“Dear Carlino, we are worried”. Thus begins the letter from the group of family members with children and relatives enrolled at the Il Gabbiano Day Center in Via del Governor, an Ast1 center that takes care of people with complex disabilities. The family members are worried because they do not know where the service will be located by the Ast after the Municipality of Pesaro requested the availability of space to renovate part of the San Benedetto complex where the Center is based. The spaces occupied by the day center must be vacated by January 2025 at the request of the Municipality. The AST said that it would shortly start a procedure to make an agreement with an operator who could take charge of the overall activity, thus providing the spaces and the service. The expression of interest has been made, but the family members are worried because to date they do not have a concrete answer regarding the relocation of the day center’s activities. The families had had a first meeting with Dr. Storti, former general director of Ast 1. They hope to be able to meet the new director Carelli as soon as possible. “Pesaro Capital of Culture 2024 – the citizens observe in the letter – will open its doors to the world, with its beauties.
In Pesaro itself, however, one perceives a social and civil involution towards the world of disability. Unfortunately, in fact, without consulting the family members (who found out about it through the newspapers), the Ast will move the guests of the “Gabbiano” day center to a location that has not yet been identified. This lack of consideration towards the guests of the Center and their families goes badly with Pesaro which is still indicated as the flagship of the Marche Region for its social policies aimed at disability. This inevitably diminishes the progress achieved so far, through the work of associations, the Municipality, Cooperatives and parents. The Gabbiano center is currently a prefabricated building, currently located in the garden of San Benedetto (former mental hospital) and welcomes adults with various disabilities, mainly autistic. Seriously and against every rule of civility, the family members were not notified, and the Regulation for shared administration which provides for collaboration between citizens and the administration was ignored; collaboration, aimed at the care, regeneration and management of common goods, promoting participatory democracy. What should, in Pesaro City of Culture 2024, be the basis for that cultural and social renewal that puts the citizen first. We, the family members of the Gabbiano guests, are not opposed to the change of location. But we ask you to be an active part and to contribute together with the Ast, the Region and the cooperatives of educators, so that this move is not just a change of “container”, but a real life project for our loved ones, giving the right emphasis on the welcome and integration of the person with disabilities, as citizens. We therefore believe that co-planning that analyzes the innumerable issues that concern disabilities is relevant and for this reason we will oppose any movement that is not adequate, not formulated and not structured with respect for the person with disabilities”.
Solidea Vitali Rosati
