prescribe, license and control sales to minors).
Drug users will be able to do this in a less harmful way for their health.

We Want To Implement Assisted Drug Consumption Rooms

Although there is a groundbreaking legal framework and drug consumption has been decriminalised, in Portugal, we are still confronted with consumption out in the open, which lacks health conditions. Assisted drug consumption rooms have proved to be another valid strategy for Harm Reduction: reducing risks of contagious infectious diseases, reducing deaths by overdose, consolidating health education and promoting contact with other social and health facilities.

We Stand Up For The Legalisation Of Prostitution

This way, we believe we are protecting sex workers’ human rights, who are forced to live on the fringes of the law. Decriminalising prostitution means improving health conditions.

Action And Population

We act all over the city of Lisbon, focusing mainly in areas where vulnerable populations prevail, such as:

Bairro da Cruz Vermelha
Casal Ventoso
Igreja dos Anjos
Intendente
Jardim Constantino
Mouraria
Quinta do Lavrado, Xabregas

As ‘population in a vulnerabe situation’ we mean those who find themselves excluded from health and social facilities, not benefiting from their own rights as citizens. Often these people are psychologically, emocionally and phsysically very fragile.

First of all, they are PEOPLE, just like us who have specific characteristics and deserve our help and support, such as:

Drug users
Alcohol consumers
Sex workers
The homeless
People seeking asylum

Our Team

Our Partners

A growing number of donors, whether they be individuals, companies, institutions and organisations, all make our job possible.
We are very thankful for our partners and support.