Category: specchio d’italia eng

Genoa, Specchio d’Italia opens an after-school programme for the children of Fegino

by Specchio dei tempi
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The comeback of Covid hinders school, children and families. It is becoming increasingly difficult to create useful, child-friendly teaching. There is a lack of space, technology, even human presence. The Specchio d’Italia Foundation (born by the will of the Turin-based Specchio dei Tempi Foundation) has therefore decided to intervene also in Genoa, after Turin and Rome, to carry out a project started yesterday that helps with homework and after-school activities. It also wants to be a concrete and effective presence alongside young students who are now more alone than ever.

The initiative was developed with the collaboration of Ceis Genova (Bianca Costa Bozzo Solidarity Centre Foundation) which has chosen to operate in the V Valpolcevera quarter of the Fegino area with Specchio d’Italia that finances the project. The main objective of the project is to sustain and support families in this delicate historical-social moment in concrete and everyday aspects.

The experience of the Specchio dei tempi Foundation in the areas of the metropolitan city of Turin and in the Bastogi district of Rome facilitates and supports similar and replicable work in the Genoese area. The educational commitment to children will be the starting point for a series of intergenerational activities to promote well-being, such as monitoring the needs of families and the entire territory. The premises of the oratory of the Church of Sant’Ambrogio di Fegino have been identified for the project activities. The classrooms are fully usable and allow for the appropriate interpersonal distancing in light of the measures to combat and contain the Covid-19 epidemic. The activities started with the mapping of the bodies and associations of the area that have been invited to suggest recommendations on the project. They are followed with the involvement of school managers and teachers for debate on the school programmes and the situations of greater fragility.

The collapse first of the Morandi Bridge and then the Covid-19 pandemic put Fegino in great difficulty. It is a neighbourhood that until a few years ago hosted important production activities and which now needs to be supported in order not to lose ground with respect to the rest of the city. The Specchio d’Italia project is what the area needed. The foundation’s commitment was appreciated above all by the educational world that actively participated in the project, explaining what the most urgent needs were. It was decided to focus on after-lesson activity, to provide the tools necessary to implement what has been lacking in these months with remote lessons, even to those who don’t have the tools. In short, children and young people who need not to be left alone after two difficult years will be helped. The outbreak of infections is making it even more complicated. There was no shortage of structures, but there was a lack of resources to bring them up to standard. This has been done by involving the church of Sant’Ambrogio, closing the circle of an initiative that embraces the whole neighbourhood.

Yesterday afternoon, the real school support for children between the ages of 6 and 14 also started, with individual and group guidance with homework and training support for children and teenagers from the school of first and second levels. From November, the reinforcement laboratories for school support activities will also start with the organization of thematic laboratories for the reinforcement of logical-mathematical and linguistic learning and transversal skills.

As mentioned, it is only a first step. The plan of the Specchio d’Italia Foundation is intergenerational and therefore will not only affect young people. Particular attention will be paid to the elderly. Initiatives are already being studied to create points of aggregation and to give new life to a neighbourhood that in this way feels less alone. From here Fegino can think of leaving behind these two years and more of hardship.

 

Floods in Piedmont, subsidies are rising: we will help 65 companies

by Specchio dei tempi
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Seven hundred and fifty donations, large and small, for a total of 337,207 euros. These numbers demonstrate the solidarity of the La Stampa-Specchio dei tempi Foundation, close to the people of Piedmont hit by the flood of a month ago. The vast majority of interventions have been made in the Cuneo area and have increased in the last few hours (also thanks to a new important donation). Specchio dei tempi has in fact decided to extend the 3000 euro contribution to all 65 activities that participated in the tender (launched in recent weeks with Reale Foundation, Confartigianato Cuneo, Banca Alpi Marittime), an important gift that could be used to meet the primary expenses of the most damaged small businesses, artisans, commercial and agricultural. Many bank transfers have already been made, the others will be sent within a few days. The tender was open to small and very small entrepreneurs from the eight areas of Cuneo most affected. The municipality that sent the most requests was Garessio with 25, followed by Limone Piemonte with 16, Ormea with 13, Ceva with 6, Bagnasco and Pamparato with 2, Priola with 1. There was no request from Nucetto.

