Young people in the provinces of Bari, according to some surveys in recent years, are surrounded by a context of increasing crime where, especially in adolescence, it becomes easy to lose one's way. Thus, providing them with safe and positive reference points becomes essential, offering places where they can meet and embark on a path of balanced growth, transmitting values, keeping them away from illegality, and guiding them through the delicate period of high school, also through sports. This is where the mission of Comunità Frontiera Lillo Zarba and Vincenzo Fontana Onlus is born: an association that aims to prevent discomfort and juvenile delinquency through reception in family communities and a day Center for minors, also carrying out educational and sport activities, especially in Mola di Bari in Puglia. Thanks to institutional partnerships among multiple entities (the Prefecture, the Archdiocese of Bari-Bitonto, the Municipality of Mola di Bari, the Social-Health District of the territorial area, and the Ministry of the Interior), the project Città dei Ragazzi was launched in 2009. We supported this project with a contribution of €100.000,00 enabling the start of a residential and semi-residential center that accommodates approximately 80 minors in distress and at risk of delinquency, supported by a network of about 80 volunteers and 230 families. Starting in 2022, the initiative expands with Upset! Scommetti su di te!” which aims to broaden sports and educational activities by establishing, also in the city of Mola di Bari, a real Sports Center that aims to become a reference point for the community's activities and for other volunteer associations active in the area. Various sports facilities will be built, including two paddle tennis courts with our support, an 11-a-side football field, and a beach volleyball court, a sports hall with service center, a gym, as well as changing rooms and parking lots, a conference room, a refreshment area, and an amphitheater for concerts and theatrical performances. This project expansion will reach up to approximately 200 minors, providing them with the most comprehensive support possible by synergistically combining group activities and accompanying actions in the most delicate phases of choosing high school and/or the professional and work path to undertake, also paying attention to individual family units. The project fits into a broader vision: to offer an integrated educational service to support the enhancement of the skills of young people aged between 6 and 18, in order not to disperse them and channel them both into the educational system and into the world of work, thus better defining their desires and highlighting personal aptitudes. To achieve all this, there will also be orientation activities at the center, and sports as a fundamental tool for conveying important values not only on the playing field but also in life, such as the importance of reacting to defeat, accepting it, and starting again with confidence in oneself. Details City: Mola di Bari (BA) Association: Comunità Frontiera Lillo Zarba e Vincenzo Fontana Onlus Beneficiaries: up to 200 young people aged 6 to 18 in situations of distress and at risk of delinquency Contribution: up to €330,000.00 Duration: August 2022 - August 2025
