There are nine winning projects from the tender of the first YouthBank of Piacenza. The Piacenza and Vigevano Foundation finances each proposal – with a total value of 8 thousand euros – with a contribution of 7 thousand and 200 euros. The budget set at the beginning has therefore more than doubled: from 30 thousand euros, the organization in via Sant’Eufemia invests 64 thousand and 800 euros for the nine proposals, presented to the city during the Joy – Journey of youth event which was held on Saturday evening, June 15, at the former Cantore barracks in Piacenza. The YouthBank project, promoted by the Piacenza and Vigevano Foundation to promote youth protagonism, therefore reaches a new milestone and is preparing to give life to the interventions that a group of under 25s have created (the youthplanners) and other peers have selected (the youthbankers ).
Nine groups supported by non-profit organizations
“Thanks to the commitment of the youth bankers in making the announcement known in schools, associations, even within the prison – underlines Edoardo Favari, general councilor of the Foundation – the territory has received a much greater participation than expected, repaying us for the efforts made along the route. So much so that we decided to celebrate the moment with a party, the Joy Piacenza Party. I would like to extend special thanks to the associations and offices of the Foundation, which supported the youth planners in carrying out the formal aspects of the grant request, for the formal presentation phase of the projects, which has just ended”. Announced by the youthbankers – i.e. the “bankers” under 25 who wrote the tender – the young social planners (youthplanners) presented their proposals, which will materialize thanks to the support of a non-profit organization in the area, as required by the regulation . Here are the nine projects.
The graphics of cigarettes over the years
Daniele Sciaudone, supported by Associazione Phase Luce, proposed Artificial Paradise – Effective Communication: an exhibition on the evolution of cigarette packet advertising during the 20th century, display of posters/graphics and analysis of marketing strategies. «We analyze the graphic and communicative aspect of the packages in three main periods – explain the designers –: up to the 1950s, when it was even thought that cigarettes were good for you and therefore medical testimonials were used, from the 1950s to the 1980s , with the first bans, and finally from the 1980s to today.”
A scientific community in Piacenza
Maria Diletta Neri, Azzurra Lagomarsini, Anastasia Grendene and Giulio Fontanella are the creators of Piacenza Scientific Talks, which with the support of Amop Piacenza will propose conferences in English on clinical innovation and medical sciences held by international guests and themed workshops (e.g. , suturing techniques, cardiac massage, how to read an electrocardiogram, etc.). «The objective is to create a scientific community in Piacenza and bring together scientists from all over Europe to talk about their research in the medical field. Our interest is to share more practical skills on first aid procedures such as the defibrillator”, explain the designers.
The prison speaks through music
From Inside to Outside – Music to include project proposed by a small group of young people, in collaboration with Verso Itaca APS. Musical events with the inmates of the “Le Novate” prison, students from Piacenza schools, guests and external artists. The prison director Maria Gabriella Lusi and Alberto Gromi of “Verso Itaca” will present the project and represent the four imprisoned planners. «It is a project born from the desire of young prisoners to be together through music. I believe that the light in the eyes of the kids, who have committed themselves to this project by writing music together with Michele Serra, with the coordination of Professor Gromi and an educator who is not here today, is already a great result. It is that light that determines hope, both in children and in us and in all citizens”, says Lusi. «The zero event will be on June 20th, then there will be three other concerts in the autumn, open to all», explains Gromi.
A mental health festival
Estella Dallagiovanna and Bianca Catalano with Associazione Fuori Serie have thought of JOMO – a mental health festival which includes the activation of a listening desk, workshops and talks with experts, a graffiti space, exhibitions of local artists and a final concert by the rapper Moder. «The desk, for all age groups and especially for teenagers – they explain – will be opened with a three-day festival, at the same time as the Festival of Contemporary Thinking, and will continue for a few months. Jomo develops both on mental health and on listening and on culture, art and music. Therefore we decided to open stands on artistic workshops, with musicians, DJs, artists from Piacenza as well as talks with experts such as gynecologists and volunteers from anti-violence centres. We want to create a community environment that can be a safe place for all teenagers and young adults who want to let us know about their problems.”
Helping international students
Aysenur Ozbek and Muhammed Kayra Kilickan supported by Rathaus have developed Piacenza Student Society (PSS), to encourage and support the integration of international students in Piacenza. «The aim is to help international students with legal procedures and improve their social life in Piacenza», they explain.
Addictions, a project in schools
Shantal Fummi with Tice cooperative social non-profit organization will create AttraversaMENTI, a cycle of interventions in high schools on mental health, addictions, affectivity and adolescence, aimed at both students and parents. «It is an education, training and information project on the topics of substance and emotional addiction to be carried out in high schools in the area. We believe it is important that primary socialization agents, such as family and school, can make a difference within the developmental trajectories that children could take.”
“Sustainability” Festival
Elena Brianzi, Nausicaa Fermi, Anna Vullo and Rossana Gazzola assisted by Kult APS have thought of Alter Fest, a multifaceted and participatory festival on the theme of young people’s responsibility regarding environmental, social and cultural sustainability (talks, screenings, workshops, music, art, outdoor activities, handmade market). «The festival is now in its second edition, which we are able to organize thanks to YouthBank and the Foundation. It will take place in October and will last two days.”
Everyone can create culture
Anna Ferrari and Matteo Piva with the Ciak project! they thought of an inclusive training workshop on audiovisual techniques and the production of a short film; they will be supported by the Coming out Association. «There are few cultural initiatives to which young people with little economic availability can have access – they explain – therefore, we have decided to give these young people, who we will select by the end of June, an opportunity to express their voice through cinematographic language and the production of a short documentary. The theme will be chosen by them. The first phase will be training with professionals in the sector, then they will be supported by a tutor to materialize their ideas and then return them to the community in a screening that will present the entire journey undertaken”.
A musical to talk about yourself
Ludovica Fissolo, Erica Pittoni, David Remondini, Jacopo Farsetti and Ginevra Barani presented the project At the school of musicals, and with the Erranti Aps theater company they thought of a theater workshop aimed at the creation and staging of a musical with the involvement of students of the artistic high school for set design. David Remondini, vice-president of Erranti Aps, illustrated the details of the project: «We were very struck by the transversality thought of by the kids, which means empathy. Guys from Cassinari thought about creating a musical, a “pretext” to tell something about themselves. The musical is the maximum expression of the human being on a stage, because where the words of the text are not enough, the character must sing. Where singing is not enough, we need to move, dance. And so we end up bringing together three very strong artistic disciplines. Transversality because the kids who participate will not only be performers but also set designers, costume designers, creators of a video that tells the experience to those who cannot be there.”
Extra prize to “Piacenza Student Society”
The Joy Piacenza Party event ran from 6pm until midnight on Saturday 15 June with live music, awards ceremonies and DJ sets. During the evening several young Piacenza new wave bands performed live: from Amine to the indie rock/pop of Sbraisers, from Fields of petrichor to Beatrice Tommasi, continuing with Aeufenic and concluding with the alternative rock of Lunaris Causa . After the award ceremony for the projects, the public voted for the “favourite”, Piacenza Student Society by Aysenur Ozbek and Muhammed Kayra Kilickan supported by Rathaus, who was awarded the special “Joy grant”, i.e. an extra fund of 500 euros for the realization of the activity.
Francesco Petronzio