All those who participated will receive the Specchio contribution as a gift. This was also made possible by a generous donation of the Industrial Union of Turin: “After the contribution that last March – explained the leaders of the Turin association – the Industrial Union of Turin and the Turin trade union secretariats of CGIL CISL UIL donated to the Turin hospitals to support the Covid emergency, the same Associations jointly donated 35,000 euros to the Specchio dei Tempi-La Stampa Foundation in Turin to support the populations who were victims of the floods that hit some territories of the Piedmont Region in October last year. With this donation, the role of the Committee that was established since 1994 on the occasion of previous natural disasters to jointly raise funds for the aid of structures of common interest affected by disasters, supporting them economically, has been fulfilled “.

But the good news doesn’t end here. In the days immediately following the flood, Specchio dei tempi visited the premises of the Ceva Professional Training Centre. An allocation of 10,000 euros was decided, immediately delivered, to which Specchio has now decided to add another 50,000 euros to allow the purchase of a numerically controlled machine, essential for the training of the children. “We are happy with this choice – explained Mario Barello, the general manager of CFP Cebano Monregalese – which will allow us to fully resume all our activities soon. The CFP has three operational offices in the province of Cuneo: Ceva, Mondovì and Fossano. In the last years of training, in the three locations, a total of around 5000 people (young people after middle school and adults for retraining and professional updating) have turned to various training activities. If we consider the Ceva headquarters alone, there have been over 2,000 people. As regards the activities related to the mechanical sector of the Ceva site alone, the students who use our laboratories exceed 200 per year on average, including adults “.

Specchio dei tempi then decided to carry out some minor interventions in favour of two hard hit businesses in the municipality of Lisio, somewhat forgotten in the days following the calamitous event, despite extensive damage. In line with further developments of the subscription, the La Stampa Foundation intends to evaluate the possibility of intervening also in Val Gesso, in the Maritime Alps Park, to support green tourism that could restore economic momentum to this area. At the moment these are only ideas which could however become reality if the solidarity of the subscribers allows it.

This is what we have recently added to the previous interventions: kindergarten and walkway in Ceva, multifunctional area in Nucetto, Pollicino park in Ormea. But what we are proudest of is the aid to 65 small businesses in the Cuneo area to which we have given a little respite, together with our friendship and hope.

Rome, how we will help the children of the Bastogi suburbs

by Specchio dei tempi
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Specchio d’Italia, the foundation born out of Specchio dei tempi, is involved in projects in six regions. The most complicated challenge is in Rome: the fight against early school abandonment in the Bastogi district, considered the most difficult in the city. Micro and baby crime, poverty, social hardship, abusiveness, violation of school obligations are the opponents to beat to give dozens of children a more peaceful future, within the law.

Strengthened by the experience gained at the former Moi and in the northern districts of Turin, we have obtained and created a classroom to host four afternoons of homework assistance per week. And we have also furnished it according to the latest anti Covid regulations, with the Friends of the Children Onlus association.

Specchio d’Italia inaugurates a new project for students in Milan

by Specchio dei tempi
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Specchio d’Italia inaugurated the “Scuola Bottega” project in Milan this morning. This is the first that the new foundation, born from Specchio dei tempi, is building in the Lombard capital thanks to the important contribution of a Milanese donor.

“Scuola Bottega” is a historical school-work course for the recovery of the middle school certificate, dedicated to girls and boys at high risk of leaving school early. Launched sixteen years ago by the Cooperativa La Strada, it aims to combat school abandonment when students are one step away from qualifying from middle school. In close collaboration with the staff of “La Strada”, Specchio d’Italia is now supporting and developing this initiative, to give hope to the most fragile young people.

