Reducing early school leaving rates, stimulating dialogue and helping students realize their full potential are the goals of Intercultural Workshops, a project by SOS Villaggi dei Bambini Onlus which Enel Cuore supports. Starting from lower secondary school, the project focuses on students in the Italian province of Crotone, where there is the greatest rate of foreign and Italian students at risk of early school leaving. Over the past couple of years of forced lockdowns and remote learning, students have far fewer opportunities to build relationships with each other. In response, this project will provide assistance to 96 children, 48 foreigners and 48 Italian nationals, who will benefit from lots of different experiences. The programme includes experiential and intercultural workshops based on dynamic exercises that originate from what is known as the ‘social theatre’ method, and more reflective exercises where the participants will grapple with topics such as self-awareness, knowing how to recognize and manage their emotions, decision-making, and the ability to create personal relationships. Given the context of a pandemic and healthcare emergency, high-quality inclusive education is truly essential if the adolescents involved, who are already more at risk and vulnerable, are to have all the tools they need to fully grasp their abilities and improve their self-esteem. Our contribution supports the project by covering the costs of staffing and educational activities, including all the materials needed to carry out the workshops. The SOS Villaggi dei Bambini Onlus Association is part of[FV(C1] SOS Children’s Villages, the world’s largest global organization focused on supporting children without parental care or at risk of losing it. Founded in 1949 in Austria, it first opened in Italy in 1963 thanks to a group of volunteers who founded the first SOS Village in Trento. That established SOS Villaggi dei Bambini Italia, which for almost 60 years has supported the growth of young people by accompanying them on a path of physical and psychological stability within a familiar environment. After the headquarters in Trento, the Villages of Ostuni (1969), Vicenza (1981), Morosolo (1986), Rome (1987), Saronno (1993) and Mantua (1995) have been established. Today they provide assistance to 700 children and young people. The association is involved in the three-year research project by the National Health Institute, entrusted to Cattolica University in Milan, which is focused on the assessment of the impact of social theatre on the mental health of young people. Throughout 2022, SOS Villaggi dei Bambini will ensure that researcher have access to a series of workshops (which were already part of the project being carried out in Calabria, Italy, which includes the establishment of LIFE SKILLS workshops using social theatre). Details Where: Crotone Association: SOS Villaggi dei Bambini Onlus Beneficiaries: 96 students Contribution: up to €37,155 Dates: September 2021 – December 2022
