Innovative projects have sprung up to include and empower people with autism spectrum disorders and other neurodiversities, aimed at ensuring a dignified and independent future for these young people. Families, together with professionals and volunteers, are joining forces to create structures that can combine social and health care assistance with training and work paths, creating true realities of inclusion and autonomy. Among these, the Associazione Casa di Toti APS, founded in Modica (RG) by the parents of Toti, a boy with autistic disorder, aims to offer people with neurodiversity the possibility of growing up in a safe and stimulating environment. The Association has created a unique structure, combining residential care with pathways of labour inclusion through the management of an ethical bed & breakfast. La Casa di Toti, inaugurated in 2020, is in fact the first ethical B&B in Sicily, designed to offer training employment to young people with disabilities, who have the opportunity to actively contribute to the management of the facility, both in front and back office activities and in occupational workshops. The team, made up of psychologists, professional assistants, volunteers and interns, guides and supports the young people with targeted activities such as preparing meals, taking care of the greenery and creative workshops such as music therapy, art therapy, ceramics and sports. The residence now accommodates 4 young people, with a capacity of up to 7, and provides continuous care from Monday to Friday. With the intention of further strengthening its impact, the Association has promoted the project Living and Working at Casa di Toti, which we have decided to support. What are its objectives? The first is to guarantee 24-hour residential assistance for seven days a week; the second involves training and hiring, through a 6-month part-time apprenticeship contract, four young people with mild autism spectrum disorders, placing them as employees in the facility to foster their autonomy and work integration. The collaboration with the Municipality of Modica and the Provincial Health Authority of Ragusa represents a further strength of the project: thanks to these memoranda of understanding, the Municipality is committed to identifying new potential users, while the ASP provides support through monitoring and scientific supervision, contributing to a constant improvement in the project's quality. The project represents a fundamental resource for the area, offering young people with disabilities an environment in which to live, train and work, promoting an inclusive culture that values each individual and creates opportunities for growth. Projects of this kind not only improve the quality of life of the people involved, but also strengthen the entire community, making it aware of the importance of social inclusion and showing that autonomy and dignity are attainable rights for all. Details Location: Modica Association: Associazione Casa di Toti APS ETS Beneficiaries: 7 people with intellectual disabilities residing in Casa di Toti, 4 employed with an apprenticeship contract for 6 months and about 90 workshop participants Contribution: 150,000 euro Period: September 2024 - December 2026