The educational course, also capable of offering experiences of approach to the world of work, lasts one school year (October-June). The pupils, indicated by the schools and subsequently selected, remain formally enrolled in the schools of origin but attend the premises of the cooperative throughout the year. The programme involves 15 children between the ages of 14 and 17. The indications of 14/15-year-olds, still in compulsory schooling, come only from middle schools (lower secondary schools) through the definition of an individualized project that provides for the maintenance of enrolment and the examination of the middle school certificate at the school of origin which maintains ownership of the school and training course, ensuring monitoring and conclusive evaluation. The signalling of 16/17-year-olds comes from various institutions in the area: schools, host communities in the Milan area (often dealing with unaccompanied foreign minors) and other bodies that intercept children in the educational and welfare fields.

As compulsory schooling for the children of this group has lapsed, they are enrolled at the Permanent Territorial Centre of the Area and will have the opportunity to take the Middle School Certificate exam through a specific agreement. The class group is therefore not homogeneous in terms of age and personal paths, but shares the same strong motivations and the final goal: the individual stories and different basic skills flow into common experiences, in everyday life that is always oriented towards sharing and respect, in an active learning way that everyone acquires starting from their own personal experience. In this continuous “dialogue” between the dimension of the class group and the individual path (which each person checks at their home school), the tutor, the teachers, even the employers that are met in the Internships are the adult figures able to teach but also guide the children towards the goal.

Arquata, Specchio’s school ready for a new year

by Specchio dei tempi
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Yesterday the first bell rang again at Arquata del Tronto, in the school that we managed to build thanks to your help. The children now attend lessons in an anti-seismic and eco-friendly, fully wired building that is now used as a model for new constructions. “This space is able to guarantee that all the rules of social distancing, implemented due to the Covid-19 emergency, can be followed” explains Mr Ermano, an elementary school teacher that is eager to get back in class: “I am thrilled to start my lessons again, and so are my students”. The complex, which also includes the gym, built by Specchio dei tempi, includes up to 60 children: inclusive of kindergarten, elementary and middle school students.

To help the victims of the earthquake we have already raised over 3 million of euros, but our commitment doesn’t stop here. We are also supporting the families with a cheque equal to 2000 euros for every newborn, and the enterprises that are struggling to get back on track. After 4 years from the tragic event, Specchio dei tempi stands beside Arquata and keeps supporting its population.

Covid, Specchio launches a tender to support Venice’s small businesses

by Marketing Etinet
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When we think of Venice we immediately think of Italy. It is one of those words that connect our country to the rest of the world. Right now Venice is suffering more than other cities. This is due to a series of dramatic events that have happened over the last months starting with the floods in November and followed by the lockdown due to the pandemic in March. Consequently, international tourism has decreased exponentially due to the new health regulations penalizing a city that was already living in a painful situation.

Venice is struggling to survive and Specchio dei tempi couldn’t stay still and watch. This is why the Foundation, through the project “Specchio d’Italia”, has decided to intervene. “We have decided- explains Lodovico Passerin d’Entreves, President of the Foundation – to replicate the initiatives that have already taken place to help the small business of Turin, Cuneo and Sassari and have launched a tender in support of the small enterprises of Venice. The initiative aims to donate 3.000 € each. These donations want to be perceived not only as an economical help, but as a representation of the love and affection towards this extraordinary city”.

Specchio dei tempi has made available a fund of 60.000 euros to which will be added all the donations arriving from private citizens, businesses, authorities and associations. Our hope is that this initiative will touch the hearts of the guests that will be visiting during The Venice International Film Festival during which the Foundation will be present by illustrating their initiatives. The tender Venice Again will be launched on the 1st of September. Twenty days will be available for the enterprises to participate online, one week later the winners will be announced and the aid will be erogated starting the first week of October. Every phase of the project will be meticulously told on our website, social media pages and the accounts of La Nuova Venezia, the local newspaper. This initiative is a concrete help in support of the small businesses (restaurants, artisans, shopkeepers and small entrepreneurs) that represent the heart of Venice.