FAMILY AND WORK

A social and work reintegration project for local families in difficulty

Offering help to jobless families and to people going through a difficult and complex moment is the goal of the "Family and work" project. Losing your job can happen for many reasons, including complex life events or particularly difficult personal histories. This project is aimed at precisely those people who find themselves in this situation.

The men and women who participate are often fragile and vulnerable and find it difficult to find a new position in the workplace. Thanks to the "Family and work" project, which offers help to jobless families, these people have the concrete possibility of obtaining a job, a fundamental step for social redemption and renewing their sense of dignity.

This is a social-work inclusion project, which was conceived in collaboration with Caritas Foligno, Arca del Mediterraneo Foundation and Cooperativa Territorio & Solidarietà. Since 2017 we have helped 31 local families by activating temporary work paths, i.e., work paths lasting two or three months offered to one of the family members. These concrete experiences in the working context have often turned into stable job opportunities.

Collaboration with Caritas of Foligno for the reintegration into work project

On 5 September 2017, on the occasion of the International Day of Charity and the anniversary of the death of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the "Family and work" project officially kicked off.

We have identified the first ten people to start this job reintegration project in collaboration with the Caritas Foligno listening center, a local point of reference.

Evolution of the Family and Work Project

Since day one, the "Family and work" project has constantly evolved and renewed with the aim of providing concrete help to jobless families and to the neediest people in the area:

• in December 2017, a few days before Christmas and a few months after the start, the announcement of the renewal of the project for another ten work grants;

• in May 2018, on the occasion of the third anniversary of the Foundation, the Municipality of Foligno with the then mayor Nando Mismetti also joined the project, offering its contribution by identifying needy families;

• on 25 September 2018 the SIR Safety Perugia Volley Club, men's volleyball team from Serie A, and its President Gino Sirci choose donated a match to the Valter Baldaccini Foundation, precisely in support of this project;

• in October 2019 the experience with the SIR of Perugia is renewed with the second edition of the memorial dedicated to Valter Baldaccini;

• on December 2019 the friends of the Bonsai Club of Foligno were the promoters of a wonderful solidarity initiative: a beautiful fundraising lunch to be allocated to this project;

• in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the activation times expanded but the project did not stop because more and more requests for help arrived;

•  in 2022 the project resumed at full speed with the Amici del Bonsai Club organizing the Autumn Bonsai and Solidarity event, a new initiative in support of this important project;

•  in 2023, the project has evolved by introducing an innovative element oriented towards giving back and helping others. In fact, new job grants will be activated for families who find themselves in particular situations, such as illness or advancing age, and who need an adequate domestic or social-health care service but cannot afford it.

Redemption stories of jobless families

The word dignity is at the heart of the experiences of the families we have met over the years. In addition to offering job reintegration opportunities, the project has restored dignity to many people: among the redemption stories, the story of Antonio stands out. He found a new determination in his working life thanks to the help we were able to provide him.

We were moved by Leonardo’s redemption story. He was unemployed with two teenage children and he recently informed us that the job grant, activated for the first time at UMBRAGROUP, a private company, was transformed into a permanent employment contract.

There are also Bianca, Lulù and Alì, who were given the opportunity to access a job grant represented a new beginning, full of prospects and hopes.

These experiences demonstrate how significant our commitment is to providing concrete support and help for jobless families and people in difficulty. The "Families and work" project continues to be a source of hope and redemption for many people.

You too can become an active part of this initiative! Contribute by donating now!

Thanks to your support, more and more families will be able to find work and rediscover their dignity in such a difficult moment for many.