LECCO – After two years from the start of the social inclusion project, this morning, Monday 24 June, the last caravans left the area of the parking in Viale Don Ticozzion the sidelines of Bione playing fields.
The objective shared between the Administration and resident families was achieved after joint work carried out by the Social Services of the Municipality of Lecco and the Somaschi Foundation. Ten families who lived in the car park developed in via Don Ticozzi, for a total of thirty-five people who have joined social projects, leaving mobile homes for more stable solutions.
“In recent months we have built personalized projects together with each group for orientation to local services, training and support for job placement, help with housing searches and lots of dialogue – he states Emanuele ManzoniCouncilor for Welfare of the Municipality of Lecco -. In some cases the families have obtained public housing through a ranking, in other cases they will be reunited with family members, in others they will have access to transitional housing services. These are families from Lecco who have always lived in mobile homes, therefore the transition was very delicate: the references we have are positive for now. I thank the operators of the Municipality’s social services and of the Somaschi Foundation for their extraordinary work: we have managed, in fact, to propose a social intervention that can be a model that can also be extended to other situations of potential marginalisation.”
He also contributed to the success of the journey the project ‘Roaming – Integration processes of Roma and Sinti groups in the Lecco area’ also financed by the Cariplo Foundation through a smaller emblematic tender: this allowed the majority of expenses to be covered.
“The activities do not end once the camp is over – adds Manzoni – in fact, support for families will continue through a monitoring of any needs and the verification of the positive consolidation of the project for the inclusion of people”. “With respect for people and the rules, today we are completing a very delicate job that has kept us busy, in silence, for two years – concluded the mayor Mauro Gattinoni -. This process of great complexity required an appropriate, patient and transparent method, and restores to the conscience of the city the awareness that every issue, to be resolved, must be addressed with the most appropriate method”.
From today, Monday 24 June, and until Sunday 7 July the car park in Via Don Ticozzi will remain closed for cleaning work, removal of systems, asphalting, resurfacing of road markings, maintenance and cutting of greenery. Steel ‘portals’ will therefore be placed which will allow access to the car park only for cars, while a well-defined space will be reserved for the team buses that use the Sports Centre.
“We can say that we have kept that commitment made to the voters – he comments Alberto Anghilerigroup leader Lecco changes with the Left – For years the field has been the subject of debate, with a good dose of demagogy. Many will remember discussions in the city council and positions taken by local politicians. Lots of exploitation, no proposals of solution other than some vague reference to ‘bulldozers’ or ‘clearances’. This administration has worked under the radar for months, it has done so seriously, sharing projects with the families concerned. This path demonstrates that when faced with complex situations the tools of dialogue and social inclusion are the way which has a greater chance of leading to results, respecting the dignity of the people involved and with the aim of combating social marginalization and poverty”.
