TREVISO – Around a thousand children aged between 11 and 17 were involved in a network project called “Trespassing” through a camper which went out 18 times in the Treviso municipalities of Treviso, Casier, Casale sul Sile and Silea, between January and June, to intervene in situations of hardship and educational poverty in the broadest sense. The network initiative involving 18 Treviso partners including public bodies and the Third Sector on the topic of educational poverty, of which Volontarinsieme OdV is the leader.
Street education is an intervention carried out by professional educators which takes place in squares, parks and in all informal places where adolescents and pre-adolescents meet, spend time and build their own identity. Thanks to the informal approach, educators have the opportunity to get closer to young people, get to know them and listen to their needs and discomforts. The street educational activity of the “Sconfinamenti” project, which takes the name of “On the Road”, was initially concentrated in the squares and spontaneous meeting places of the children between Casale, Casier, Dosson, Silea, San Lazzaro and Santa Maria del Sile, and subsequently in some schools, in particular the Istituto Comprensivo di Casier, for a total of 406 students involved, and to the comprehensive institute n. 3 Felissent of Treviso, with over 450 young people reached in the two locations (Fellisent and Mantegna).
Thanks also to the support of the camper, the educators involved them in sporting and musical activities, including karaoke, and submitted them some questionnaires, the results of which are still being processed, with the aim of better understanding critical issues, problems but also expectations, desires and interests. Various topics were investigated, from perceived stress to self-esteem to the delicate issue of violence. The ultimate objective of the action is in fact to be able to get closer to young people to promote quality relationships that prevent dropping out of studies, isolation and situations of hardship.
This activity is one of the seven strands in which “Sconfinamenti. Going beyond one’s borders to grow an educating community.” The project, launched in November 2022 and lasting three years, acting directly on the phenomenon of youth hardship, has as its final objective the construction and strengthening of an open and inclusive educational community, capable of activating all places and opportunities in where the relationship with young people is created: school, family, sport, neighbourhoods, associations and local institutions.
“The ‘Sconfinamenti’ camper immediately became one of the symbols of the entire project – he explainedto Anna Corò, president of Volontarinsieme OdV, leader in the ‘Confinements’ project – achieved excellent results not only in numerical terms, but also for the quality of the relationships that were created, allowing us to really come into contact with groups of young people who would have been difficult to reach and therefore more at risk. We await the results of the many questionnaires administered, which will allow us to have a more complete picture of the children’s perceptions and expectations and to act precisely where the fragilities are felt most, preventing potential uncomfortable situations”.
