Appunti per il futuro (Notes for the future)

16^th December 2023, Senigallia (Italy)

Youth Community Leader: Lucia Campolucci

Scenario description

In the Marche region (Italy) and particularly in the geographically fragmented territory of the Cesano river valley, many young people are determined to stay and actively contribute to the improvement of their inland communities. Equipped with educational qualifications and actively involved in various local organizations, these youths are looking for concrete discussion tools and greater participation in local institutions to promote policies and projects that concern them and contribute to local development.

Community description

Casa della Gioventù is a social center affiliated with the Diocesan Church of Senigallia and located in the heart of the city. The place serves as a space for young people to gather, relax, and study. The Local Lab in Senigallia was organized by Civico8, a newly established collective of individuals aged 24 to 35, including members of the social center. Their goal is to engage young people in active participation for the common good of the city, touching on themes of social and political involvement.

Participants

Fourteen participants:

• Young people involved in various local associations (Youth Social Centers; Catholic associations; Civil Defense (supports the population in case of emergencies and natural disasters))
• Young people engaged in local government with roles as aldermen or councilors (majority and minority)
• Young people who are part of the collective Civico8

Agenda

9:30-9:50

• Welcome and Greetings (3 min)
• Icebreaker/Energizer (5 min)
• Participants form a circle
• Each participant creates a nickname consisting of an alliterative adjective describing their personality, starting with the first letter of their name. For example: “Magnificent Maria.”
• The next person repeats the first person’s nickname and then says their own name in the same way.
• Introduction of the initiative (as part of CHLaYdoscope, a project to develop skills related to the community leader profile) (10 min)
• Division into Groups (2 min)

9:50-10:30

• Persona Design Working groups (30 min)
• Return of work in plenary (3 min/group)

10:30-11:20

• Gap Analysis Working groups (40 min)
• Return of work in plenary (3 min/group)

11:20-11:30

• Coffee Break

11:30-12:20

• Brainstorming Working groups (35 min)
• Return of work in plenary (5 min/group)

Tools and/or Methodologies used

Before the Local Lab

• We met in a small group of people ( 2-3) of the collective Civico8 to define a clear purpose for our Local Lab
• We had a few exchanges with Warehouse Hub representative to share our idea
• We shared the topic identified with a larger group of Civico8 and we gave a “title” to the workshop to make the topic and the focus clear and appealing
• We identified the stakeholders to invite (youths engaged in our territories inside and outside the institutions)
• We designed visual material (a poster) to promote the Youth Local Lab
• We identified the date and the place to have the Local Lab in the same venue (two separate rooms) and in conjunction with another event that was to take place in our territory: the bishop’s meeting with the representatives of local institutions, so to show that “next door” young people were gathered to plan their future
• We drafted the agenda and identified the methodologies to be used in line with the workshop purpose

During the Local Lab

Persona Design

A useful exercise to identify and empathize with the targets we are referring to and thus to answer the question “Who are these young people active in the various associations and also in the local institutions of our territories? What are their goals, their ambitions, their frustrations?”.

Gap Analysis

A thorough analysis of needs and opportunities is essential to propose solutions that fit the context and the people.

Brainstorming

Once the target people and their needs had been identified, spontaneous creativity was encouraged using the brainstorming technique. This gave rise to a number of proposals for solutions to promote future opportunities in the hinterland through the involvement and active participation of young people within and outside local institutions.

After

Questionnaire

As an online tool, to collect feedback on the workshop held and the participants’ future goals and dreams.

Outcomes

The workshop identified college students/young workers (ages 23-29) as reference personas committed to local volunteer associations. Their aim is to achieve economic stability and job opportunities in their home territories while contributing to their revitalization. Participants then delved into the needs of both youths with a certain ambition, sensitivity and awareness of the needs of their territories and young people involved in local institutions. The former require spaces for discussion and training, while the latter need to be heard, taken seriously, and provided with training. Looking ahead, mentors and trainers with up-to-date competencies, along with revised spaces and priorities, are crucial for the well-being of both groups.

To address some of the aforementioned needs, three distinct ideas emerged:

1. Establish a media and participatory group for information services to enhance youth participation and a sense of belonging.
2. Formulate a participatory pathway for young people to express themselves and build proposals using available tools.
3. Coordinate periodic meetings with local government and citizens, guided by social mediators, to tackle area needs and encourage constructive participation.

Tips from Lucia Campolucci

“As a first step, it is a good idea to identify whether there is anyone in your environment (perhaps also specific stakeholders in relation to the identified challenge) who might be interested in actively contributing to the organization of the workshop. With or without this help, I then recommend that you proceed step by step, identifying the challenge well and then, on the basis of this, identifying all the stakeholders. At the same time, understand what kind of workshop it will be and then choose the right place and time to hold it, taking into account the different needs of the stakeholders.

During the workshop, create a climate of listening and mutual respect and push people to do their best in the short time available.”